Ashes to Ashes BBC One Tonight

[Bob The Skutter]

Not long now till the second episode. I can't wait.

 

[ITL]

Ah, the weekly fix of armed bastards is nearly upon us. Deep joy.

 

[Pingfah]

That was good. I liked it much more than the first.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Again, a good episode, but I've noticed things are going slightly different to Life on Mars. There were a few scenes without Alex in, and she seems to be feeling the effect of things going on in the outside world, like the boat moving. Wonder if they are clues to it actually being something more than fantasy, or something different to Sam's experience. Or just accommodating the need for a bit of a break occasionally?

 

[wamdue]

yes this does seem different to Life on Mars, however I dont recall Sam being this annonying

 

[Csalem]

Bob The Skutter said:
Again, a good episode, but I've noticed things are going slightly different to Life on Mars. There were a few scenes without Alex in, and she seems to be feeling the effect of things going on in the outside world, like the boat moving. Wonder if they are clues to it actually being something more than fantasy, or something different to Sam's experience. Or just accommodating the need for a bit of a break occasionally?

I also noticed that she was not in every scene in the first two episodes and questioned whether the writers are ignoring that or if it means something else?

 

[Starkers]

wamdue said:
yes this does seem different to Life on Mars, however I dont recall Sam being this annonying

No Sam was never as annoying as Alex is being. I'm hoping most of this is down to her belief that this is all in her head, hence she feels she can be free to do what she likes- hence all the drinking and considering sleeping with a guy she wouldn't have touched with a barge pole in "real life". I'm hoping she's going to calm down.

On the plus side I liked the Delorean this week, and the music was good- did think having both Boy George and Steve Strange at the same party was a stretch mind you.

On the downside the story felt too similar to the LOM episode with the factory murder- the whole father/son dynamic. Plus there was no Zippy and George

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Starkers said:

wamdue said:
yes this does seem different to Life on Mars, however I dont recall Sam being this annonying

No Sam was never as annoying as Alex is being. I'm hoping most of this is down to her belief that this is all in her head, hence she feels she can be free to do what she likes- hence all the drinking and considering sleeping with a guy she wouldn't have touched with a barge pole in "real life". I'm hoping she's going to calm down.

On the plus side I liked the Delorean this week, and the music was good- did think having both Boy George and Steve Strange at the same party was a stretch mind you.

On the downside the story felt too similar to the LOM episode with the factory murder- the whole father/son dynamic. Plus there was no Zippy and George

Yeah, I'm hoping she'll tone down on the know-it-all, waggley fingers, psychologist routine. But it's good they're not forgetting that she does actually "know" what's going on.

 

[Starkers]

I agree, and it is good that, unlike Sam, she knows what's going on, but I hope you're right about her toning it down.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Apparently the second episode lost around 1 million viewers.

The second episode of Life on Mars successor Ashes to Ashes dropped nearly 1m viewers.

Last week's show opener took 7m viewers, or a 29% share, but it fell to 6.1m (25%) last night. The average audience for Mars' first series was 6.5m (25.5%).

It still led the other channels on Thursday, however. Trial and Retribution on ITV1 set a new series low with 4.6m (19%) in the slot while on BBC Two at 9pm, Never Mind the Buzzcocks – A Moving Tribute managed 2m (8%). It was followed at 9.30pm by Little Miss Jocelyn on 800,000 (3%).

 

[Jax]

While its not as good as "Life on Mars"...

It's much better than the majorty of other TV shows so, its doing ok so far IMO though Alex is not as good as Sam, I have to admit.

 

[diankra]

Bob The Skutter said:
Apparently the second episode lost around 1 million viewers.

The second episode of Life on Mars successor Ashes to Ashes dropped nearly 1m viewers.

Last week's show opener took 7m viewers, or a 29% share, but it fell to 6.1m (25%) last night. The average audience for Mars' first series was 6.5m (25.5%).

It still led the other channels on Thursday, however. Trial and Retribution on ITV1 set a new series low with 4.6m (19%) in the slot while on BBC Two at 9pm, Never Mind the Buzzcocks – A Moving Tribute managed 2m (8%). It was followed at 9.30pm by Little Miss Jocelyn on 800,000 (3%).

It's a rare show that doesn't lose a million or so between first and second episodes - look at the ratings for every season of Doctor Who so far, and very probably both runs of Life on Mars. Ashes is holding its audience far better than most things in that 9pm slot (eg, some of the ITV dramas are now down to 2 million).

 

[Bob The Skutter]

diankra said:

Bob The Skutter said:
Apparently the second episode lost around 1 million viewers.

The second episode of Life on Mars successor Ashes to Ashes dropped nearly 1m viewers.

Last week's show opener took 7m viewers, or a 29% share, but it fell to 6.1m (25%) last night. The average audience for Mars' first series was 6.5m (25.5%).

It still led the other channels on Thursday, however. Trial and Retribution on ITV1 set a new series low with 4.6m (19%) in the slot while on BBC Two at 9pm, Never Mind the Buzzcocks – A Moving Tribute managed 2m (8%). It was followed at 9.30pm by Little Miss Jocelyn on 800,000 (3%).

It's a rare show that doesn't lose a million or so between first and second episodes - look at the ratings for every season of Doctor Who so far, and very probably both runs of Life on Mars. Ashes is holding its audience far better than most things in that 9pm slot (eg, some of the ITV dramas are now down to 2 million).

Apparently the rating for the second week was closer to the series average for Life on Mars.

 

[Pingfah]

I think a mod should edit the thread title. I keep thinking it's Thursday

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Pingfah said:
I think a mod should edit the thread title. I keep thinking it's Thursday

Yeah, I got excited for a minute there when I first saw it. I suppose at least there's Torchwood to tide me over tonight.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

What? No posts about last night's ep yet?

Overall I'd say it was good episode, with a few classic Gene genie moments, but all in all I thought the main plot fell a bit flat.

 

[Deckerd]

I enjoyed it although I wasn't convinced about Gene tearing her off a strip. That's not what we want: responsible management? Pffft! Their chemistry is smokin' though. I don't expect this appeals to men.

 

[Starkers]

I was waiting for a thread to open

I thought last night's was the best of this series so far for me. Excellent. Really nice to see Raymondo not being a twat for once. Alex wasn't as annoying as she had been, and there were a few nice Gene moments.

Interesting to see that Ray framing the guy at the end was seen as justice...I can only imagine what Sam Tyler would have made of that.

Love the car chase, and the Professionals stylew radios they have!

 

[Starkers]

On a not really related topic it was nice to see Ida from Dr Who's The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I thought the prostitute/religious whacko story line is a bit too well trodden, and the guy himself was a bit too... unsubtle(?) to have gone unnoticed at the time of first murder, so it failed be as engaging as it should have been. Otherwise though, it was good.