Ashes to Ashes - BBC Series 3 (New Packaging) [DVD]

The writers of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes do great endings. Who can forget the finale of Life on Mars, or the very satisfying tying up of loose ends in Ashes to Ashes series 1? Series 2 finished on a frustrating cliffhanger, leaving us hungry for this series when, presumably, all would be explained and everything would become clear...and, boy, does it deliver!

It's actually very difficult to write much about it without giving the game away which is a pity because it's only in the last episode when you discover how fiendishly clever it has all been and how many clues were provided along the way. What, for example is 'new guv' Jim Keats's agenda? Why do people keep seeing stars? Who is the mysterious young policeman with half his face blown off who haunts Alex from the first episode? And is Gene Hunt to be trusted?

Gene is even grouchier than usual in this series. It seems he has something on his mind...but what? And what of Sam from Life on Mars? How does he fit into all of this?

My mum reckons that you only need to watch the first and last episodes of each series to know exactly what's going on and that's probably true, but it would be like watching a football match kick off, popping to the pub and then returning five minutes before the final whistle.

Ah yes, the pub...

No, no, no. I really mustn't give anything away. Just watch it. It's great.

Now, obviously I cannot rate the DVD, as it has not yet been released. I will, however, try to give you an overview of the quality of the series itself. In one word, it has to be : amazing. Or 'mind-blowing' (ok, it's hyphenated).

Ashes to Ashes, being the spin-off from 'Life on Mars', had a lot to live up to. The standards set by LoM were nothing short of excellent; it was creative, intelligent and entertaining genre-bending television at its finest. A2A was expected to be the greyhound-out-of-the-trap successor, and initially it wasn't. The first series, whilst good TV in itself, found itself on bumpier ground than its predecessor, at least in my eyes. But as it developed, and entered the second series, the writing improved greatly, the direction tightened up, and the plot began to hurtle along, ever raising more questions than it answered and leaving you wanting more. The jaw-dropping series finale sparked much discussion between myself and colleagues.

As such, I'm here to tell you that this third series of Ashes to Ashes (A2A) does not disappoint whatsoever. This may be one of the best series of TV that the BBC has ever aired. It's humorous, suspenseful, moving, and it's got action, mystery and class, but all in just the right measure. One major thing it has going for it is the fact that it is one of the few shows around nowadays that doesn't treat its audience like reality-TV-loving lemons. It's intelligent, so you have to actually think to keep up with the plot, which is more than can be said for most things on the box nowadays.

Picking up straight from where the 2nd series left off, we soon find ourselves back with the team of Fenchurch East (including quite a stylish re-entrance from the Quattro). From there on in, the pace does not let up. With the introduction of a new character in the form of DCI Jim Keats (played superbly, chillingly even, by Daniel Mays), Gene and the gang now have an adversary to play off of, which provides some of the most tense moments I've ever seen on British television. Keats, over the course of the series, serves as the foil for Hunt, in his attempts to subvert and corrupt Gene's world from his position in Discipline & Complaints.

Throughout this 3rd series, the characters evolve in diverse and realistic ways, and we come to know them as human beings. It's this level of empathy with their lives and their emotions that leads to one of the most shocking, startling, and satisfying conclusions I've ever witnessed on television, which, I believe, even trumps the ending of Life on Mars. The audacity and level of complexity behind the finale, and its many implications, cannot garner enough praise from myself.

Much kudos then to all the cast and crew involved in crafting such a fine piece of British TV, that will surely (hopefully) be remembered for years to come. All the main cast deserve some kind of award for their performances here, as they inhabit their characters flawlessly, but perhaps the writers must take the most credit. Their work here is nothing shy of genius; they had the pace spot-on, they knew how to push the audience's buttons, there were more than a few self-referential nods in there, and they knew that people would just not be satisfied until they finally unraveled the mystery at the heart of it all. Many thanks, and congratulations, to Mr Graham, Mr Pharoah and co.

If you've followed this saga all the way from Life on Mars, you'll know that I'm not exaggerating with this review. You owe it to yourself to watch the stunning conclusion to such a heartfelt and human story, that encompasses not only the life of Alex Drake, but also of Sam Tyler. The truth will set you free.

Its not very often in a lifetime that event television such as this comes along. Whilst watching the final episode, I almost forgot to breathe and could hear my own heart beating. It was THAT good. (No spoilers here). One moot point- thank God it was BBC and no adverts broke up the tension.

Now I never quite got round to watching Life on Mars. it appealed to me, and my friends all praised it, but I just never got round to it. This in no way spoilt my enjoyment of Ashes to Ashes and Series Three played a blinder.

The loose ends are finally tied up - well the big ones are, but as for the little ones, well, the writers have left enough intrigue for you to mull over for a long time. From almost the first scene in Episode 8 came shock after shock after shock. Who was the body in the shallow grave? Why had Ray, Chris and Shaz all seen stars? Who was Gene Hunt really? and was Jim Keats good or bad? The final episode answered all these questions and its kudos to the writers as well as the actors that it was so electrifying. No weak links here.

Special mention must go to Daniel Mays playing Keats. Right up until the last episode he had me guessing: good or bad? good or bad? When this question was answered he really pulled off some incredible acting. Also excellent werethe outstanding Keely Hawes (isn't she tall? 5.11"?), Ray, Chris and the fabulous Shaz. their performances had everything including chemistry and camaraderie.

But let's centre on the hero to end all heroes, the Gene Genie himself. Unfortunately for the legend that is Philip Glenister he'll have some work to do to avoid being Gene Hunt in everything he does. So iconic was his character and so well loved, and so refreshingly rude and Un-PC that his performance outshines everything and he becomes the star of the series. Indeed of the whole franchise.

As for the other episodes on this DVD, from apisode 1 to episode 8, its like a clever puxzzle. The clues are there, the characters are growing, you can feel the climax building, at first subtly, and then to the tension filled episode 8 where all becomes clear and my word, its beautiful television. The ending was so right. I hope they don't make any more as they pitched this perfectly and I'm sad its over as perfect, thought provoking, intelligent television like this only come along once a decade or two. Breathtaking and emotional.