Life On Mars is the smash-hit cop show starring John Simm as a detective who is involved in a car accident and wakes to find himself transported back to 1973, a world dominated by Ford Cortinas, sheep-skin jackets and very hard coppers.
John Simm continues into a second thrilling series as Sam Tyler a driven and ambitious young detective determined to keep the streets of 21st Century Manchester safe. But after a near fatal car accident he has waken up dazed and confused in 1973. Has he gone back in time? Is he in a coma? Or has he simply gone insane? In an archaic CID unit he still must adapt to their old-fashioned technologies and etiquettes while working on some of the hardest cases in which he's ever been involved....
The follow up to Life On Mars sees the return of DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister)! But he's no longer the self styled 'Sheriff Of Manchester' - drawn by the action and intrigue of the London Met Gene's turned his attentions to taking on the 'southern nancy' criminal scum! He is joined by his faithful sidekicks Ray Carling (Dean Andrews) and Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster). DCI Alex Drake is thrown into the mix - after suffering a horrific accident in 2008 she finds herself in 1981 alongside Hunt and his team.
The Lakes brought writer Jimmy McGovern and actor John Simm a great deal of critical praise in 1997. Following a particularly dry period for British TV drama, the show's realistic characterisations and their painfully honest decisions hit audiences hard. Simm is a twentysomething trapped in a life of compulsive gambling, theft and being on the dole in Liverpool. On a whim he heads north to the Lake District. He expects to find the countryside quietude where his hidden poetical leanings might find a home, but instead gets caught up in a community like any other. Lies, temptation and tragedy beset every household just as much as the big city. The focus of Series 1 is Danny's relationship with Emma (Emma Cunniffe) and the consequences of having a child. As time races by, his link to the Lakes becomes an exercise in torment when the eyes of blame fall easily upon him after the accidental deaths of four schoolgirls. Stoking the flames of a series of secondary explosions in waiting are a pair of affairs, one adulterous, the other complicated by religion. In the far longer sequel series that came two years later, these back-stories would come to the fore. Although exploring Danny's tortured soul might have been the obvious continuation, instead an almost Hitchcockian murder scenario occupies far more screen time. But by stretching things out, this second series does not have the same self-contained impact of the original. Additional writers only served to drag out Danny's boy-to-man journey. Ultimately, lessons are learned, including the realistic conclusion that life is without a poetical status quo. Despite the tail-off in overall quality, you'd be hard pressed to identify a better British drama in the years since. On the DVD: The Lakes complete series 1 and 2 box set comes with two separate commentary tracks for the very first episode. In interviews, John Simm fondly recalls how cold the lake water was and director David Blair recalls putting him in it. It's a shame the two weren't recorded together. It's also a shame that's all there is in this package. Even a few cast biographies would have been welcome. Picture is 4:3 and stereo sound is as you'd expect from 1990s UK TV. --Paul Tonks
We've come so far and now the end is near. The journey that began with Life on Mars concludes as Alex Drake embarks on her final mission: to uncover the truth about Gene Hunt and unlock the dark secrets of this World. Alex is back only this time it's 1983 and something feels different. The arrival of DCI Jim Keats sent by Scotland Yard to monitor the station's performance throws some unexpected light on past events. Haunted by the ghost of a policeman Alex decides that her only hope in getting home lies in finding out what really happened to Sam Tyler.
The follow up to Life On Mars Ashes To Ashes sees the return of DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) - but he is no longer the self styled 'Sheriff Of Manchester' - drawn by the action and intrigue of the London Met Gene's turned his attentions to taking on the 'southern nancy' criminal scum! He is joined by his faithful sidekicks Ray Carling (Dean Andrews) and Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster). DCI Alex Drake is thrown into the mix - after suffering a horrific accident in 2008 she finds herself in 1981 alongside Hunt and his team.
The 80s are back and it's criminal! Series 1 2 and 3: The follow up to Life On Mars Ashes To Ashes sees the return of DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister)! But he's no longer the self styled 'Sheriff Of Manchester' - drawn by the action and intrigue of the London Met Gene's turned his attentions to taking on the 'southern nancy' criminal scum! He is joined by his faithful sidekicks Ray Carling (Dean Andrews) and Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster). DCI Alex Drake is thrown into the mix - after suffering a horrific accident in 2008 she finds herself in 1981 alongside Hunt and his team.
8 episodes of Ashes to Ashes the BBC's follow-up to Life On Mars starring Philip Glenister and Keeley Hawes.
The 80s are back and it's criminal!
