For tropes from Life on Mars, see the respective character page.
Main Characters
DI Alex Drake
Alex Drake
Portrayed By: Keeley Hawes
The time traveler this time around. She's a psychologist and an expert in profiling, and was writing a book about Sam Tyler. Alex is divorced from her former husband, Peter, and they have a daughter named Molly.
- Adventures in Comaland: A double whammy. When she finally thinks she's recovered from her bullet wound... it turns out she's in a coma in the other world.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Gene as early as the third episode. While they argue and at first seem to hate each other, it's very clear that there is a mutual attraction between them.
- Big "NO!": Two of them, at the end of Series 1 when her attempt to prevent her parents' death in a car bombing has catastrophically failed.
- Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Sam Tyler was a DCI in 2006 with a girlfriend and who got hit by a car, waking up in 1973 where he was now a DI. He was a Naïve Newcomer to the policing of this era as well as being trapped in the past, meaning he struggled to remain a By-the-Book Cop, and while he did believe he was in a coma he more quickly came to consider the idea that Gene and the others were real people with feelings. Alex was a DI in both time periods who arrived in 1981 after being shot, and was also a single mum which is the driving reason for her to return to the present. She is also Genre Savvy due to being a psychologist and having listened to Sam's recordings about his time in 1973, but initially completely believes everyone to be an imaginary construct and therefore fake, meaning that while her morals don't change she doesn't believe there are any real consequences to her actions. This is show by her being more willing to ignore evidence, take risks and be more sexually active than she would normally be.
- Dead All Along: Well, only in season three. The first two seasons, she was in a coma (like Sam) from the bullet she was shot with in the pilot. She actually dies in 3.01 when she "wakes up" in 1983 to Gene slapping her.
- Deadpan Snarker: "Your 'Sea Scallops with Pineapple Rings' are a memory that I'll take to my grave."
- Dirty Harriet: A few times, including the pilot, where half of Fenchurch mistakes her for a prostitute.
- Distaff Counterpart: To Sam Tyler from the show's prequel. Her gender makes for a somewhat different dynamic with Gene Hunt.
- Hallucinations: First the clown, then a young copper with half of his head blown off. They're Alex's father and a young Gene, respectively.
- Heroic BSoD: Alex is kind of prone to these, though they are understandable.
- I'm Ms. Future Pop Culture Reference: In 3.06, Alex tests to see whether Thordy really is Sam by asking him what was East 17's 1994 Christmas No. 1.
- Lady Drunk: "Signorina Drake, you drink so much."
- Ms. Fanservice: Oh boy howdy is she ever. Shall we list? Hooker Dress #1 in the pilot, bare bum-stamping in 1.02, Catwoman costume in 1.03, strips to her bra in 1.04, Hooker Dress #2 in 1.05, down to her bra again in 1.06, the many, many off-the-shoulder, bra-strap-baring tops, her various high-heeled boots . . . and this is just season one.
- Pretty in Mink: Alex, in her posh hooker getups and her date outfit in 3.07.
- Tsundere: She and Gene are constantly at each other's throats.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Ray in Season 3.
- "Well Done, Daughter!" Girl: Ever since her mother's tragic death when she was a child, Alex has had doubts about what her mother thinks of her. Eventually she gets to ask, though Caroline is none too approving of grown-up Alex.
DCI Gene Hunt
Gene Hunt
Trust the Gene Genie.
Portrayed By: Philip Glenister
Also known as the 'Gene Genie', the boozing, womanizing, rough-housing, politically incorrect DCI. He's not the freewheeling Big Dog that he was in Manchester; London is too big for him to take on the "sheriff" role he had Oop North. DI Sam Tyler (see Life on Mars (2006)) must have been a good influence, as Gene is now on a mission to clean up the corrupt police force.
- Angel Unaware: One day in 1953, a young PC named Gene Hunt died after surprising a burglar with a shotgun. He woke up in Dead Copper Purgatory and remade it - and himself - into what he most wanted to be; a Cowboy Cop, old-school John Wayne or Gary Cooper type, where there's always bad guys to catch, but they're all afraid of the Gene Genie. Except he doesn't remember any of this until someone like Sam or Alex comes along and asks too many questions about the world.
- Badass Longcoat: Updated from his 70's camel hair coat to a charcoal coat more appropriate for The '80s.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: With Alex as early as the third episode. While they argue and at first seem to hate each other, it's very clear that there is a mutual attraction between them.
- Billing Displacement: It's supposed to be about Alex, but the Gene Genie clearly stole the limelight with audiences.
- Catchphrase: Gene never seems to be able to say the word "armed" without following it up by "bastards".
- Also "(Let's) Fire up the Quattro!"
