Review:
Ashes to Ashes: The Final Episode

Series Three, Episode Eight (Last Ever Episode)

‘Explains a lot when you know the truth about him, doesn’t it?’ – Jim Keats

This is it. The final chapter. Everything is getting solved here and now. Sam Tyler. Alex Drake. The 1970s. The 1980s. The star field. 6-6-20. Chris’ phobia of whistles. Shaz’s hatred of screwdrivers. Ray’s pain at failing to join the army. Gene Hunt. Jim Keats. Everything.

Alex believes she finally knows where Sam Tyler is buried, thanks to the photo of the farmland and wants to head out there. Unfortunately, Gene is fuming about the fact that she left him hanging and takes every opportunity to have a go at her. Keats’ has finally finished his report and is waiting to file it, the man himself encouraging Alex to go to the farm and find Sam’s body.

Without their leaders, Chris, Ray and Shaz find themselves alone, dealing with the biggest case they’ve ever had to crack – bringing down an international jewel smuggling ring.

Without spoiling the episode, the ending is perfect. Absolutely, no shadow of doubt, the best, most unexpected and yet the most logical ending to not only Ashes to Ashes, but its predecessor, Life on Mars, also. Some may call it a cop-out, but they’re missing the point – this episode answers every last remaining question. How can that be anything less than perfect?

Every single character is allowed time to breathe and grow and the actors are all given space to perform some of the most heartrending scenes of emotional torment ever filmed in the show. Without wanting to single out individual cast members from such an incredible ensemble, Chris, Ray and Shaz’s wonderfully unique torments on the final discovery are simply stunning.

The episode’s pace is the fastest in the show’s history, rattling along with the speed of a runaway freight train, building in pace and intensity before finally climaxing in the usual decent action scene. The final fifteen minutes provide some emotionally heart-wrenching scenes, and it’s here that you wish the episode was longer. After all, many of these characters have been on screen for five years now and they’ve become symbols of quality drama. Gene Hunt himself has become an icon for all that is good and pure about the police and this finale does him the most justice of all.