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Come on Zippy, talk to me
Published Wednesday, Jan 30 2008, 16:40 GMT | By Neil Wilkes | 11 comments
"Today, my friend, your diary entry will read: 'Took a prozzie hostage and was shot by three armed b**tards'."
Everyone's favourite Hunt is back in Ashes To Ashes, the highly-anticipated sequel to Life On Mars.
Here are ten things I can tell you about the new show:
1. Move over Sam Tyler, make way for DI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes). She's a "ballsy, confident and bright" psychological profiler who proves more than a match for returning DCI, Gene Hunt...
2. This time the action is in London, 1981, where Gene and sidekicks DS Ray Carling and DS Chris Skelton have relocated to join the Met.
3. Having read Sam Tyler's case notes in 2008, Alex is aware of what is happening to her right from the start. She knows all about Gene and is convinced that she is in a coma, rendering her new world nothing more than an illusion of the mind. It's a "dystopia", as she sees it.
4. Gene hasn't changed much, but the Cortina is out and the Quattro is in. His wife has left him but there could be a new love interest on the scene.
5. Alex finds herself in 1981 after a drug-addled gunman named Arthur Layton kidnaps her then shoots her in the head. Alex believes finding Layton in 1981 is the key to getting her home.
6. Prejudice still plays an important role in this series: we have sexism ("You can't give a person who gets periods that much responsibility") and racism ("Sorry, I don't speak Hindustani").
7. Sam's dream sequences involving the Test Card girl have been replaced by Rainbow favourites Zippy and George. The puppets are seen interacting with Alex's 12-year-old daughter Molly in Alex's dreams. Alex is also being plagued by a sinister-looking clown.
8. 1981 has significance for Alex - then aged eight - because it is the year her parents died. Just before he shoots her in 2008, Layton tells Alex that he knew her parents.
9. Episode two is set at the wedding of Charles and Diana. Guest stars this series include Rupert Graves, Russell Tovey, Geoffrey Palmer, Steve Strange and Phil Davis (looks like they borrowed Doctor Who's casting sheet).
10. As for the fate of Sam, this is addressed in both the present day (suicide) and the past. I won't spoil what became of him exactly, but it suffices to say that he's no longer on the scene... and he spent a long time with Gene.
Ashes To Ashes airs Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One from February 7.
Are you looking forward to Ashes To Ashes? Click the link below to add your comments to this entry. If you have any questions for the column please use the link at the top of the page.
Don't forget to scroll down to read previous editions you may have missed!
Everyone's favourite Hunt is back in Ashes To Ashes, the highly-anticipated sequel to Life On Mars.
Here are ten things I can tell you about the new show:
1. Move over Sam Tyler, make way for DI Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes). She's a "ballsy, confident and bright" psychological profiler who proves more than a match for returning DCI, Gene Hunt...
2. This time the action is in London, 1981, where Gene and sidekicks DS Ray Carling and DS Chris Skelton have relocated to join the Met.
3. Having read Sam Tyler's case notes in 2008, Alex is aware of what is happening to her right from the start. She knows all about Gene and is convinced that she is in a coma, rendering her new world nothing more than an illusion of the mind. It's a "dystopia", as she sees it.
4. Gene hasn't changed much, but the Cortina is out and the Quattro is in. His wife has left him but there could be a new love interest on the scene.
5. Alex finds herself in 1981 after a drug-addled gunman named Arthur Layton kidnaps her then shoots her in the head. Alex believes finding Layton in 1981 is the key to getting her home.
6. Prejudice still plays an important role in this series: we have sexism ("You can't give a person who gets periods that much responsibility") and racism ("Sorry, I don't speak Hindustani").
7. Sam's dream sequences involving the Test Card girl have been replaced by Rainbow favourites Zippy and George. The puppets are seen interacting with Alex's 12-year-old daughter Molly in Alex's dreams. Alex is also being plagued by a sinister-looking clown.
8. 1981 has significance for Alex - then aged eight - because it is the year her parents died. Just before he shoots her in 2008, Layton tells Alex that he knew her parents.
9. Episode two is set at the wedding of Charles and Diana. Guest stars this series include Rupert Graves, Russell Tovey, Geoffrey Palmer, Steve Strange and Phil Davis (looks like they borrowed Doctor Who's casting sheet).
10. As for the fate of Sam, this is addressed in both the present day (suicide) and the past. I won't spoil what became of him exactly, but it suffices to say that he's no longer on the scene... and he spent a long time with Gene.