- "Mush!"
- Cool Car: Gene's bright red Audi Quattro, which he refuses drive through a pile of boxes with.
- Cowboy Cop or Old-Fashioned Copper (The British Equivalent)
- Fan of the Past: Specifically, the Old West , and trying to live-up to Gary Cooper roles, specially High Noon.
- Judge, Jury, and Executioner: Less often than in Life on Mars.
- The Nicknamer: As in the previous series, Chris seems to be the only one immune from Gene's need to call people by names of his own choosing. Even more noteworthy this time because instead of the rotating series of nicknames he had for Sam Tyler, Gene settles early on "Bollinger Knickers" for Alex, though usually shortened to Bolly or Bols.
- Noble Fugitive: He's forced to go on the run at the end of season 2 when he near-fatally shoots Alex by accident.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: He holds very old fashioned views on what a "real man" should be like; as such, he can be rather sexist, racist, and homophobic. Under it all, however, he still has a good heart.
- Psychopomp: He's the one who created this entire world, in order to help coppers like himself who die under tragic circumstances deal with their issues and move on to where they're supposed to go.
- Refuge in Audacity: The stunt with the naked suspects, the pool table, and the phrase "God save the Queen" in 1x02.
- Torture for Fun and Information: Trope Namer, for his creative and deeply horrifying-yet-hilarious ways of extracting information from suspects.
- Younger Than They Look: Despite having the appearance of a middle-aged adult, Gene is technically a nineteen-year-old boy (given that he died at that age and still retains much of his teenage mindset). It is implied that whilst in purgatory, he adopted the appearance he imagined he would have had as a seasoned adult cop.
DC Chris Skelton
Chris Skelton
Portrayed By: Marshall Lancaster
A slightly nervous, slightly bumbling member of the team. He's developed an affinity for technology, which he says he picked up from none other than Sam Tyler.
- Butt-Monkey: At least until his CMOA in 3.07.
- Dead to Begin With: He died in the 1970s, after being shot while on patrol.
- Failure-to-Save Murder: Why Chris' arc revolved around learning to stand up to Gene—he died when his "real" guv ordered him into the line of fire.
- Gadgeteer Genius: "Genius" is probably overstating things a tad, but Chris is more comfortable with technology than anyone, except possibly Alex.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Ray.
- Insistent Terminology: Chris is cautious, not nervous.
- The So-Called Coward: Cautious, remember. Not nervous. Not incapable of badassery.
- Took a Level in Badass: Chris gets a lot darker and a lot more serious between seasons 2 and 3.
- Those Two Guys: With Ray, just like in Life on Mars.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: In the beginning, though not after season 2.
- You Can Leave Your Hat On: Chris gets "attractively postmodern" to Shaz in 2.01.
DS/DI Ray Carling
Ray Carling
Portrayed By: Dean Andrews
A rough character who seems to live most of his life with little to no control over his impulses. Has nothing but contempt for minorities, women, and anyone who isn't a 'man's man'. But Ray is not without redeeming qualities, having a crooked streak of chivalry running through him.
- Character Development: Both he and Alex start to respect each other more in Series 2; and in series 3, not only does he get an excellent day in the limelight episode, he makes DI and is generally more respected by the team.
- Dead to Begin With: Like everyone st the station, Ray actually died years ago (having taken his own life in 1972).
- Driven to Suicide: Ray hanged himself in shame and despair after he failed basic training, and then drunkenly killed a young man in a bar fight.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: He and Chris are very close.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: It takes a while, but we finally see a softer, empathetic, and very perceptive side to Ray in 3x03. Even in Season 1 he gets several Pet the Dog moments though
- Those Two Guys: With Chris, just like in Life on Mars.
- Took a Level in Kindness: While still the most politically incorrect and offensive character, he's matured since Life on Mars and is generally a nicer person. He has a couple of Pet the Dog moments throughout the show, develops a more friendly relationship with Alex unlike with Sam who he overall disliked, and becomes a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Ray's daddy issues drove him to suicide.
WPC/DC Shaz Granger
Sharon "Shaz" Granger
Portrayed By: Montserrat Lombard
The most junior cop in the office and Chris' love interest. She is a gifted police officer, but no one (except Alex) takes her seriously.—-
- Ambiguously Bi: As Shaz tells DI Drake, "I always thought sexual characteristics are kind of misleading. Girls, boys, masculine, feminine; when it comes down to it, we're all a little of both." In a later episode, when the team is critiquing Drake's prostitute disguise, Shaz confidently announces, "I'd pay."
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Shaz is dismissed by everyone except Alex until the Season 3 finale, when Gene finally makes good on his promise to promote her to DC.
