The second series of Ashes to Ashes began on the April 20, 2009 and ended on June 8, 2009.
Background[]
It saw the ongoing storyline of DI Alex Drake battling to get home to the present day and also concentrated on she and DCI Gene Hunt dealing with the police corruption that was constantly worming its way through the force. It also saw the reappearance of Jackie Queen, the journalist who was first seen in episode six of the first series of Life on Mars, in episode four, apparently pregnant with Gene's baby, although this was later retracted. Sam Tyler is also mentioned in that episode and again in episode eight when Alex tries to explain to Hunt that both she and Tyler are from the future. Martin Summers first appears in episode five. He is the one who is revealed to be stalking Alex and leaving her roses. This series introduced Detective Superintendent Charlie Mackintosh in episode one of season two. He later shoots himself in episode four when his corrupt ways are finally exposed, although DS Ray Carling and DC Chris Skelton refused to believe it at first. Eventually, they are finally forced to accept that Supermac was not what he seemed. In episode two, DC Chris Skelton proposes to WPC Sharon Granger and she accepts. The team are shocked to discover that Chris had been taking bribes from corrupt police officers in order to pay for Shaz's engagement ring. In episode five, as well as the first appearance of Martin Summers, DI Alex Drake also encounters her ex-husband, Peter Drake and his family, although they have no idea who she is. She and the team investigate a burglary at their house. Gene Hunt, however, is more interested in wiping out the police corruption once and for all and getting the Met a big storyline. The second season ends on a shocking note with DCI Gene Hunt accidentally shooting Alex Drake after saving her life from Martin Summers and Jennette, during Operation Rose, in spite of the fact that he said he would kill her if she got in the way of things when she tried to tell him she was from the future. Gene is forced to go on the run while Alex Drake seemingly ends up back in 2008. This is later to be untrue, so Alex is now in a coma in 1982 and Gene appears on hospital monitors screaming at her to wake up. The third season starts off in 1983.
Characters[]
Main Cast[]
Gene Hunt - Philip Glenister
Alex Drake - Keeley Hawes
Ray Carling - Dean Andrews
Chris Skelton - Marshall Lancaster
Sharon Granger - Montserrat Lombard