Ambitious single mother, Detective Inspector Alex Drake has risen rapidly through the ranks of the Met in the modern world of 2008, where her skills as a psychological profiler are valued highly as an aid to capturing suspects. But she is ripped from her current world of high tech, sexual equality and respect when she is kidnapped and shot. Suddenly, Alex finds herself in 1981, interacting with familiar characters from her past and from the detailed reports she’s been studying, logged by none other than Sam Tyler. In two-tone ‘80s London with a New Romantic soundtrack ringing in her ears, Alex finds herself working with the boorish Gene Hunt himself, whose methods of nailing villains and whose opinions of women detectives and psychological profilers are still stuck in the Stone Age.

While some of Gene’s team has dispersed, others, loyal as ever, are still in tow. Now a technological whizz-kid in the squad’s surveillance team, DC Chris Skelton has clearly moved with the times, along with a tight-permed DS Ray Carling, who is keen to experience London’s nightlife. Frustrated by each other’s stubbornness, the friction between Alex and Gene heats up. But, as the two titans collide, it becomes apparent there is more than just a professional tension emerging.

Critics are saying:

“A brilliantly written postmodern time-travel cop show, it tops its prequel, Life on Mars, which had a successful run in Britain and inspired the ABC remake.” “TV is rarely as good as this.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)