John Simm stars as Sam Tyler a driven and ambitious young detective determined to keep the streets of 21st Century Manchester safe. But after a near fatal car accident he wakes up dazed and confused in 1973. Has he gone back in time? Is he in a coma? Or has he simply gone insane? What follows is Sam's 21st century account of 1970s life where he feels like a fish out of water. He must come to terms with an unfamiliar environment and an archaic CID unit. There using his modern know-how he becomes integral to the unit. But he must adapt to their old-fashioned technologies and etiquettes. Sam works on some of the hardest cases he's ever been involved with. It's a world where witnesses are regularly intimidated it takes two weeks to process forensics and his colleagues will nail their suspect whether they have the evidence or not... Features the complete first and second series.
John Simm stars as Sam Tyler a driven and ambitious young detective determined to keep the streets of 21st Century Manchester safe. But after a near fatal car accident he wakes up dazed and confused in 1973. Has he gone back in time? Is he in a coma? Or has he simply gone insane? What follows is Sam's 21st century account of 1970s life where he feels like a fish out of water. He must come to terms with an unfamiliar environment and an archaic CID unit. There using his modern know-how he becomes integral to the unit. But he must adapt to their old-fashioned technologies and etiquettes. Sam works on some of the hardest cases he's ever been involved with. It's a world where witnesses are regularly intimidated it takes two weeks to process forensics and his colleagues will nail their suspect whether they have the evidence or not... Created and written by Mathew Graham Tony Jordan and Ashley Pharoah (who all worked on Hustle) directed by Bharat Nalluri (Spooks Hustle) John McKay (Canterbury Tales) John Alexander (Cutting It) and SJ Clarkson (Footballers' Wives).
John Simm continues into a second thrilling series as Sam Tyler a driven and ambitious young detective determined to keep the streets of 21st Century Manchester safe. But after a near fatal car accident he has waken up dazed and confused in 1973. Has he gone back in time? Is he in a coma? Or has he simply gone insane? In an archaic CID unit he still must adapt to their old-fashioned technologies and etiquettes while working on some of the hardest cases in which he's ever been involved...
John Simm continues into a second thrilling series as Sam Tyler a driven and ambitious young detective determined to keep the streets of 21st Century Manchester safe. But after a near fatal car accident he has waken up dazed and confused in 1973. Has he gone back in time? Is he in a coma? Or has he simply gone insane? In an archaic CID unit he still must adapt to their old-fashioned technologies and etiquettes while working on some of the hardest cases in which he's ever been involved...
John Simm stars as Sam Tyler a driven and ambitious young detective determined to keep the streets of 21st Century Manchester safe. But after a near fatal car accident he wakes up dazed and confused in 1973. Has he gone back in time? Is he in a coma? Or has he simply gone insane? What follows is Sam's 21st century account of 1970s life where he feels like a fish out of water. He must come to terms with an unfamiliar environment and an archaic CID unit. There using his modern know-how he becomes integral to the unit. But he must adapt to their old-fashioned technologies and etiquettes. Sam works on some of the hardest cases he's ever been involved with. It's a world where witnesses are regularly intimidated it takes two weeks to process forensics and his colleagues will nail their suspect whether they have the evidence or not... Created and written by Mathew Graham Tony Jordan and Ashley Pharoah (who all worked on Hustle) directed by Bharat Nalluri (Spooks Hustle) John McKay (Canterbury Tales) John Alexander (Cutting It) and SJ Clarkson (Footballers' Wives).
A triumphant return for DCI Gene Hunt, Ashes To Ashes takes some of the characters from the superb time-shifting police drama Life On Mars, and moves the action to the early 1980s. So its out with the Cortina, in with the Audi Quattro, and straight down to some terrific television. Joining DCI Hunt -- again played with terrific force and stature by Philip Glenister -- is Keeley Hawes, as DCI Alex Drake. Like John Simms character in Life On Mars, DCI Drake suddenly finds herself in 1981, with no clear reason why. This provides the platform for another terrific show, the first series of which is fully present and correct here. Ashes To Ashes is tonally a little different from Life On Mars, but maintains the wonderful attention to period detail (and a healthy 80s soundtrack to match), and the willingness to mix in some fun alongside the serious business of police work. Ashes To Ashes is some achievement. It grounds out an identify for itself, stepping out of the shadow of Mars. And the rapport between Hawes and Glenister is a real highlight. But theres so much to enjoy here, backed up by the promise of another series in the offing. For now, though, theres plenty to get your teeth into here, thanks to a quality, very British drama thats simply compelling television. --Jon Foster
The follow up to Life On Mars Ashes To Ashes sees the return of DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister)! But he's no longer the self styled 'Sheriff Of Manchester' - drawn by the action and intrigue of the London Met Gene's turned his attentions to taking on the 'southern nancy' criminal scum! He is joined by his faithful sidekicks Ray Carling (Dean Andrews) and Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster). DCI Alex Drake is thrown into the mix - after suffering a horrific accident in 2008 she finds herself in 1981 alongside Hunt and his team.
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy