Chris Skelton
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| Chris Skelton | |
|---|---|
 Marshall Lancaster as Chris Skelton as he appears in Ashes to Ashes |
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| First appearance | The Crash |
| Portrayed by | Marshall Lancaster |
| Episode count | Life on Mars: 16/16, Ashes to Ashes: 8/8. |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Police Officer formerly for Manchester and Salford Police and now the Metropolitan Police Service |
| Title | Detective Constable (DC) |
Detective Constable Chris Skelton is a fictional character in the BBC One Sci-Fi police procedural drama Life on Mars, and its spin-off, Ashes to Ashes. He is played by Marshall Lancaster.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional Character History
[edit] Working at CID
Chris became a Detective Constable at Manchester and Salford CID under DCI Gene Hunt. He is present and the arrival of Sam Tyler, Chris becomes closer to Sam than Ray, and when Sam asks him if he believes in him (In that Sam Tyler is in fact from 2006) Chris replies, "Yes".
Sam often gives Chris jobs that don't involve a lot of action, due to Chris's clumsiness and unprofessional and maverick, rookie manner. Chris obliterates the fingerprints on a piece of evidence by touching it when specifically told not to by Sam Tyler, and gets caught in a football net when trying to arrest someone. He also covers for Ray when he forcefeeds cocaine to a suspect, resulting in the suspect's death. Despite this Chris becomes a good officer after maturing and being seen again in Ashes to Ashes.
Chris asks Sam for advice when he meets a girl he likes whom he has vomited on. He thanks Sam for the advice when the date goes well. When he discovers Sam's collaboration with Frank Morgan he is furious and says he had respected Sam. Later in the same episode, he apologises for his outburst and reconciles with him.
[edit] At the Metropolitan Police Service
Chris transferred to London along with Gene Hunt and Ray Carling, and is now in the Metropolitan Police Service. He seems to have feelings for his fellow officer WPC Sharon Granger, their relationship deteriorated somewhat after he told Ray that some of her friends were "weird" which Sharon eventually learned, however he shows genuine concern and even love for her, viciously beating the man he believed was responsible for her death and asking Viv if he can be let out of prison (When put in the cells by Gene to show the visiting Lord Scarman that a criminal was in the cells and they were in fact doing their job) to see her in the last episode.
[edit] Characteristics
[edit] Personality
As the youngest and most naive of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team, Chris usually gets the jobs that nobody else wants, and is often the butt of his colleagues' jokes.
When the new Detective Inspector (DI) Sam Tyler arrives, Chris looks up to him as Sam's by-the-book modern policing methods which quickly appeal to Chris, but he is often torn between Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Gene Hunt brutal corrupt methods of policing and Sam's softer approach. For example, when Sam introduces tape recording a suspects interview (something that is done in modern times but not 1973), Chris immediately tape records every interview with a tape just as his mentor taught him to do. Chris once said to Sam "I don't underestimate you Boss, I just don't understand you", a sentence most of the team can relate to.
Though Chris is committed to his job and enjoys it, he sometimes would use the slightest of excuses just to escape from his share of the work-load. For instance, he would rather be at the pub than staking out a criminal's house. But his affection for and acceptance of Sam helps him warm to his new and alien surroundings.
[edit] Ashes to Ashes
By the time in which Ashes to Ashes is set Chris' confidence and maturity has grown tremendously. He describes himself as cautious rather than nervous (something which was the other way around in Life on Mars), he is seen to have an on-off relationship with his colleague Shaz, and visits the Blitz Club with her, although he is embarrassed to be thought of as the kind of man who wears make-up.
[edit] Relationships
Chris has an "on-off" relationship with Sharon Granger. His love for Sharon was made clear when he assaulted an offender in police custody as he was responsible for injuring her. Gene locked him in a cell for "Exposing himself on a public bus" during a visit from Lord Scarman, Chris was not guilty of the charge but was merely put in the cells to tell how brilliant the custody service was to Lord Scarman.
He seems to respect Sam shown by following his policing methods.
[edit] External links
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