Ashes To Ashes - Episode 7

Alex shows her true colours this week and stabs Gene in the back after he does what he does best – beating people up! With Caroline Price and Evan waiting in the wings, Alex isn’t short of company.

Alex’s visions of the ‘Clown of Death’ continue and he tells her that someone will die and images of her colleagues are shown dead. She quickly realises she must do anything to prevent this.

After charity fundraiser, Gil Hollis (Matthew McFadyen, Keeley Hawes real-life husband) is shot and robbed of his charity money, an appeal is launched on television program, ‘Police 5’. Fat versions of Gene and Ray appear, whilst someone who looks nothing like Chris is left pounding behind them! It’s all quite funny, except for ‘real life’ Gene, Ray and Chris! Gene even appears on Police 5 with an appeal – “Don’t have nightmares, no, do have nightmares these are scum and they’re still at large and we need to nail these bastards!”

Meanwhile Gil is found out to have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, so he seems to be very strange, doing a number or odd things and Gene loses his patience. He pays a visit to some ‘Ska Boys’, who hang around near the crime scene. But when the lads seem reluctant to give information, the real Gene Hunt is back as a mass brawl breaks out - fantastic! Gene carries on the violence back at the station, much to Alex’s horror. Gene gets his information but Alex reports him and ‘The Manc Lion’ is took off the case and put on ‘leave’. The Price’s take over Hollis’s case.

With Alex being shunned by everyone, Gene tips off the team about an item which Hollis put back on his car window, after he had been shot. They head down to the area and find the gun in a portaloo, with Chris doing the honours! Meanwhile Gene is eating a ‘Steak and Chips Pizza’ in Luigi’s, when the team burst in and tell him of the news.

But then Luigi’s becomes under siege, as Hollis has turned up, shooting at the restaurant. After Alex tries to calm him down, he runs off but Shaz follows him. After he is caught, he accidently stabs her and despite Alex’s best efforts. It seems the pretty WPC is dead. Chris, her boyfriend, is upset and Gene allows him and Ray to give Hollis a kicking, much to the horror of Sgt. Vic. Meanwhile Alex is determined not to let the ‘Clown of Death’ win and revives poor Shaz.

It was a breathtaking episode from start to finish. What I like about Ashes to Ashes, is its ability to go from a comic moment to an almost horror like, upsetting moment in seconds. Whilst the fat Ray, with jewellery and Gene’s television appearance was hilarious, the stabbing of Shaz almost brought a tear to the eye. I say almost, I’ll leave all that crying to nancy boys and the girls!

Credit to Matthew McFadyen for such a convincing role as the OCD-affected Hollis. I thought he was superb, considering the role he had to play and the fact that he had to act opposite his wife! But it all won’t be possible without the writing. Which is makes me wonder – Did Matthew Graham really write the Doctor Who episode, Fear Her?!

9/10

Next Week – We are coming to end of Ashes to Ashes but with so many questions to be answered, will everyone make it out alive?