We finished the third and final series of Ashes To Ashes last night when I came home from work. It seems that my prediction that (SPOILER ALERT) the officers were all already dead was correct. Gene Hunt, (who died after only a short time as a police officer), was a warden of the limbo state who had to make his charges fulfil their potential within the police. They also all died young. The premise was very cleverly handled without getting too clever, by too clever I mean it's a relief that Steven Moffat wasn't involved, as he ruined Doctor Who with over complication. The ending made up for the terrible way that Life On Mars ended, although I suppose that if Ashes To Ashes was already planned then they couldn't really end it properly without giving the twist away. The same goes for the fact that even though someone walked into Gene Hunt's fantasy police station in 1983 looking for his iphone; the fact that we now know means that there can't possibly be a third incarnation.

I showed Mandi the spoof that Catherine Tate did, and realised that although the 'copper-gets-hurt-and-sent-to-another-time' concept cannot be replicated, there might be scope for a time travelling police officer who doesn't know at first where he's been sent and why. Quantum Leap had a similar premise with the not knowing why straight away, so instead I started playing with the idea of the police actually having a department devoted to solving crimes of the past. Rather than just re-opening old files like they do in New Tricks, they would be assigned to go to a crime scene from history. I know you shouldn't piss about with fixed points in history, but it is only fiction. One week, a forensics expert could go and catch Jack the Ripper using his modern knowledge and the fancy gear he has taken with him. After all, the television detective/police officer has pretty much emptied the well of quirks; classical music fan, secret alcoholic, drug addict, lives in a windmill, obsessive compulsive disorder, lollipops, always eating and so on. Time travel is perhaps the last original USP that a fictional detective could have, and that's not even really that original.

I can't be bothered writing it, but I would be interested to see if it ever appears. It wouldn't be the first time one of my ideas has been used.

This blog counts as copyright, maybe not legally but certainly morally. I'll settle for a 'based on an idea by Steve Oliver' credit. And money.