Fans of Broadchurch who miss its gripping investigations, complicated detectives and dark mysteries may find their next binge-worthy series in Ashes to Ashes—a British crime drama that adds an unexpected science-fiction twist to the genre.

While David Tennant and Olivia Colman captivated audiences as DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, Ashes to Ashes offers a very different kind of mystery. Instead of concentrating on a new central case each season, the series combines weekly police investigations with a larger story involving time travel, identity and the nature of reality.

The result is a distinctive blend of detective drama and science fiction that gives viewers plenty to unravel.

Why Ashes to Ashes Deserves a Place on Your Watchlist

The story begins in 2008, when police officer Alex Drake, played by Keeley Hawes, is shot while dealing with a dangerous criminal named Arthur Layton, portrayed by Sean Harris.

Rather than waking up in a hospital, Drake finds herself in 1981.

There, she encounters Gene Hunt, played by Philip Glenister, alongside fellow officers Ray Carling, portrayed by Dean Andrews, and Chris Skelton, played by Marshall Lancaster. All three characters previously appeared in the acclaimed British series Life on Mars.

Suddenly stranded in another era, Drake must adapt to unfamiliar policing methods while trying to understand what has happened to her.

Her predicament gives the series its central mystery: is she genuinely travelling through time, experiencing something psychological, or caught in a situation she does not yet understand?

As she works alongside Hunt’s team, she continues investigating Arthur Layton, believing that bringing him to justice may hold the key to returning to her own time.

A sequel to Life on Mars with its own identity

Although Ashes to Ashes has a story of its own, it also serves as a sequel to Life on Mars, the British series starring John Simm as police officer Sam Tyler.

Tyler experiences a similarly baffling displacement in time, finding himself in 1973 and working under Gene Hunt. The character of Hunt, along with Ray Carling and Chris Skelton, carries over into Ashes to Ashes, connecting the two shows.

Watching Life on Mars first provides additional context for the characters and the mythology surrounding their experiences. However, newcomers can still follow Alex Drake’s story without having seen its predecessor.

For viewers who enjoy discovering a series with an established fictional world, the two programmes offer a substantial viewing experience, with Ashes to Ashes expanding on ideas introduced in the earlier drama.

How it compares with Broadchurch

Despite their shared focus on police investigations, Ashes to Ashes and Broadchurch approach crime storytelling differently.

Broadchurch centres on the detectives investigating serious crimes in a close-knit coastal community. Its major cases shape the seasons, with personal relationships, family secrets and the effects of tragedy playing important roles in the unfolding stories.

Ashes to Ashes follows a more procedural structure. Many episodes focus on individual crimes and their supporting characters, while the central mysteries surrounding Drake, Hunt and the circumstances of their experiences develop across the series.

The difference extends to the atmosphere. Broadchurch is grounded in an emotionally intense world where criminal investigations have profound consequences for victims, families and the wider community.

Ashes to Ashes, by contrast, balances police work with period detail, a more stylised presentation and questions about time, consciousness and reality.

Neither series is simply a substitute for the other. Instead, they offer different approaches to the detective genre, making Ashes to Ashes an appealing option for viewers who want familiar British police drama with an unusual additional layer.

The science-fiction mystery never overshadows the crimes

One of the defining features of Ashes to Ashes is the way it incorporates science fiction without abandoning its identity as a police drama.

Drake’s arrival in 1981 establishes an ongoing puzzle, but the investigations give individual episodes their own momentum. She must navigate the professional expectations of another era while trying to make sense of her circumstances.

At the same time, the show gradually explores larger philosophical questions. What defines a person’s identity? How reliable is our understanding of reality? And how much can someone truly know about their own situation?

These questions give the series depth beyond its weekly cases, while the period setting provides a distinctive backdrop for the investigations.

For fans of Broadchurch, the combination offers another reason to keep watching: the crimes provide immediate intrigue, while the broader mysteries encourage viewers to look for connections between episodes.

A British detective drama with a different perspective

Ashes to Ashes may not recreate the precise atmosphere that made Broadchurch so popular, but that is part of its appeal.

Its combination of crime-solving, time-displacement mystery and character-driven storytelling gives it a personality of its own. The continuing connection to Life on Mars also means viewers can explore an interconnected television universe rather than a single standalone series.

Those who have already watched Broadchurch and are looking for another British drama built around detectives, unresolved questions and layered storytelling may find plenty to enjoy.

And for anyone who has yet to discover either programme, Life on Mars offers an additional starting point before moving into Alex Drake’s strange journey in Ashes to Ashes.