It’s practically a rule that any television series, old or new, must endure a shaky inaugural season before hitting its stride. Outlander, however, defied that norm. With a unique identity, clear strengths, and a team who understood the gem they had, Starz’s historical fantasy romance hit the ground running, captivating millions from the start. While television should be brimming with similar series by now, fans seeking a dynamic mix of setting, story, and character-driven chemistry can look back to 2008.
That year gave us Ashes to Ashes, a BBC hit that became an experimental cult classic overseas. The series blends a twisty sci-fi framework with a period-piece procedural, delivering psychedelic suspense, riveting psychological drama, and a golden touch — an irresistible “opposites attract” love story between a contemporary time-traveling woman and a man anchored in the past.
What Is BBC’s ‘Ashes to Ashes’ About?
Detective Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) finds herself transported from 2008 to 1981 following a dangerous encounter with an armed kidnapper (Sean Harris). “Alex doesn’t buy it; no decorated investigator and criminal psychologist would expect some supernatural Alice in Wonderland absurdity to follow a gunshot wound to the head.” Convinced her injury-addled mind has concocted a mystery she must solve before waking, Alex frantically pieces together clues to return home to her daughter, Molly (Grace Vance).
Meanwhile, she must endure her “new” co-workers, including her boss, Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister), “the most man-of-his-time imaginable in nearly every negative connotation.” Naturally, her polar opposite proves to be both her worst obstacle and her only match — and perhaps her fated love interest.
Ashes to Ashes follows in the footsteps of Life on Mars, the acclaimed two-season drama about Sam Tyler (John Simm), a police officer who is struck by a car and transported from 2006 to 1973. While knowing the context from Life on Mars enriches the experience, it isn’t required. Two of the original show’s co-creators, Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah, return to expand the mythology, establishing the spin-off’s similar premise while ensuring newcomers aren’t left behind. Although the concept isn’t as groundbreaking the second time around, Ashes to Ashes executes it masterfully.
A Seamless Blend of Genres
Merging a traditional crimes-of-the-week format with gradually unspooling secrets, Ashes to Ashes’ overt genre-blending never feels messy. The show’s authentic historical details — era-accurate cars, rainbow-vivid London streets, a soundtrack of early ’80s synth, rock, and punk hits, and fashion that ranges from cringe-worthy to covetable — offer nostalgic enjoyment. At the same time, cultural events like the Falklands War, political rivalries under Margaret Thatcher, systemic corruption, and illegal narcotics are woven meaningfully into the narrative.
The slow-burn romance mirrors the tension of Outlander. Alex and Gene exemplify the “I despise your infuriating face as much as I want to kiss it” dynamic. Social commentary and gender dynamics set Alex, a confident and whip-sharp modern woman, against a man who revels in outdated issues, bigoted quips, and sexism that belittles or riles her. Gene’s machismo conceals a softer side. If Alex recognizes his better qualities without excusing his behavior, Gene admires her ability to match and tolerate him — even as he indignantly refuses to admit that his respect for her mind is part of his attraction. Their chemistry develops not through steamy encounters but through teamwork, blistering arguments, repressed feelings, and pining glances.
Outlander Fans Will Love Alex and Gene
Keeley Hawes and Philip Glenister elevate this slow-burn tension. Hawes channels both the modern fire expected of a professional feminist descended from a suffragette and the charm of a Golden Age star: brash, piercing, unapologetic, yet kind and caring, with a touch of self-destructive tendencies. Alex is equally capable of knocking a chauvinist out cold, delivering a fiery retort, or retreating to lick her wounds.
Glenister’s Gene retains the abrasive charm that made him a standout in Life on Mars, while adding nuance, soulfulness, and self-awareness. He reckons with how his disdain for convention has fueled corruption, showing vulnerability and defensiveness until the series’ finale.
If Outlander’s stars often carry their show, Hawes and Glenister do the same for Ashes to Ashes. Across three seasons, the series remains entertaining, subversive, bittersweet, and just trope-y enough to keep viewers hooked without overstaying its welcome.
