Strung Out In Heavens High

[meddow]

I have to say, at some point during season two, Ray became my favourite character, which is remarkable given he was my least favourite character in LoM. He just kind of grew on me. And his and Alex's trusting mentor-student relationship that's developed is one of my favourite things about the series. I really hope that in season three they go with the revelation that Ray is gay that the show has been hinting about for two seasons now.

2x07 blew my mind a lot with the Summer shooting his younger self. Was not expecting that at all. In fact, I think that may be the first time I've seen that done in a time travel plot, ever. Accidentally killing oneself, yes, but purposely, no. Of course, it's not a proper time travel plot, but Alex (and also Sam) seem to have always subscribe to time travel plot rules, and having them blowing them out of the water like that was fantastic.

And then Chris, which was heart-wrenching. Although I quickly became disappointed with that revelation when it became apparent the writers wouldn't change the status quo. 'Your punishment shall be to live with your shame' is such uncourageous writing. Still, they pulled the aftermath and Chris's shame quite well in 2x08.

As for 2x08, I don't think she's really in 2008, being that I do subscribe to the 'Molly's dead' theory, rather that she's entered a deeper state of coma.

Shaz in the wedding dress with a gun was the moment of the episode. I guessed something like that was coming when Chris said she'd gone to a fitting – didn't make it any less awesome when it happened though.

The reason for Summers being there was nicely done. There's still a lot of that plot to be resolved, like whether Gene believes Alex now he's seen the older Summers, what’s going to happen about younger Summers' murder and the body of older Summers. I hope it's not dropped.

I was very unsatisfied that once again Alex has got a gun pointed at her and Gene has to save her. It really feels like half the episodes have that at their climax or have Gene saving Alex in some way or another. I'm quite a bit sick of Alex constantly being the damsel in distress. I know there's an emphasis on saviours in the franchise. I believe Gene is modelled on the man who picked up Alex after her parent's murder just a I believe in LoM, Annie is modelled on the woman Sam witnessed his father attack when he was a child – but still, they need to lay off the 'Alex in peril'.

Anyway, I think season two was better than the first. It just seemed like the season long plotline had was better thought out and more consistent and thought out, and even the subplots such as Chris and Shaz's wedding fit in nicely. And the ending was brilliant. The show has gone from fun police procedural with sci-fi elements to a mind-blowing twisty sci-fi show which draws comparison to Battlestar Galactica and Lost, at least in my mind the show has.

What I would like of season three is to really tie it in with Life on Mars, that the writers throw away the geographical and cast of character distinctions they've made through the two shows - have Gene run to Manchester and run into Annie, have the characters ponder if they are in fact mental constructs, have Alex open the book on Sam Tyler's murder etc. If it's going to be the final season in which everything in the franchise is tied up, let the whole franchise be involved. And I really hope John Simm can make an appearance.

Problem for the series is to come up with a final episode that explains everything and doesn't infuriate the viewers and fanbase like the LoM final (although that may be opened up) and more recently the BSG final, which I think might be an impossible task.

BTW: my cracktasic pick – Sam and Alex are in cop purgatory and David Bowie shall make and appearance as God. And he shall be played by Billie Piper. I'm only mostly kidding with that last suggestion given that two of they key words this season were 'Tyler' and 'Rose'.