Ashes to Ashes (2008)
A sort-of-sequel to Life on Mars. I’m really unhappy with this show. I won’t spend much time fleshing out why, but here’s a quick PowerPoint presentation:
- Lack of sustained story arc, beyond the vague goal of Drake being reunited with daughter. If there was a progressive solution to the puzzle of returning, the series would work much better. I’m surprised this wasn’t learned from LoM, where elements were introduced and dropped at whim, rather than assembled into a coherent pattern that could be unpicked by Sam Tyler.
- Hammered home trauma elements. If they turn out to be pointless gimmicks, I’ll be very cranky. This happened to a lesser extent in LoM.
- Drake is an unsympathetic character and there’s no chemistry between her and the other characters. There’s no chemistry in the show anywhere. Being told how attractive Drake is makes my skin crawl.
- Driving-fast-cars-and-running-around-in-tight-jeans was well parodied The Bullshitters. Maybe the producers missed this? The shallowness of the characterisations is a turn off.
LoM had a wonderful first episode and a last episode that had some wonderful elements, with a lot of variation in the middle episodes (none of which really live up to the promise of the first one). Ashes to Ashes hasn’t even managed that, and John Simm made a good call in not returning.