I actually quite liked the iPhone reference. I think it was supposed to be a bit overdone, and it was also obviously a riff on Sam's speech when he first entered the 1973 station. ("Where's my PC terminal?" "Ooo?" Hah!) I also liked that we didn't really get a good look at New Guy, or we may have become interested in his story. And it's not his story anymore anyway, it's still Gene's .

I like that you can probably sum the whole thing up with: It's Gene Hunt's world. We just live in it .

Even if somebody had tried to look up Gene Hunt in the present, I question whether they would have found a young copper who was killed in the depths of Lancashire in 1953 .

All in all I'm pretty relieved at this ending. It was satisfying, cohered to the internal logic of both series and didn't involve a massive amount of retcon. I'm sure there are quibbles but they don't bother me much. It's quite an achievement, wrapping up two series with that much riding on them and not pissing off lots of viewers in the process. Sorry your friends didn't like it much, Seska, but judging by the Guardian talkboards they seem to be in the minority .

Heh. I guess the original premise of this thread has been forgotten. If I'm reading the thread description correctly, the white font is unnecessary.

Frank, I don't think it's aired in Australia.

Frank, I don't think it's aired in Australia.

Was Australia really the only un-American location, though? I find that...odd. We used to have a thread for the Canadians specifically, but I don't remember this one being country-specific.

I'll ask in Bureaublahblah.

Was Australia really the only un-American location, though? I find that...odd. We used to have a thread for the Canadians specifically, but I don't remember this one being country-specific.

I think it's rather that we seem to get shows after Canada and the UK. We are, if you like, the backstop of English-language televeision.

I think it's rather that we seem to get shows after Canada and the UK. We are, if you like, the backstop of English-language televeision.

Yeah, ita filled me in on the thought-process that went on with the thread. I'd completely forgotten, probably because the TV discussions in here lately have been about shows that haven't aired in the US yet.

Reminding me that I've at least enjoyed the finale of one show recently: Ashes to Ashes increases BBC Friday night viewership by over 30% to nearly 6 million [link] [An otherwise rather dull article. No spoilers that I can see.]

Remember the days when sci-fi/fantasy-influenced shows did the BBC no ratings favours? I wonder if it's American imports, including Buffy, that have changed all that.

Here's a link to the blog of the guy who wrote the Guardian piece. He's got a lot more Ashes stuff and expanded interviews with Matthew Graham:

[link]

Just today I remembered one of my favourite bits from the last episode. How do you know somebody is the devil? Because they make you listen to Club Tropicana on a loop during a four-hour car journey. Hah!

Is anyone else watching the Eurovision semis? Lithuania were genius.

I would like to hear about about these genius Lithuanians.