A word in your shell-like, pal.

I've always been a little bit envious of bloggers -- They always seem to have something to say. I never did before, so refrained from ever setting one up -- but here I am, and here a blog is...

So what have I chosen as the subject for my first ever blog? Quite simply the best television series to come out of England since Fawtly Towers: Life on Mars, and, Ashes to Ashes.

On the 21st May 2010, I joined nearly 6 Million people in watching the conclusion to 5 series of epic British Television, and have to say that I certainly was not disappointed. What started in 2006 as a 'Time-Travelling cop drama," has for me changed the face of the BBC, and what counts as a 'good use of License Payers money,' and whilst I would love to debate the politics behind the BBC and it's Independence meaning that it can take on projects like the Gene Hunt story, or discuss the wonderfully crafted filming of each of the 40 episodes in question, this blog is going mainly going to discuss the plot - and what the final episode actually means (or doesn't mean).


**SPOILER ALERT** If you have not seen the final episode of Ashes to Ashes Season 3 - and intend to - DO NOT read on! **SPOILER ALERT**


That out of the way, I'll also point out now that I am writing as someone who is familiar with every episode from, "A word in your shell-like, pal," all the way through to, "A word in your shell-like, pal," (which, by the way, what a line to end on!)

Now down to business. This series of Ashes to Ashes began well - and to all intents and purposes, the first three episodes led even me - a die-hard Sam Tyler fan - to accept that maybe this time, they have finally surpassed the golden age of Life on Mars. Then came the rest of the series, and an endless barrage of questions, confusion, and very intelligent writing, that kept me glued to the television week after week after week. The series as a whole was harder to solve than a Sudoku Rubix Cube - but on Friday night we learned the ultimate truth of the entire story - that Gene Hunt's world is a Purgatory for Police Officers that died young.

That's right - Gene, Sam, Alex, Ray, Chris, Annie, and Shaz, all dead. From Episode one, Season One - and it would appear as if Gene knew all along.

Assuming that everyone who read past the spoiler warning above actually saw the final episode, and I needn't explain it all; I'll start with a few simple questions that would appear to have simple answers:


Q: We know how Ray, Chris, Chaz, Sam, Gene, and Alex all snuffed it - but what of Annie?

A: Sam saw his Dad (Vic Tyler) killing a woman in a red dress in a forest on he day he left home. That was when Sam was a child - and therefore still very much in the 'real' world. In LoM S1Ep8 Sam comes face to face with his Dad - which, we now know was NOT in the 'real world 1973', but in 'Gene's world 1973' and therefore whatever happened did not change what happened in real life. It transpired that the woman in the red dress was W.P.C. Annie Cartwright, and with Sam's line, "I followed you into the woods that day, and watched you beat a woman to death." I'm going to give that one to Vic - Vic Tyler killed Annie.


Q: The Audi Quattro wasn't available in England until blah blah blah...

A: I hate this question - who cares when the bloody car was available? Destroying it in the final episode was a master stroke!


Q: Did Sam really wake up from 1973? And did he really commit suicide to get back?

A: Yes. Yes. Alex couldn't have known about Gene and all of Sam's experiences. I won't explain further than that, I think it's self explanatory. Also, yes, believe Alex DID awake from her coma at the end of AtA s2 - purely on the evidence that she had no more crazy 'real life' visions in the third series. HOWEVER, I am also prepared to accept that Alex was shot by Gene, and died in her coma in 2009 at the same moment.


And now for something a little harder to explain, and perhaps a little more controversial... Who or what was Frank Morgan (LoM s2)? And who or what was Martin Summers (AtA s2)?

Well, I put it to you that they were same as Jim Keats - the devil. Both Morgan and Summers entered Gene's world with the sole intention of turning Sam or Alex respectively, against Gene Hunt - which, as we know, they both failed (as indeed did Keats also).


With all that being said, I shall probably post another LoM/AtA blog after the third series of AtA is released, and I have completed the epic 40hour marathon that is enevitable for almost every fan. Until then, blogs will range in subjects, and themes - depending on when and where I find something else to say!

Thanks for reading my first blog, it was written very improptu, and very late at night! Hope you stop by again soon.