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Episode one synopsis

The third and final series of Ashes To Ashes is back – and it's a real slap in the face for DI Alex Drake. Time-travelling copper Alex thought she'd made it home to the present day but wakes to find herself in a hospital bed back in 1983, having been shot by her boss, DCI Gene Hunt, three months ago.

Back in CID a lot has changed; with Gene on the run, Ray Carling has been promoted to DI and is running the show, DC Chris Skelton and WPC Shaz Granger have ended their romance and new Discipline and Complaints officer, DCI Jim Keats, is breathing down everyone's necks.

Jim has been sent by Scotland Yard to investigate the shooting of Alex, putting Gene and his team right under the spotlight. But it soon becomes clear that Gene and Jim have history as Keats throws some unexpected light on past events. Jim's presence puts strain on the team which is exacerbated when Gene is forced to turn in his badge until his name is cleared.

The team is working on the kidnap of a young girl, Dorothy Blonde, who was abducted as her stepmother walked her to school. With a Β£50,000 ransom demanded for Dotty's life the team has to work fast.

However, Dotty's father, David, wants to go it alone and when newly-promoted Ray panics while running the sting, it seems the family may have been better off without CID's involvement. Gene is forced to put his career on the line as he's unable to stand by and watch a young girl lose her life.

Meanwhile, Alex is being haunted by the ghost of a young policeman and with a gentle nudge from Jim she decides her only hope of getting home is to discover the truth about Gene Hunt and unlock the dark secrets of the past.

DI Alex Drake is played by Keeley Hawes, DCI Gene Hunt by Philip Glenister, DI Ray Carling by Dean Andrews, DC Chris Skelton by Marshall Lancaster, WPC Shaz Granger by Montserrat Lombard, DCI Jim Keats by Daniel Mays, Dorothy Blonde by Jadie-Rose Hobson, Marjorie Blonde by Tanya Franks and David Blonde by Simon Merrells.

Episode two synopsis

When DC Chris Skelton opens CID's post and discovers a human hand, DCI Gene Hunt and his team find they have a murder to solve.

The only defining feature on the severed limb is a strange burn mark and DI Alex Drake and the team discover there have been a string of single women murdered across the country, each left with the same crescent moon shaped burn. It seems all the women had one thing in common – they were members of the Crescent Moon Dating Agency.

When Alex registers with the agency and gets nowhere she decides to take matters into her own hands and invents speed-dating, much to the distaste of the agency's owner, Elaine Downing.

As Luigi's fills up, Alex does her best to play the lonely single woman. DI Ray Carling and Chris find themselves an attractive pair of twins to charm, while Gene on the other hand is struggling to attract anyone of the opposite sex.

Meanwhile, WPC Shaz Granger, feeling let down by the force, has handed in her notice. However, Gene manages to persuade her to take on one final operation and go undercover to catch the man they believe is the killer. But as Shaz puts herself in the firing line it seems this may be her last sting in more ways than one...

Also, Alex is still working to discover the truth behind Sam Tyler's death after her tip-off from Jim Keats that Gene had something to do with it. But when Gene discovers what she's up to he can't help but intervene.

DC Chris Skelton is played by Marshall Lancaster, DCI Gene Hunt by Philip Glenister, DI Alex Drake by Keeley Hawes, Elaine Downing by Beth Goddard, DI Ray Carling by Dean Andrews, WPC Shaz Granger by Montserrat Lombard and Jim Keats by Daniel Mays.