Ashes to Ashes - Episode Guide

The BBC drama, Ashes to Ashes, is a spin off from the successful Life on Mars series set the 70s. In Life on Mars, Sam Tyler (John Simm), found himself in 1973, after a car knocked him over. He was desperate to escape from the world of flares, wide ties and his politically incorrect boss, DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister).

In Ashes to Ashes, DCI Alex Drake is shot and wakes up in 1981. She knew Sam Tyler; she saw him professionally in her role as a police psychologist. So she knows all about Gene Hunt and Manchester CID in 1973, although she thinks it is all in Sam's mind.

Ashes to Ashes - Episode 7

In Episode 7, Ashes to Ashes takes Alex closer to the real world. The clown figures strongly suggesting he will "take" one of the characters. Will it be Alex?

The 1981 storyline is about a high profile charity fund raiser, Gil Hollis, who has spent several weeks in a bath raising money for children in Africa. Hollis is robbed on his way to the bank with the money. His story, however, does not add up. Gene takes a firm line, police brutality, the works. Alex betrays him by calling in Caroline Price and Gene is advised to take some leave.

Gil Hollis staged the fake robbery himself, Gene was right after all. The episode climaxes when Hollis threatens the team with a hand gun. After running off, Shaz gives chase; he stabs her with a Swiss Army knife. Alex brings Shaz back from the dead, but not before Gene, Ray and Chris take it out on Hollis.



In this episode Gil Hollis was played by Keeley Hawes' real life husband, Matthew Macfadyen.

For period detail, I particularly liked the 'Ska Boys'. Their gear was about right for 1981.

Ashes to Ashes - Episode 6

In episode 6, the drama of Alex's real life comes more to the fore. She is feeling cold; the body gets colder the closer it is to death.

Back in 1981, Gene is pursuing an old adversary, Chas Cale, who is doing one last job for old time's sake. It is a classic Sweeney style shop hold up. Chas and an associate make their get away on the back of a motorbike. Gene is outfoxed when he gives chase in the Quattro.

The episode ends with Alex a prisoner in Chas' freezer, he has retired to become a chef. Gene naturally plays the hero and rescues her.


Ashes to Ashes - Episode 5

Episode 5 of the hit BBC drama Ashes to Ashes tackles the difficult issue, for 1981, of homosexuality. Gene and Alex are after a drug dealer, Simon Neary. His boyfriend seems the only way to get at him.

Alex persuades the boyfriend to co-operate with the police. She makes him see Neary for what he is by getting Ray to chat him up!

At the end of the episode, the boyfriend decides to tackle the difficult challenge of explaining his homosexuality to his parents.


Ashes to Ashes - Episode 4

In the fourth episode of the BBC hit drama, Ashes to Ashes, Gene Hunt and Alex Drake get mixed up with the spooks at MI5. There are shades of the Iprcess File, or Funeral in Berlin in some of the shots.

A man falls to his death; he was pushed. A diary is found on him with a secret code and a telephone number. It is the number of Caroline Price. Alex chooses to investigate this connection on her own. She discovers her mother is having an affair. Tim and Caroline Price are delving into what they see as shady activities in government circles. Is this the reason they are killed?

The sound track is 'Girls on Film' by seminal 80s band Duran Duran. It reached number 5 in 1981.


Ashes to Ashes - Episode 3

This episode of the BBC drama, Ashes to Ashes, starts with a car chase. Gene Hunt puts the Audi Quattro through its paces chasing a Ford Transit van. These white van men have a load of garden gnomes, filled with white powder.

The central theme of the episode is an investigation into the alleged rape of a prostitute. Gene Hunt finds it difficult to take the complaint seriously. The suspect looks likely to have committed a murder as well. This choice of subject brings back memories of the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper which ended in 1981 with the arrest of Peter Sutcliffe.

