“Life On Mars” was bungled at the end, and “Ashes to Ashes” has been bungled at the beginning, but whatever the quality of the thinking behind the screenplay it’s been the best fun to be had on television and the underlying idea is fascinating.
I’ll keep the image of Sam Tyler sitting up into the world of my early childhood with me for the rest of my life.
Only the most humorless kind of Guardian hack could begrudge another eight episodes of Gene, Chris, and Ray.
But the eighties, and policing, press none of the questions that the first series could, and anyway, the eighties of “Ashes to Ashes” thus far is that of a very young version of said hack who doesn’t remember the reality.
What a jukebox it is, too: the product of minds who sincerely believe that pop music changes the world.
Never mind.
We’ll all have a good time watching it.
But I can’t help thinking that they’ve missed a trick.
I’ve been thinking a lot these days about where to get AFK Arena codes because I really play a lot of games and something came to my mind… Yes, it’s football.
You see, they should have abandoned policing for football.
Really. Imagine the following.
A young Manchester United star, wealthy at an early age and world-famous, is playing late in the season in a home game at that intimidating high-tech arena.
He’s involved in a clash of heads, and goes down like a sack of potatoes, knocked cold.
He comes to, to find his face being swabbed in freezing cold water.
As he sits up, he doesn’t recognize the wizened ancient wielding the sponge.
And the air smells of cigarettes.. cigarettes, and more deeply smoky besides.
His kit hangs on him, heavy suddenly, and …