Ashes Asks - 4, 7, 11, 16, 21, 26 :)
4. Who’s you least favourite character?
Keats, because he’s evil, but more than that, because he’s just not fun to watch. And he becomes so central out of nowhere. I do see that he was sort of necessary, but it still hurts my heart.
7. Who’s your favourite recurring character?
I know loads of people have already said Jackie Queen, but it’s gonna have to be her. a. She fulfils the old old-flame-highlights-new-flame-via-inciting-mild-jealousy-and-also-just-calling-it-out role which is always fun. I love Alex being like…
and b. She has FABULOUS 80s hair in the manner of Baby in Dirty Dancing (I know that’s set in the 60s but let’s all be honest, she has 80s hair, not that I’m complaining, nothing is imperfect about that film). And I just generally like how Alex reacts to her. It’s really fun. Keeley Hawes is so funny.
And she also just fits into the crew nicely. Like, you’d be happy if she hung around for a few more eps. I like her relationship to Gene AND her relationship to Alex. It’s interesting seeing her interact with both of them. Actually I do also really appreciate Summers. He has a fantastic voice. Is Viv a recurring character or main cast? Not sure. But I’m gonna mention him anyway because I love him so. Because he is so good and wise but also for this look…
11. What’s your favourite Chris moment?
I think he has the funniest moments in the show so there are many to choose from. But off the top of my head - ‘So when they launder money they don’t actually wash it?… oh, oh, they do’.
16. What’s your favourite Ashes song?
So many. I really like the gentle, fun, bubblegummy romance of Over You in this scene.
I think it expresses really well the fact that they’ve worked together a bit now and as well as the blatant sexual tension, they’re actually starting to develop a bit of affection for each other. And also, Alex has expressed her aggression to him already that day by punching him and is rather impressed that he took it fairly resonably (because he knows she’s right really) and so she’s left with just the affection. She’s gotten to know him more and understands that when he says he’ll stamp on her pretty little head if she tells anyone he’s sometimes lonely, he’s being self aware about his own vulnerability and also paying her a veiled compliment. What he says is technically a threat but she understands that actually he’s being really sweet in more than one way. And she’s also starting to think, why can’t I just have fun in this world if it’s not real, and actually, I think I’d rather like to have fun with you. I think this is the first time she actually considers him romantically and the music fits that by being akin to that of a high school movie. And it’s just all so adorable. It’s possible I’ve thought about this too much. I love whenever they use Ashes to Ashes. Also love I’m in Love with a German Film Star at this moment.
Obviously both times they use Vienna. And although I hate what’s actually happening, I think the use of Every Breath You Take and and Only You at the ends of series 3 eps is really classily done. The fact that they’re both love songs but are used in moments where G and A separation is becoming more pronounced is an interesting and powerful juxtaposition which makes me want to both punch the air and weep.
I almost forgot True! When I first watched that scene and she turned the tape on I was like, oh, this? How cheesy. But then, first off, I obviously haven’t listened to it that much before because I hadn’t realised what a huge pause there is before the first words and I was like, oh, they’re going into scored music, but then the words started and that pause in the song really added to the tension of the scene. So then I was like, oh no actually this is awesome! Because not only is it a lovely song with words that fit the moment really well, but it’s SUCH a famous song and so present in lots of our lives. Bringing along all that emotion that we have attached to it makes it even more powerful. It serves to remind us of all the backstory that has led to this moment, the fact that she’s in the 80s, and that we’re reliving all of our collective recent British history. That’s why I also like that it’s such a particularly British classic (I think most/all of the music is British. Am I right about that?). And also, True is one of those 80s songs that is so iconically 80s that you normally hear it accompanied by really overtly 80s visuals, or like, at office parties and weddings, not stripped down like in this scene where on screen there’s actually not much that’s overtly 80s. Alex is dressed very simply and their clothes are both black and white (I mean that’s still a bit 80s, but you know what I mean, no one’s wearing a side pony or hot pink).
So it really makes you listen to the song and remember how genuinely beautiful and delicate it is actually. GOD IT’S SUCH A GREAT SCENE. If it were in a film (or in a US show), they’d be talking about this scene as one of the greatest moments on film I think. Also LOVE In the Air Tonight accompanying Gene leaving the office and Alex following him in Series 2 ep 2. Love how it starts with intimate close ups on him on the phone all noiry, and then the walk out is obviously devastating. I also love Same Old Scene at the end of the first ep. It’s like, a bit melancholy but also fun and bright which is exactly right because she’s found she’s still trapped in this world and might be for longer than she thought, but she’s realising it’s not all that bad and it just gives you that end-of-the-episode-everything-back-to-normal feeling but with that added noiry novelty of us and her not really understanding what ‘normal’ is in this case cos we don’t really know what’s going on. So it’s like thrilling but also fun and comforting. I realise you just asked for one song and not a breakdown of entire musical moments, but I feel very strongly about the music in A2A and LOM.
21. Name a scene that made you sad.
A lot of the last episode is too sad for me to rewatch. And a lot of the preceding episodes have that seeping in. The last scene obviously. And the Every Breath You Take scene is sad as it’s the beginning of the end for A and G.
26. Post your favourite Ashes gif.