Goodbye to Gene
It’s farewell to Alex Drake and the Gene Genie as Ashes to Ashes signs off in style
Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes have confounded us and intrigued us in equal measure, but this week marks the end of an era and the swansong of an icon, as TV’s most sarcastic cop, Gene Hunt, played by Philip Glenister, bows out in the last ever episode of Ashes. Since Mars’ debut in 2006, viewers have been baffled by Hunt’s world and what led detectives Sam Tyler (john Simm) and Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) to be stuck in the 1970s and 1980s respectively.
As Ashes has built to a climax throughout the final series, the mystery has darkened as Alex has come closer to discovering how Sam died, while struggling with her fear that Gene was involved. Now, in Friday’s gripping finale, which centres on a diamond heist, all, we’re promised, will be revealed.
“It’s an emotional, powerful finale and there’s a sense we’ve come to the end of an epic journey,; says Matthew Graham, co-creator and writer of Mars and Ashes. “There will be tears and big twists and we take the characters into dark and interesting places. I hop viewers will be hanging off the edge of their sofas. We tie up all the big questions so you will know who Gene is, whether his world is real or fantasy, whether Alex gets home and what happened to Sam Tyler.”
Graham believes that the time is right to end the series, but admits he will be sad to leave it behind. “it’s a good place to say ‘Enough,’ because although this is the best series of Ashes we have done, how many more times can you see Gene kicking in a door or the Quattro going round the corner at high speed. I felt tearful making the finale but also fulfilled because this is the only TV show where you can put comedy alongside sci-fi, romance and a cop drama.”
“While both mars and Ashes have won devoted followings, it’s been the gloriously politically incorrect Gene Hunt who has captured our imaginations. “People love that Gene represents freedom from fear and paranoia. We spend our modern lives worrying, but Gene is free from neurosis,” says Graham. “We never imagined the character would take off like he has. He was only going to be in five scenes a week in Mars, but we thought, ‘This guy is too good, we can’t waste him.’”
Bus is Gene really hanging up his snakeskin boots for the last time? “I can’t imagine Gene un another decade,” says Graham. “That said, Philip wants to do Aladdin with him as the Gene Genie. I thought he was joking, but he’s said it five times now so I think he must be serious.”
The Wit and Wisdom of Gene Hunt - our pick of the best Gene’s classic quotes:
Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes have confounded us and intrigued us in equal measure, but this week marks the end of an era and the swansong of an icon, as TV’s most sarcastic cop, Gene Hunt, played by Philip Glenister, bows out in the last ever episode of Ashes. Since Mars’ debut in 2006, viewers have been baffled by Hunt’s world and what led detectives Sam Tyler (john Simm) and Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) to be stuck in the 1970s and 1980s respectively.
As Ashes has built to a climax throughout the final series, the mystery has darkened as Alex has come closer to discovering how Sam died, while struggling with her fear that Gene was involved. Now, in Friday’s gripping finale, which centres on a diamond heist, all, we’re promised, will be revealed.
“It’s an emotional, powerful finale and there’s a sense we’ve come to the end of an epic journey,; says Matthew Graham, co-creator and writer of Mars and Ashes. “There will be tears and big twists and we take the characters into dark and interesting places. I hop viewers will be hanging off the edge of their sofas. We tie up all the big questions so you will know who Gene is, whether his world is real or fantasy, whether Alex gets home and what happened to Sam Tyler.”
Graham believes that the time is right to end the series, but admits he will be sad to leave it behind. “it’s a good place to say ‘Enough,’ because although this is the best series of Ashes we have done, how many more times can you see Gene kicking in a door or the Quattro going round the corner at high speed. I felt tearful making the finale but also fulfilled because this is the only TV show where you can put comedy alongside sci-fi, romance and a cop drama.”
“While both mars and Ashes have won devoted followings, it’s been the gloriously politically incorrect Gene Hunt who has captured our imaginations. “People love that Gene represents freedom from fear and paranoia. We spend our modern lives worrying, but Gene is free from neurosis,” says Graham. “We never imagined the character would take off like he has. He was only going to be in five scenes a week in Mars, but we thought, ‘This guy is too good, we can’t waste him.’”
Bus is Gene really hanging up his snakeskin boots for the last time? “I can’t imagine Gene un another decade,” says Graham. “That said, Philip wants to do Aladdin with him as the Gene Genie. I thought he was joking, but he’s said it five times now so I think he must be serious.”
The Wit and Wisdom of Gene Hunt - our pick of the best Gene’s classic quotes:
You've got fingers in more pies than a leper on a cookery course What I call a dream is Diana Dors and a bottle of chip oil This is supposed to be a stake-out, not a midnight feast at Malory Towers Drugs, eh? What's the point. They make you forget, make you talk funny, make you see things that aren't there. My old Grandma got all that for free when she had a stroke |
Gene Hunt smashes doors down, he does not pick girly locks! Take that seatbelt off. You're a police office not a bloody vicar! She's been in front of more beaks than Daffy Duck at a family knees up You just entered Gene Hunt country. Head of State: Gene Hunt. Chief of Justice: Gene Hunt. |