- Girl Next Door: Shaz is kind, friendly, and cares very much for her co-workers.
- Fair Cop: She's a rather fetching young woman. Unfortunately, this contributes to Gene not taking her as seriously.
- Shipper on Deck: She was For Gene/Alex.
- Took a Level in Badass: In 2.08 - shooting a suspect about to kill Chris. While wearing her wedding dress. Not to mention in 3.08 when she expertly takes down a Dutch drug smuggler by kneeing him in the groin, disarming him, putting him in an armlock and putting his own gun to the back of his head.
PC/Sergeant Viv James
Vivian "Viv" James
Portrayed By: Geoff Francis
Uniformed Sergeant at Fenchurch East.
- A Death in the Limelight: 3x06.
- Fire and Brimstone Hell: If Chris's dream is true, because Viv's soul was taken by Keats, he's ended up here.
- Genius Bruiser: Solves the cryptographic clues in 1.04 and still manages to knock heads.
- Redemption Equals Death: Sneaks a gun into a prison that he knows will kick off a riot, but only does it to get his young cousin out of a vicious jail.
Other
Luigi
Luigi
Portrayed By: Joseph Long
Long-suffering owner of the restaurant all the coppers hang out in.
- Butt-Monkey: He's always being put upon by Gene (who also regularly teases him about his nationality).
- Shipper on Deck: He really, really wants Alex and Gene to R their UST.
PC/DI Martin Summers
Martin Summers
Portrayed By: Adrian Dunbar (2008) and Gwylim Lee (1982)
A fellow time traveller who starts stalking Alex in series 2, while his younger self from 1982 also makes an appearance.
- Affably Evil: He's always polite to Alex despite the threatening implications of what he's saying and having kidnapped her in the first episode.
- Evil Counterpart: To Alex and Sam. Like them, he was a copper who ended up in a coma and woke up in the past. Unlike them, he was a corrupt and disgraced police officer who after arriving in 1982 figured that he should enjoy the situation and use his knowledge of the future to get whatever he wanted, in contrast to Alex and Sam who were moral people and decided to keep doing their job the best they can while trying to get back home.
- For the Evulz: His explanation for why he's such a creep, why he's stalking Alex, and why he's not a nice guy? It's fun.
- Never the Selves Shall Meet: Subverted, so very much. Much to Alex's shock, he directly interacts with his 1982 self and even tells him who he is. He actually notes Alex's surprise and acknowledges that she probably expected the two of them to vanish the moment they shook hands, before proving that it doesn't matter and kills his younger self.
- Start of Darkness: In 1982 he witness Operation Rose and was bribed to stay quiet, which caused him to lose faith in the police force and his original idealism. He mentions that he retired in disgrace and after ending up in the past decided to do whatever he wanted, which includes taking part of Operation Rose himself.
DCI Jim Keats
Jim Keats
Portrayed By: Daniel Mays
Ostensibly sent from HQ to keep an eye on Fenchurch East, he actually has a more personal vendetta against Gene Hunt. He'll stop at nothing to bring Hunt down.
- Badass Longcoat: He wears at least two long, grey overcoats over the course of Season 3.
- Big Bad: One of the biggest and baddest on the show.
- Evil Counterpart: He is one to Gene.
- Evil Is Hammy: Having spent seven episodes carefully holding back, Jimbo pulls out all the stops for the Grand Finale, Chewing the Scenery as he wrecks it.
- Face–Heel Turn: One of the fastest and most surprising we've seen.
- Four Eyes, Zero Soul: He wears black, horn-rimmed glasses, and (as revealed in the end) is the only unambiguously evil character on the show.
- Glasses Pull: He seems to wear his horn-rimmed specs mainly so he can take them off for emphasis.
- It's Personal: He knows what Gene Hunt did three years ago. And he's taking him and his entire team down for it. Given the revelations in 3.08, it's possible that helping Sam and possibly Annie move on is what angered him since it meant he couldn't corrupt them.
- Knight of Cerebus: Much more of a threat than the Bowie Clown, Supermac, or Martin Summers.
- Laughing Mad: Slips in and out of this in the finale.
- Manipulative Bastard: After 3x04, it becomes very clear that he's pulling the strings.
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Magnificent Bastard: By the finale, he's evolved into one.
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- Psychopomp: And not a very nice one, either, as we find out in 3.04 and 3.06.
- Satan: Revealed in the finale. (Honestly, don't highlight this until you watch it). Or, at the very least, one of Satan's high-ranking minions. Remember, he does have a boss that he's on the phone with in 3.08.
- The Corrupter: His main goal, besides bringing down Gene, is to get Ray, Chris, Shaz, and especially Alex to turn on Gene.
