Sharon Granger


Sharon "Shaz" Granger
Series:	Ashes to Ashes
Born:	1972
Rank:	Police Constable (formerly) Detective Constable
Aliases:	Shaz/Shazzer
Significant others:	Chris Skelton
Actor:	Montserrat Lombard

WPC (later WDC) Sharon Granger was a police officer in 1995 London. After being stabbed by a would-be car thief, she awoke in 1980 working for DCI Gene Hunt. There she began a new life before crossing over into "the pub" with her colleagues.

Biography[]

First Life and Death[]

1995 — Sharon is killed and sent to Gene Hunt's World. (A2A *Series 3: Episode 8*)

Sharon "Shaz" Granger was born in London, in 1972, to unknown parents (but one of Romani descent). Eventually she joined the Metropolitan Police Service and became a Woman Police Constable. In 1995, after being stabbed with a screwdriver by a young man who was attempting to steal a car, Sharon died of blood loss and woke up in Gene Hunt's World in 1980 working for the Fenchurch East division of the Metropolitan Police under DCI Gene Hunt. (A2A Series 3: Episode 8)

Personality[]

The character of Sharon "Shaz" Granger is a kind, passionate woman who really cares about the people on her team. She is generally deskbound, in contrast to the male team members, but she is eager to participate more actively. Although DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) dismisses her as a "lobotomised Essex girl" in episode 1.2, "The Happy Day", her intelligence and knowledge are not inconsiderable. She is also brave, chasing after the armed Gil Hollis in episode 1.7, "Charity Begins at Home", to arrest him despite being unarmed herself. Her bravery was also demonstrated in the first episode, where she went in undercover and was captured by criminals. She is glad to have a female superior, Detective Inspector Alex Drake, to serve as her role model and from whom to seek guidance. Sharon looks up to Drake and attempts to learn from her modern policing methods as well as her position as a strong woman. A devout Catholic, she nevertheless shows a wild side in the series. She enjoys dancing at new wave dance clubs such as the now-famous Blitz nightclub in Covent Garden, as shown in episode 1.2, "The Happy Day". In episode 1.5, "The Smoking Gun", she tells DI Drake, "I always thought sexual characteristics are kind of misleading. Girls, boys, masculine, feminine; when it comes down to it, we're all a little of both." Later in the episode, when the team debate Drake's prostitute costume, she confidently announces "I'd pay." In "The Missing Link", it is revealed that her father is a staunch trade unionist, and later demonstrates herself to be a keen Labour supporter in contrast to her male colleagues. Her look and style are based on Joanne Catherall of The Human League in 1981.

In later episodes of Ashes to Ashes (Series 3) Sharon is clearly scared of screwdrivers. This is likely to be a manifestation of her memories seeping into CID as she becomes more secure following the directions of Alex Drake.

Stabbing[]

Sharon was stabbed while trying to apprehend the suspect Gil Hollis who, despite being out of ammunition, was holding a pen knife when she attempted to arrest him; she accidentally fell onto the knife when she knocked him over. She died, having seen Drake's vision of the Clown Angel of Death coming towards her as Alex attempted to save her life, shouting "Tell it to go away! I don't like clowns!". Even with Alex's efforts with CPR, Sharon passed away. Whilst DI Drake was attempting to revive the clinically deceased Sharon, DCI Gene Hunt ordered the handcuffed Hollis on his knees, angrily calling him a "cop killer", and set the emotionally traumatised DC Chris Skelton (Marshall Lancaster) to the task of beating him in retaliation. DS Ray Carling (Dean Andrews) and DCI Hunt joined in the revenge against Hollis, despite the efforts of Sergeant Viv James (Geff Francis) to reason with them. Despite seemingly giving up, Alex continues to revive Shaz, and in the end saves her. Shaz was taken to hospital to recover. In the episode 1.8, "Alex's Big Day" she returns to the station, at which time Chris remarks at how attractive she is. Sharon quips that Drake is "my guardian angel," although Granger is unaware that Drake is the daughter of the Clown/Angel of Death whom she saw when she died.

Relationships[]

Sharon has an "on-off" relationship with DC Chris Skelton, a junior member of DCI Gene Hunt's CID team. She is also close to Alex Drake, who tells the comatose Shaz that she is her favourite imaginary construct because she "is so full of life".