Ashes To Ashes airs Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One from February 7.
Are you looking forward to Ashes To Ashes? Click the link below to add your comments to this entry. If you have any questions for the column please use the link at the top of the page.
Don't forget to scroll down to read previous editions you may have missed!
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11 Comments
Your Responses
Dragonfly, Cheshire, on February 2nd, 2008
We cannot wait for the start of this new series, Life on Mars is a hard act to follow. Just one thing puzzles us, how did Sam know what Morgan looked like? He was his surgeon AFTER the accident, Sam would not have seen him previously, or did we miss something?
We cannot wait for the start of this new series, Life on Mars is a hard act to follow. Just one thing puzzles us, how did Sam know what Morgan looked like? He was his surgeon AFTER the accident, Sam would not have seen him previously, or did we miss something?
Paul, London, on February 2nd, 2008
Can't wait for this to start - Life On Mars was the best BBC drama in years - let's hope Ashes To Ashes is just as fantastic. :-) Gene Hunt is a legend!
Can't wait for this to start - Life On Mars was the best BBC drama in years - let's hope Ashes To Ashes is just as fantastic. :-) Gene Hunt is a legend!
Thomas Acton, Enfield, on February 1st, 2008
Oh Elizabeth! Get help!
Oh Elizabeth! Get help!
Alison, Rotherham, on February 1st, 2008
I am looking forward to this. I was born in 1981 so it will be interesting for me to see what it was like back then
I am looking forward to this. I was born in 1981 so it will be interesting for me to see what it was like back then
Greg, Glasgow, on January 31st, 2008
Elizabeth in NYC, you have COMPLETELY missed the point.
Elizabeth in NYC, you have COMPLETELY missed the point.
Martin, London, on January 31st, 2008
Time for the real King of Manchester to turn London upside down. Cannot wait!
Time for the real King of Manchester to turn London upside down. Cannot wait!
John, Fife, on January 31st, 2008
Of course, they missed the most obvious spin off: fed up with Hunt Sam Tyler runs him over and puts him in a coma, Gene Hunt wakes up in 2008 and proceeds to slap around the politically correct namby pambys.
Of course, they missed the most obvious spin off: fed up with Hunt Sam Tyler runs him over and puts him in a coma, Gene Hunt wakes up in 2008 and proceeds to slap around the politically correct namby pambys.
Ann, London, on January 30th, 2008
Even i am looking forward this even though i havent seen Life of mars yet though i've got the boxset and i plan to have a marathon this weekend. Good times!!
Even i am looking forward this even though i havent seen Life of mars yet though i've got the boxset and i plan to have a marathon this weekend. Good times!!
Elizabeth Manhattan, NYC, on January 30th, 2008
I was very disappointed with the way “Life On Mars” ended. It seemed completely out of character for Sam. He seems to love life and was a by the book person. In one episode he says “where I come from everybody loves me”, that place didn’t seem unpleasant whereby he would want to commit suicide. So the concept that he would “just commit suicide” in order to get back to 1973, without doing any research whatsoever, to determine whether or not what he went through was real or imaginary wasn’t believable and totally out of character. The writers should have put more thought into the ending. I was very disappointed. :-(
I was very disappointed with the way “Life On Mars” ended. It seemed completely out of character for Sam. He seems to love life and was a by the book person. In one episode he says “where I come from everybody loves me”, that place didn’t seem unpleasant whereby he would want to commit suicide. So the concept that he would “just commit suicide” in order to get back to 1973, without doing any research whatsoever, to determine whether or not what he went through was real or imaginary wasn’t believable and totally out of character. The writers should have put more thought into the ending. I was very disappointed. :-(
Rusty, Lancashire, on January 30th, 2008
I cant wait for this was born in 1973 and 1981 was a signifcant year for me too, i remember the royal wedding and tom baker leaving doctor who and with the inclusion of zippy who wants to miss this !!!
I cant wait for this was born in 1973 and 1981 was a signifcant year for me too, i remember the royal wedding and tom baker leaving doctor who and with the inclusion of zippy who wants to miss this !!!
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Life on Mars absolutly fantastic. I am a time traveling freak when it comes to films & Programes. Like houndreds if not thousands of veiwers alike it is a dam shame we couldn't have had a third series with John Sims. Booked the TV for Thursday night looking forward (or backwards) to the show.