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| The Smoking Gun | |
| Written by: | Mark Greig |
| Director: | Bille Eltringham |
| Antagonists: | Simon Neary |
| Previous episode: | The Missing Link |
| Next episode: | Over the Hill |
The fifth episode of the first series of the British time travel police procedural television series, Ashes to Ashes, was first broadcast on 6 March 2008. The episode, known erroneously as "The Smoking Gun", was produced by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One.
Synopsis[]
Gene and Alex are on the trail of Simon Neary, a pimp and drug dealer. However, they discover that Neary is involved in a guns deal, leading Alex to believe that stopping the deal could prevent her from being shot in 2008. To stop Neary, Alex must convince Neary's boyfriend (Russell Tovey) to snitch on him.
Cast[]
- DCI Gene Hunt – Philip Glenister
- DI Alex Drake – Keeley Hawes
- DS Ray Carling – Dean Andrews
- DC Chris Skelton – Marshall Lancaster
- WPC Sharon 'Shaz' Granger – Montserrat Lombard
- Caroline Price – Amelia Bullmore
- Evan White – Stephen Campbell Moore
- Sgt Viv James – Geff Francis
- Molly Drake – Grace Vance
- Arthur Layton – Sean Harris
- Luigi – Joseph Long
- The Clown – Andrew Clover
- Marcus Johnstone – Russell Tovey
- Simon Neary – Dan Frecienburgh
- Reeks – Jay Simpson
- Marcus's Mum– Pamela Merrick
Cultural references[]
- Gene says: "Tinker, tailor, soldier, twat". This is a play on the old English rhyme, "tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, spy, etc." which was used as a game to guess what a child would grow up to be. In 1981, the phrase was familiar from John le Carré's book Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, a spy novel featuring George Smiley, one of le Carré's most famous characters. BBC TV adapted the novel into a seven-part TV series in 1979 starring Alec Guinness as George Smiley.
- Talking to Neary, Alex says she met Marcus while she "was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar" referencing the opening line of The Human League single "Don't You Want Me" released in November 1981.
- Chris mentions "Shilton" referring to goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Later at the nightclub Gene says, "need a good centre back like Dave Watson," referring to footballer Dave Watson.
- In the nightclub, when Ray expresses uncertainty as to how he should come across as gay in a stakeout, Chris imitates, "Are you free, Mr Humphries? I'm free," referring to the gay character played by John Inman in the BBC sitcom Are You Being Served.
- When Alex says Neary wouldn't like it, Gene says, "Paul Daniels would." Chris chimes in with, "not a lot," and Gene ends with, "but he'd like it." referencing comedian/magician Paul Daniels catchphrase, "you'll like this, not a lot, but you'll like it." Paul Daniels was a famous TV magician of the late 70s and 80s, also becoming a game show host in the late 80s with such shows as Every Second Counts and Wipeout.
- Chris and Ray mention Ronnie and Reggie Kray. The Kray Brothers were notorious London gangsters in the sixties. WPC Phyllis Dobbs mentions Ronnie Kray in Series 2: Episode 5 of Life on Mars.
Production[]
Although the first "sample" gun supplied to Neary is a identified as a Colt 1911 and this is verbally linked to the death of an informer shot with a 9mm calibre bullet, the pistol is actually .45-inch calibre.
Music[]
- One Step Beyond - Madness
- I Travel - Simple Minds
- Sgt. Rock - XTC
- Turn To Red - Killing Joke
- I Feel Love - Donna Summer
- Love Magic - John Davis & The Monster Orchestra
- Don't You Want Me - The Human League
- I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper - Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip
- Where Did Our Love Go - Soft Cell
| Episodes of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes |
|---|
| Life on Mars: Series 1 (2006): Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Series 2 (2007): Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Ashes to Ashes: Series 1 (2008): Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Series 2 (2009): Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Series 3 (2010): Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Episode 8 Mini Episodes: Fire Up the Quattro (2008) Ashes to Ashes does Sport Relief (2010) |