For the episodes finale, Gene, Alex, Chris and Ray go undercover in a fancy dress party. Gene goes as Clint Eastwood, Ray as James Bond, Chris as Superman/Clark Kent and Alex as a rather saucy pussycat.


Ashes to Ashes - Episode 2

It looks like Gene doesn't want to scratch the Quattro - no Sweeney style stunts! He wasn't so careful with the Cortina GXL from Life on Mars....

In case you're interested, the wearing of seatbelts in the front of a car became compulsory in 1983, although all new cars had to be fitted with front seatbelts from 1967.

The background track is 'Swords of a Thousand Men' by Ten Pole Tudor, which reached number 6 in April 1981. Front man Edward Tudor-Pole played Tadpole the kiosk attendant in the 1978 film 'The Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle' staring the Sex Pistols.


Episode 2 of the BBC TV drama, Ashes to Ashes, is set against the back drop of Charles and Di's wedding on 29 July 1981. The is a bomb scare on the Isle of Dogs. A pub landlord is protesting against the Docklands development. Gene wants to make sure it does not affect the Royal Wedding.

This episode was packed with 80s nostalgia. Chaz takes Chris Skelton to an 80s night club (was that Boy George in the cloakroom?). Everyone is wearing makeup including Chris. He is a bit embarrassed about it when the lads at the Met find out.

The target of the bomb scare is Danny Moore, a rich businessman who has come up the hard way. He is developing the Docklands area - a true Thatcherite; he drives a De Lorean.

Also in this episode Alex meets her mother, Caroline Price. Is this the reason she is back in 1981?

Background to Ashes to Ashes Episode 2

For Charles and Di's Wedding see 1981: Charles and Diana marry

For the De Lorean see the The De Lorean Owners Club UK

Ashes to Ashes - Episode 1

The first episode of the BBC's television drama Ashes to Ashes was highly entertaining. The combination of tongue in cheek nostalgia for the 80s and the complex plot worked well.

Ashes to Ashes moves the action to 1981. Police psychologist DCI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes), is confronted by a figure from a past she doesn't know she has. Long haired, scruffy psychopath, Arthur Layton (Sean Harris), forces Alex Drake at gun point onto a derelict barge on the Thames. He shoots her. She sees the bullet and thinks this is it and wakes up in 1981, still on the barge, now known as 'The Lady Di'. Alex finds herself looking rather glamorous in a short skirt and 80s style permed hair. Alex Drake is in the middle of a party on the barge, the sort of party where cocaine mixes with champagne. There is a police raid. She is confused and still thinks she is back in 2008.

Gene Hunt arrives on the scene in a red Audi Quattro. Alex thinks all this is in her head, it might well be. Being a psychologist she tries to analyse what is happening to her. Has she really gone back to 1981? Is she imagining all this in the last second of her life? Sam Tyler was haunted by the test card, Alex is haunted by David Bowie's Pierrot from the Ashes to Ashes video.

Ashes to Ashes switches between Alex's attempts to get back home and action scenes worthy of the Professionals, the A-Team and Miami Vice. You can sit back and enjoy the screeching of tyres as Gene Hunt 'fires up the Quattro', try to unravel what is going on in Alex's mind, or just enjoy the sound track and the 80s nostalgia.

On the subject of the 80s nostalgia, the decor was just about spot on for the period. The boldly striped sofa in Alex's flat above Luigi's was just right for 1981. The clothes were definitely 80s, but more generic 80s than 1981. I would not have expected middle-aged coppers to be sporting narrow ties. The young abandoned the kipper tie with the punk era, but for older men the fashions of the late 70s died hard. As late as 1982, Rick (Rik Mayall) of 'The Young Ones' derided a TV 'youth' programme, because 'they were still wearing flared trousers'. The jackets with the sleeves rolled up were more from the mid 80s, think Miami Vice (1984). If the year was 1985 then the fashion would have been about right.

Music in Ashes to Ashes episode 1

For more about the music in Ashes to Ashes see Ashes to Ashes - music.