Ashes To Ashes (the 'Life on Mars' sequel)

POSTED BY: ImNotHere
UPDATED: Saturday, February 23, 2008 10:24
VIEWED: 3461
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IMNOTHERE

Thursday, February 7, 2008 5:11 PM

Just to remind UK folk (and gently taunt our US friends) that "Ashes to Ashes" - the followup series to "Life on Mars" starts on BBC 1 tonight (Thurs 7 Feb).

...and I'm avin 'oops!

CORNCOBB

Thursday, February 7, 2008 5:18 PM

Can't wait! Wonder what Gene Hunt will make of Thatcher? Lol so much for "there'll never be a woman prime minister as long as there's a hole in my arse"

"Gorramit Mal... I've forgotten my line."

LWAVES

Thursday, February 7, 2008 7:11 PM

Yep I'll be wathcing it. Hope they do it justice and don't just rip off the first one.

Life On Mars is absolutely top notch TV.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

DEEPGIRL187

Friday, February 8, 2008 7:36 PM

So how was Ashes To Ashes, for those that had the chance to see it? Comparable to Life On Mars, better, or just so-so?

I've been kind of apprehensive myself; the initial thing that drew to the original show was John Simm, so I haven't been sure how the new show would hold up. On the other hand, Philip Glenister very quickly won me over, so I'm open to a new series.

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"This is my timey-wimey detector. It goes ding when there's stuff. Also, it can boil an egg at 30 paces, whether you want it to or not, actually, so I've learned to stay away from hens. It's not pretty when they blow."

HOBBLEIT

Friday, February 8, 2008 7:46 PM

It was ok, kind of like Life on Mars only in the 80s.

I do prefer Life of Mars because I prefer the 70s to the 80s but I'm not going to stop watching it.

Gene was as great as ever though

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http://www.myspace.com/muddy_waters

IMNOTHERE

Friday, February 8, 2008 10:06 PM

I'm going to wait for episode 2 before forming a conclusion. I can see what they're trying to do - to make it separate from 'Mars, but I'd like to see how it shakes down.

Firstly, I found the new lead a bit artificial and unsympathetic. However, unlike the perpetually bewildered Sam, she's convinced that she knows exactly what is going on and is treating it all as a bit of a game - it was only towards the end of the episode that it started to dawn on her what her "real world" predicament might be - maybe she's going to be taken down a peg or two. Oh, and we're obviously gonna get lots of Unresolved Sexual Tension between her and Gene.

Secondly, rather than the "grungy" 70s cop show element of the original, they seem to be going for a more escapist 80s "action" feel - not only was the A-Team namechecked, but we got a typical A-Team shootout (lots of bullets and sparks - no injuries) and later, the bad guy stopped a most of a clip from a machine gun and lived to tell the tale... Oh, and it took Alex an suspiciously long time to find a pair of trousers and get out of the hooker costume she arrived in...

These are all good ideas - we don't want Sam Tyler MkII - and it makes sense to evoke 80s cop shows just as 'Mars evoked the 70s.

However, I'm not sure I can cope with the idea of Gene Hunt drinking ...wine Plus, maybe I'm a bit too old, because I'm more into Camberwick Green than Rainbow!

Still - looking forward to Ep 2 to see how it beds down.

Oh, and I thought for a moment that they'd actually managed to get Bowie in it... (no, but pity).

DEEPGIRL187

Friday, February 8, 2008 11:27 PM

Gene's drinking wine?

....

....

The hell with this. They've just committed sacrilege.

No, really. I'll give it a look, once it gets to the States.

****************************************************

"This is my timey-wimey detector. It goes ding when there's stuff. Also, it can boil an egg at 30 paces, whether you want it to or not, actually, so I've learned to stay away from hens. It's not pretty when they blow."

LWAVES

Saturday, February 9, 2008 11:34 PM

I thought it was ok too. Some nice bits but also too similar to LOM at the moment. But as someone said, having her know about Sams report of what happened to him is a nice touch.

Never saw Gene as an Audi Quatro driver either. Would have pegged him more as a Capri man (like The Professionals). Ray would drive an Audi though.

I think the wine drinking will play a part later. Maybe a deliberate play by him to stay off beer/shorts. The show seemed to hint that things might not be as cosy for him as they appear.

Saw Philip Glenister on Jonathon Ross's Friday chat show and he said that it didn't really kick into gear until the second episode.

"I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it it might cheer me up to watch."

IMNOTHERE

Sunday, February 10, 2008 3:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lwaves:

I think the wine drinking will play a part later. Maybe a deliberate play by him to stay off beer/shorts. The show seemed to hint that things might not be as cosy for him as they appear.

Probably - I suspect that Gene Hunt in 1980s London is going to be the one feeling like he's landed on another planet. Even so, I still think that Gene sipping wine in an Italian bistro is about as likely as him turning up in Alex's hooker outfit.

(Ugh. Now I've got to go and wash my brain out with bleach!)

SPACEANJL

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:25 PM

I love this series, but I think it might be the music. These were (ohgod) my teen years, and I remember this stuff.

I like the way you are getting the Gene genie through someone else's filter this time. Fabulous 'Moonlighting' vibe. And the A-Team/ Miami Vice heroics in ep 1 were so funny. He might be drinking wine, but he still has a face like a slapped arse about it.

However - anyone with me on the idea that Molly's godfather might turn out to be a bit more significant than first thought? Chummy in ep1 was on the 'phone to someone from 'the past' just before the shooting.

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