A better version of Ashes to Ashes

I made no secret of the fact that I was disappointed by Ashes to Ashes. I gave up on it after a few episodes and have no idea how it ended (I assume it has) and whether there will be anymore.

But for anyone who did enjoy it, is missing it and/or can't wait for the next installment, may I point you in the direction of ITV3 which is currently showing Dempsey and Makepeace.

Dempsey and Makepeace is just like Ashes to Ashes, except better. Like Ashes to Ashes, it features:

• a mismatched pairing comprising:
• a posh woman
• a sexist man with outmoded views, but who is still rather attractive
• constant will they/won't they sexual tension
• car chases
• 1980s fashion
• London
• inneundos
• witty one-liners

The main difference is that rather than being a figment of someone's imagination, Dempsey is just on secondment from America. So there is thankfully no hallucinations or evil clown figures. Just crime capers and the hint of a possible romance.

Today's episode involved the robbery of a Bank of England van containing half a million pounds in used notes. The criminal gang wore gorilla masks which seemed particularly apt today as it was announced that Charlton Heston had died.

Sleepy Viewing

Left to my own devices, I really really would not have watched Ashes to Ashe again.

But for some reason the OH thought we should give it another go. I think it is because they played "Geno" last week. He can always be won over by a bit of Dexys Midnight Runners.

I was so tired from work and yoga that I couldn’t be bothered to persuade him to watch something else instead. But I was so tired, I fell asleep and missed half of it anyway.

Then I woke up and we watched an old episode of SVU, the one where Olivia is undercover with some environmental protesters. We’d seen it before but it was still worth watching. An old episode of SVU is better than a new Ashes to Ashes anyday.

Starting out with Criminal Minds

Still mourning the finishing of the latest Homicide (is it wrong to feel a sense of loss over a DVD set?), I was almost consoled last night when I found the complete first series of Criminal Minds was available on our On Demand channel.

I have attempted to watch Criminal Minds when it was shown on Channel 5 on a Saturday night, but, as is so often the case, I’d always fallen asleep. Also joining a series part way through meant I struggled to grasp the different characters in the team, so it was much appreciated to have the chance to see the first series from the beginning. I now know that Gideon is returning from sick leave, traumatised by some past experience and that the rest of the time are learning to trust him. I know know that one of them came from the bomb department, another from sex crimes and one is a child genius.

I enjoyed the first episode so much, I watched two more, the third one being one I’d previously dozed off during and it made much more sense now. Its not as good as Homicide (what is?) but I’m hoping I can convince the OH of its merits and watch another batch tonight. Afterall, we will not, under any circumstances, be watching Ashes to Ashes again tonight.

St Valentine's Day Massacre

Yes, even on St Valentine's Day, I managed to watch some detectives. We did celebrate the day with my patented Halloumi hearts and a bottle of champagne, but then we watched some television.

First up was Ashes to Ashes which was on its final chance. Still not really liking it, so it may have been the last time we watch it. The only decent thing in last night's episode was that they played Geno by Dexys Midnight Runners.

Then we went back to the boxset of Homicide. The first episode was called Blood Wedding but was nothing to do with the Lorca play of the same name. It was shaping up to be an interesting episode, but sadly I feel asleep before the end, the champagne earlier having gone completely to my head.

Dust to Dust

Last night saw the start of the Life on Mars spin-off Ashes to Ashes.

I really enjoyed Life on Mars, especially the first series. The reasons I liked it were;

a) It starred John Simm
i) who I find very attractive
ii) is a very good actor too
b) It was set in the 1970s which meant
i) pretty good music
ii) pretty good clothes
c) It was a crime show

Of these reasons, only c remains. And there wasn’t really any of that last night.

It still features the character Gene Hunt, who it seems pretty much essential to describe as “the irrepressible”. Hunt stole the show in Life on Mars for many people, with his retrograde attitudes and sharp one-liners, and whilst I enjoyed this, I doubted it would be enough to sustain a whole show.

However, this was not my problem with Ashes to Ashes. If anything, there wasn’t actually enough of Gene Hunt in last night’s episode. Instead it was dominated by his new partner, a female psychologist played by Keeley Hawes, who has also come back from present day. Where John Simm was a master of understated bewilderment, she is over-the-top, neurotic and just downright annoying. She’s a terrible actress and an unsympathetic character. I don’t care if she has been shot in the head and can’t get back to her daughter. What decent parents call a child with a huge mole on their face, Molly? Surely that is just giving bullies easy material.

My other problem is that I’m not a fan of the 1980s. I was a child in this decade so can remember it all too well. We had some good toys, but that was about it. The fashions were awful and the mainstream music dire. I’m only grateful that I wasn’t in my late teens during this time.

But last night was just the first episode which needed to set the scene, so perhaps it will get better next week and they might get down to some real police work.