TV: Good News About Ashes to Ashes

The best part of the season finale for Ashes to Ashes was the cultured British voice at the end saying, "Ashes to Ashes returns to BBC 1 for a new series next year."

Which means the saga of Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt continues. Guess Philip Glenister didn't get his wish for his character to go out on his shield ... yet. I still think the core concept of the series, transplanting 21st century cops back a few decades to guide Hunt past his baser moments has a third series to go. Hunt was good in 1970's Manchester in Life on Mars and better now in 1980's London in this series. Having sent a man back in the first series and a woman back in this one, you have the choice of a bordering-on-the-grave Hunt himself or a kid as the next traveler. I like the kid idea myself, going back to face a retired Hunt, working occasionally as a private detective in the 1990's.

But enough of repeating myself.

The series seemed to hinge half-way through. Keeley Hawes's Alex Drake went undercover plenty in the first half of the series, much to the delight of anybody who would find Hawes fetching in a Catwoman suit. The last half of the series, she more or less buckled down to just investigating after the fact, while trying to prevent the upcoming murder of her parents. Rather than drag the parental tragedy out to a second season, the creators of Ashes to Ashes decided to wrap it up in the first season finale.

It was fairly satisfying. It hopefully puts an end to the Bowie clown character from her nightmares. Whether that ups the quotient of voices in her head coming from the TV or elsewhere remains to be seen. I hope not. Some will have to stay, if only to create a need for her to wrap up her little visit to the past. I just like the simple police part of the show.

The "Sam and Diane" plot line asking if she and Hunt will hook up, cooled off immensely over the last half, but remained on the back-burner. Essentially, this becomes the focus for the second season. And who could vote against the big brutish DCI finally achieving happiness with Alex in his arms. She'll disappear back to now, leaving him wondering if HE was just having a dream, but that's for episode eight next year.

In the meantime, hunt for the Ashes to Ashes DVD's when they come out, as a companion for your Life on Mars DVD sets. You DO have them, don't you?