Hunky Dory

Photo: BBC

Last night I started watching the British time-travel-cop drama "Ashes to Ashes". Just like on "Life on Mars" it uses David Bowie music and glam-rock.

DCI Hunt and two of his mates are back! And the first words out of his filthy sewer are "my friend, your diary entry will read: took a prozzie hostage and was shot by three armed bastards"!

The prozzie he mentioned is DI Alex Drake. She replaces DI Sam Tyler (deceased). And this time we're in 1982 and Hunt has replaced the Mk3 Ford Cortina with an Audi Quattro. The Ur-Quattro was a very quick car, but I don't think a 2 door car will be an effective plot device, given that DCI Hunt often travels with two other cops. I would have given him a 4 door Ford Sierra 2.0. He has enough attitude to make any car cool.

Anyway, Ashes is now in its 3rd series, and I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing great cars and music from my youth.

Update July 29th, 2011:
I just watched the second episode. They've got it all wrong!: The main character DI Drake is played as a basket case. She's flakey in a bad way (Sam Tyler was too). Breaks down, cries, changes her mind, gets drunk, falls apart. People (police) don't behave this way. She needs help, and so do the writer and director. They need to watch some "Law and Order". The show needs a strong female lead.

The other thing is the way she's dressed: Like a prostitute. I'd be surprised if woman detectives dressed like this in 1982. I think it's supposed to be appealing to male viewers. No. Is she really going to wear heels and makeup in every episode?

Anyway, I'll have Ashes playing in the background while I do other things. I'll miss the witty dialogue when it happens, but I'll hear the music and see the cars.