Keeley Hawes, an apology and a dilemma

First, an apology; to Keeley Hawes.

When I first wrote about 'Life on Mars' and 'Ashes to Ashes', I praised Philip Glenister for his wonderful performance as DCI Hunt; the 'keeper of the keys' of the 'coppers' purgatory'. I omitted to mention Ms Hawes. 'Ashes to Ashes' is nothing without an actor of her calibre.

She fisrt came to my attention in TV's adaptation of 'Tipping the velvet'. Keen to see how far British mainstream TV would go with lesbian sex (not as far as Swedish TV if  'The girl with the dragon tattoo' and its sequels are anything to go by). I found myself captivated by the drama, not the sex.

She next came up on my radar in 'Line of Duty'. As Denton, one so wanted to believe her; that she was a victim, pure and simple. Hawes played the ambiguity to perfection!

And then 'Ashes to Ashes'. You know, after 'Life on Mars', that she's dead and is never going home and you know that there can never be a romantic relationship between her and DCI Hunt and the scriptwriters do not dissuade you from that view. But is it yearning that I see in Keeley Hawes' eyes? Lauren Bacall had it, Jodie Comer has it; Keeley Hawes has it in spades! To say so much with a look?

(Oh, and by the way, she is drop dead gorgeous!)

'Life on Mars' and 'Ashes to Ashes' merely brought home a question, which I had never felt posed before the 'fantasy era', the age 'post-Tolkien' but which niggles me still. The time when I first read Donaldson's 'The chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the unbeliever'. What happens when you don't believe the reality that you perceive is your actual reality. What happens when you cannot tell 'fantasy' from 'reality'. Rape is a possible consequence.

Is this not a sign of madness?

I find the dilemma of Thomas, Sam and 'Bolly keks' so interesting. How do you define a morality in an 'alien' world, so different from the one, which you know; does your morality have a place in that 'world'? That is a question that I think that it is worthwhile to ponder in 'the alone of your time'

Is our current, middle class morality valid in all possible worlds? We would like to think so but isn't it just a hangover from a Christian morality, which no longer has any bearing in a post-religious realm?

The fact that Ashley Pharaoh et al chose to couch their fantasy in allusions to Christianity, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory makes me think that the myth is a long time dying and is not dead yet. And yet, the myth can still teach us something.

We are responsible for what we do and think. Whether we are 'punished' or 'rewarded' in Heaven, Purgatory or Hell makes no difference; what matters is this life.

And is this not what those fantasies are trying to tell us?  Whatever reality you are in; be true to yourself. Hold on to what you believe to be good. Do whatever you believe to be right.