I recently watched the final episode of the first series of Ashes to Ashes, and a rather odd thought struck me…

For those of you not familiar with either series, Life On Mars follows the story of Sam Tyler who had an accident in 2006 and “woke up” in 1973. Similarly, Ashes to Ashes follows the story of Alex Drake, who was shot in 2008 and “woke up” in 1981. Alex Drake turns out to be a police psychologist who seems to be planning on writing a book on Sam Tyler (after returning to “real life” , Tyler committed suicide to return to his life in 1973). I’ll not get too much into the details of either series- see the wikipedia for more info.

I recently watched the final episode of the first series of Ashes to Ashes, and a rather odd thought struck me. With Tyler’s suicide in 2006 to go back to his life in 1973 it has been suggested that 1973 is Tyler’s afterlife. If this is true, then the majority of Life On Mars could be considered an out of body experience. When Tyler returned to 2006 and when Drake was reviewing Tyler’s case, it wasn’t made clear whether or not Tyler actually time travelled, but as fans of Quantum Leap might know, it’s certainly possible.

With this reference to Quantum Leap, I’ll state my odd thought: what if Gene Hunt is an “angel” ?. Angels are supposed to be able fall from grace and become devils/demons. In Life On Mars, Gene Hunt starts out as a rather corrupt, bigoted DCI who by the end of the series through the influence of Tyler, becomes an honest copper (though still as bigoted). If we consider the Quantum Leap reference for a moment, this could mean that Tyler was sent to make a better man of Hunt.

In Ashes to Ashes, Hunt came to the rescue of Drake twice, although the second time is a little bit odd. In one episode, Drake has been locked in a freezer- eventually when near death, she is set free and revived by Hunt.

Throughout the first series, Drake believes that if she saves her parents from being killed by a car bomb (which she witnessed as a child), she’ll “return” to 2008. As a child, her Godfather (Evan White) came to her rescue, comforting her and taking her away from the site of the explosion. Now for the odd part. After arriving in 1981 and witnessing the car bomb she has tried to prevent, Drake sees Hunt coming to her younger self’s rescue. Here are some excerpts from a conversation between Drake and Hunt following the death of her parents:

After being asked by White not to let the younger Drake know that it was her father who caused the explosion (he’d recorded a tape admitting to it and his reasons for doing it):

1. Alex Drake
   

   You just destroyed evidence

2. Gene Hunt
   

   How would you like to grow up knowing your daddy tried to blow you to Kingdom come

As White leaves the police station with the younger Drake Hunt says:

1. Hunt
   

   Goodbye little lady- any problems, you just call the Gene Genie

2. Drake
   

   How come you were there, taking the little girl’s hand ? That couldn’t have happened- you weren’t there, you’re not real.

3. Hunt
   

   I’m everywhere Bolly, I was needed and I was there

Given that “the past” (1973 for Tyler, 1981 for Drake) is possibly an after life, and there’s a chance Hunt’s character might be an angel, another interesting quote is from Sharon Granger- who after almost dying in a previous episode (revived by the efforts of Drake) thanks Drake in the closing scene of episode:

I’m good, thanks to you- my guardian angel

.

Since Tyler returned to 1973 (it’s also revealed that he remained “in the past” for 7 years), its possible that these characters- Tyler and Drake- having died, became angels. Getting back to the Quantum Leap reference, it turned out (in Quantum Leap) that time travellers were agents of God, putting things right that once went wrong, and although Sam Beckett leaps through time in his own body, it is revealed that when these agents die, they still leap through time and assume identities, but leave no body behind when they move on- which is another important point, as when Sam Tyler crashed his car into a river during a high-speed pursuit in 1980, his body was never found.

It also turns out that both Tyler and Drake have something in common- they were betrayed by their fathers. Tyler’s turned out to be a criminal, who left his wife and child to escape police, where Drake’s turned out to be the one who arranged for the explosion to take place- intending to kill Alex, as well as himself and his wife. Also, at the climax of the first series of both Life On Mars and Ashes to Ashes the principle characters elect to go to their local eatery (a pub in 1973 and an Italian restaurant in 1981).