Now he'd better do some good and keep the Tories in check, or I predict thousands of us will give up on the Lib Dems for good.

I agree, but - speaking as a LibDem voter myself - I wonder where we'll go. I don't expect to ever be able to vote Tory, and think that Labour have a long way to go before I'll be able to vote for them.

et them bite the bullet on economic reform

BTW this is a really foolish idea on both sides of the Atlantic. Cutting spending in middle of a recession makes zero sense. Keynes was right. Deficit spend (on sensible things like windmills and a continental grid) until the recession ends, then raise taxes.

But seriously though: what else could he have done?

I was holding out for them doing nothing. They assumed that it was their role to support one of the major parties. They could have demanded the Tories formed a minority government, opposed it on all fronts, and forced an early re-election. This wouldn't have been stable, but it would have been democratic. I'm really feeling let down by Clegg and co at the moment. Power corrupts and all that - apparently even just the possibility of power.

BTW this is a really foolish idea on both sides of the Atlantic.

Completely. I am actually quite terrified of the public spending cuts that are coming. Also of the Tories' plans to 'reform' the social security system at the same time, i.e. chuck everyone off benefits just when people really need them. There's going to be trouble.

And just to move the conversation off politics and back to telly: anyone see Ashes to Ashes last night? Bloody marvellous. Dull speculations: I still reckon that the stars, sounds etc are about this world falling apart. I don't think it's about Alex leaving anymore, though. I think it's about Gene being discovered for whatever he is. It's Gene that keeps this world going. I won't be at all surprised if he's in a coma somewhere and either slowly dying or slowly recovering. It also wouldn't surprise me if Keats has worked out that to get out of this world and back to his life, he has to get to Gene's secret. Hence trying to destroy the team.

It's also interesting that Alex has stopped having 'interruptions' from the real world, and is now only having visions of dead policemen. Is she dying? She seems to think so, given her conversation with Gene at dinner.

AtoA: finally getting very interesting again, but the episode STILL left more questions unanswered than answered. No idea what's going on with Ray/Chris/Shaz, though your explanation is plausible, Seska. They're going to have a heck of a lot of wrapping up to do next week .

Did anyone else do a double take when the nice Venetian Gondolier from Doctor Who last week suddenly turned out to be an ANC terrorist ?

I know that the one tiny scene from the trailer is supposed to make us think that Sam - John Simm - will be back next week, but I really, really hope it's true .

Fiona: I very much hope he'll back, too - but I can't believe the BBC would have been able to keep that quiet! We'll have to see...

Oh, they do manage it from time to time. Fingers crossed.

Thinking about it (probably more than I should), Shaz and Ray and now Chris have all had their starry moments following a crisis with Gene, after which they've returned to the ranks. The identification of Nelson as the voice was interesting too. Are they really all still stuck in Manchester in 1973 ?

Interesting thought, Fiona. It would make sense that Faith In Gene is key--That's the center that cannot hold. I prefer the idea that he's a real person, in whatever time, to some sort of non-human entity, or not real.

To me, the stars recall Bowie's Space Oddity. (And then I start down the wikipedia rabbit hole and it all kind of works). I mean, Major Tom is referenced in Ashes to Ashes the song. When the series started, I read it as Sam, and I may still, but (as much as it pains me to be similar to the US version), it might be Gene.

It's so very All About Sam, that he really ought to be back, even if just in flashback (and I agree that it was heavily implied in the promo). Dunno where/how Shaz fits into the Manchester thing, though, since she's not from there.

A2A: That was oddly satisfying. They over-used the "Life on Mars" line of that song in the Railway Arms scene. And I stand by my "looking up Gene Hunt in the real world would have been helpful" statement. I really liked that they told us who Jim was without actually getting out the chart and saying it.

I had to look up when Antiques Roadshow started. You've had it for ages over there.

DebetEsse - I agree, especially about Jim. I'm now retrospectively sad that Jim got Viv, not Gene . I loved the way he was played, unpredictable until the final episode, then completely unhinged .

And I really liked the fact that we saw Nelson again.

Antiques Roadshow has been running for ever - since 1979 apparently. Though the best oh-my-goodness-has-it-really-been-on-that-long of the series was Top Gear .

Here's a Guardian article and interview with Matthew Graham explaining everything, über-spoilery:

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