I’m going to break with protocol here and go straight to what, for me, was the big question mark raised by the terrific second episode of Ashes To Ashes’ final season. So what the hell was that all about? Was that Gene Hunt putting together a piece of the jigsaw that explains his character? Are we supposed to see that as part of the overall puzzle coming together? Or is it something to do with the investigation into the death of Sam Tyler that Alex Drake is busying herself with? The episode as a whole focused a lot on the character of Shaz, and how she’s gradually become disenfranchised with the force. The characters around her are hardly the people to talk to about it, and she even struggles to confide in Drake. In short, she’s in a bad place, and needs something dramatic to shake her out of it. Her implicit wish is, ultimately, granted. It’s great to see Shaz taking centre stage here, and her career dithering added a real sense of ambiguity to the investigation she found herself a pivotal part of. When it came to the denouement of the case, I was fairly convinced that she wasn’t going to make it to the end of the episode, and it’s credit to writer Ashley Pharoah that he managed the guessing game quite so well. Pharoah also, to be fair, delivered some superb comedy moments. The stand-out, and set to become a YouTube classic, is the warped dream that Drake – whose investigations into her own situation went on the back burner a little this week – had been having. Ray, Chris and Gene Hunt singing Uptown Girl? It’s not quite up there with Camberwick Green in Life On Mars, but it’s not far off at all. The case of the week that formed the centre of the episode provided some comedy too, when the investigation led the team to a dating agency. This gave space for a bit of fun at Ray’s expense (given his familiarity with such agencies), and also set up a terrific speed dating sequence that ultimately became what helped resolve the case. Gene Hunt speed dating? Comedy gold. Considering the darker turns that the series has been taking already, it’s nice to still have space for the lighter moments that have been one of the trademarks of the shows. The case itself was interesting, well told and perfectly enjoyable. But it’s the ongoing story elements that were by far the most interesting. I’ve already touched on Drake poking her nose into the fate of Sam Tyler, which looks like being a recurring theme, but for the second week running, the shadow of DCI Jim Keats was all over the episode. After his impactful final scene confrontation with Gene Hunt last week, this time he plays a game of divide and conquer, as he takes his affable demeanour to try and expose the cracks in his team instead. His probing exposes one or two small areas for further investigation, and if the trailer for next week’s episode is anything to go by, fireworks are imminent. I’m looking forward to seeing them. Furthermore, it’s been utterly gripping at its best, and given that the show usually hits its peak in the last couple of episodes, I’m salivating at the thought of what lies ahead. If it keeps matching this standard, then it’ll be the best series of Ashes To Ashes & Life On Mars to date.
