Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes
After being shot in 2008 while investigating DCI Sam Tyler, DI Alex Drake wakes up to some familiar faces in 1980s London.
Callum reviewed21h ago
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5) Ashes to Ashes – A modern mind lost in the neon fog of 1980s policing.
“Ashes to Ashes” takes the time-bending premise of Life on Mars and throws it straight into the loud, brash chaos of 1980s Britain — shoulder pads, synth music, and all. After being shot, Detective Alex Drake wakes up decades in the past, forced to navigate not just crime but the social landscape of an era still learning to listen.
What follows is a fascinating clash of ideals: a capable modern detective caught in a world where sexism, rough policing, and “the old boys’ club” aren’t the exception — they’re the rule. Every case she tackles comes with an extra layer of frustration, forcing her to solve crimes while battling the era’s attitudes head-on.
Tonally, it lands between the grittiness of Absentia and the light touch of The Rookie — more bruised knuckles than smiles, but still carrying a flicker of hope beneath the smoke and swagger. The 1980s aesthetic adds both charm and edge; it’s stylish without glamorising, nostalgic without ever letting you forget how hard the fight for respect could be.
And just when you think it’s all nostalgia and noir, the ending arrives — a twist that reframes everything and leaves you staring at the screen in quiet awe. Ashes to Ashes isn’t just a cop show with a retro filter; it’s a clever, heartfelt look at how far we’ve come… and how much of the past we still carry with us.