Comments | redscharlach: Lights go out, walls come tumbling down

redscharlach

Lights go out, walls come tumbling down

May 22, 2010 00:45

And now, one of the most predictable blog posts ever, even by my own high standards of predictable blogging.

( Some thoughts about the series finale of Ashes to Ashes... )

ashes to ashes

Comments 31

hergrace May 22 2010, 03:37:38 UTC

Whoa...I'm still assimilating all the info/outcome. *sniff*

Knew there was a good reason Keats always made my flesh crawl.

redscharlach May 22 2010, 22:34:15 UTC

Yeah, it was quite a ride. I'm still coming up with new thoughts as I'm replying to comments, and I must admit that some of them are causing my sniffles to recur...

Just when I thought Keats couldn't get any creepier, somehow he did. I was glad when Gene punched him in the face, but I was also secretly hoping he'd go for a headbutt - now THAT would have made a satisfying crunch.

livii May 22 2010, 05:07:00 UTC

I really liked it, but was strangely unmoved. Might have been having to pop up and down the stairs several times to nurse and resettle the baby while watching, and explaining some bits to Billy as it went...I dunno. Also I'd been thoroughly convinced it was purgatory and Keats was the devil and all that so it wasn't a huge revelation? More like no revelation at all (even Ray being from the 50s had been nicely foreshadowed by Shaz's "it's like 1953 in there" and the various manners of death and while I was very pleased by the fact Shaz was from the 90s I'd also always wondered if she was anachronistic too). But, oh, the look on Gene's face when Alex was digging in the grave! Oh, my god. That was all worth it, right there ( ... )

redscharlach May 22 2010, 23:09:32 UTC

I've given some thought to whether Alex ever did return to reality, but even having rewatched 3.01, I was finding it almost impossible to decide for sure! But I'm now tending towards believing that she did NOT return and only dreamed that she did. Her "real" world was full of intrusions from Geneworld (seeing their faces on TV, on DVD covers and stuff), and she also went straight from being outside in a store, to being trapped in a dark cell, and then looking through the door and seeing herself in a hospital bed: all impossible, dream-like images, of the kind that only happen in Geneworld. When Sam returned to reality, it was just plain old dull reality; hers really wasn't. So that's my current thinking, but I may well change my mind tomorrow. ;-)

I never thought about what that meant, that he died as a young man but is now who he is.That whole thing got to me so much. On further reflection, I realized that not only has he built up that persona of "the Guv", but he is now basically obliged to maintain it at all costs in order to keep ( ... )

jandjsalmon May 23 2010, 04:18:47 UTC

*waves* I'm new - but I had to pop in here and add a sniffly "Word" to your points.

She's seen who he is underneath, but can't ever be close to that person, because he can't function unless he tries to forget that that young man ever existed.

THIS is what got me. I was sobbing saying 'please let her stay with you' - but I totally understand why she couldn't. His job was to help her along too. She couldn't just stay with him because then his job wouldn't be complete.

And can I just add - that I was never a huge Jimbo fan in the first place - but I got REALLY cranky when he started beating round the Guv. THEN at the end - crazy barking? And how Gene just stood his ground and stood between him and Alex - almost like he was protecting her. I got goosebumps!

redscharlach May 23 2010, 16:44:23 UTC

Keats at the end made me feel extra-sorry for Gene: not that the Guv is afraid of Keats, but he's bloody irritated by him and is never, ever going to be able to get away from that irritation. It's the equivalent of being stuck in the car with him listening to "Club Tropicana"... for eternity. Argh.

casfic May 22 2010, 07:16:58 UTC

You know I do so like it when a series finale makes sense and feels complete! I was blown away by the quality of the acting, especially Shaz's scene when she realises/remembers she's dead. Like you, I do hope Gene is eventually able to move on.

redscharlach May 22 2010, 22:41:02 UTC

Yeah, great acting throughout, I thought. Baftas all round!

(The comment has been removed)

redscharlach May 22 2010, 23:18:04 UTC

It seems pretty clear that Keats is demonic, yes. Or at the very least, the anti-Gene.

kazzy_cee May 22 2010, 10:45:48 UTC

I loved how it tied it all up, and I'm so glad they didn't bring Sam back as it would have taken away from the sadness of Gene which was epic...

For once I'm satisfied with a final episode (which doesn't happen often!).

redscharlach May 22 2010, 22:40:16 UTC

Epic was the word. And yes, bringing back Sam would have raised more questions than it answered, given that it would have implied that it was possible to return from the realm of PUB once you have ascended.