After DI Alex Drake is shot she finds herself transported back to 1981 and meets up with Gene Hunt. Believing she is in a coma she asks him to help her find the man who shot her in 2008.
Alex decides to find her mother now that she knows that she is going to be stuck in the early 1980's for a while. Gene is determined that the royal wedding will go ahead with out any problems but a bomb scare threatens to ruin the day.
Drake and Hunt come to blows as a prostitute begins making strong rape allegations and a serial killer becomes a crucial threat...
A nuclear-research center worker, Martin Kennedy, is found murdered and the investigation points towards a feminist socialist group.
While on the trail of Simon Neary, a notorious pimp and drug baron, the team makes an unexpected discovery.
A witness to an armed robbery is interviewed by Gene and remembers a similar criminal from his days back at Manchester.
To prevent one of her friends from dying, Alex begins to give Gene advice on how to handle the investigation of a charity worker's assault and robbery. When Gene embarrasses himself on national television, he finally tires of Alex's psychological approach and begins to physically entice the witnesses and the victim himself to get the truth, all whilst Alex tries desperately to save a life within the department...
As the day of her parents assassination draws near, Alex takes desperate measures to keep them safe, including destroying car she believes they will use and arresting both for drug possession. Meanwhile, the renowned Lord Scarman arrives to inspect the department. Eager to show physical violence is the only language criminals understand, Gene releases every prisoner intending to coral them all, but he inadvertently releases the one force that may prove to be Alex's demise...
When a police officer is found dead in a Soho sex club, Gene and Alex have to keep quiet about the case. Alex finds her life in danger after she is kidnapped.
The team attempt to catch and apprehend Jed Wicklow a local car thief.
Gene attempts to catch some animal rights activists after the daughter of a laboratory owner ends up in hospital.
A face from Gene's old stomping ground of Manchester shows up called Jackie Queen. Jackie is a reporter who is investigating teenagers who traveled to London from the north and have disappeared.
Alex comes face to face with a 14 year old Peter who is the future father of Molly when she investigates a burglary.
After a dead body is found in the canal it is identified as Colin Mitchell. Alex is certain that the dead man's wife Donna is not telling everything and she is determined to uncover the truth. Back in 2008, Alex has surgery to remove the bullet from her brain.
CID find a body buried in concrete as they investigate a drugs drop at a building site. Alex thinks she is getting better and will soon wake up in her own time. Working on the case though starts to clash with her wish to be back home.
After Alex catches an infection back in 2008, she knows the doctors think she wont pull through. Distance grows between Alex and Gene and their relationship is put under the greatest strain yet.
Alex finds herself back in 1983 after having been shot by Gene. Ray Carling has gained promotion and is in charge. Chris and Shaz are no longer together. Jim investigates Alex's shooting after being sent to Scotland Yard. Gene is forced to hand his badge in whilst the investigation is carried out.
A human hand is discovered by DC Chris Skelton as he opens the post leading to Gene and the team investigating a murder. Alex and the team learn there have been several single women murdered across the country, each of them left with the same burn on them. They also learn that all the dead women where members of the Crescent Moon Dating Agency. Alex decides to join the agency so she can find out more and ends up organising a speed dating night.
The 1983 General Election looms and pressure is mounting on DCI Gene Hunt and the rest of the team team as they investigate a series of politically linked arson attacks. Alex is still being haunted by the police man with the 6-6-20 and she cant work out why he keeps on visiting her.
Gene and the team follow a van they think contains a large amount of heroin. Following an altercation with an armed woman things take a strange turn when Gene appears to allow her escape. It is later revealed that the woman is an undercover police officer. Jim Keats reveals to Gene that Louise Gardner is from Hanfield police station and has managed to get in with the Staffords, a well known family to the police. Gene ends up blowing her cover and she later shows up badly beaten up. The team then work to stop Daniel Stafford from getting more heroin on the streets. Gene and Alex soon work out that somebody on the inside is helping Stafford.
When two former Manchester colleagues turn up on his patch, Gene works out that something is going on that he doesn't know about. Litton and Bevan attempt to catch comic Frank Hardwick, who is wanted for stealing £2,000 from the Police Widows' Fund. Both Gene and Alex wonder what their real motive is for wanting to catch him. Alex manages to find Frank first and when she questions him she learns he is scared of somebody working at the station. Alex also tries to find out more about the disappearance of Sam Tyler.
There is chaos when a riot breaks out at Fenchurch East prison. The riot team ends up being largely outnumbered and Sgt Viv James is left behind when they are forced to retreat. Jim blames Gene for Viv's capture on Gene. Alex continues to doubt Gene. After Alex is unable to negotiate Viv's release things don't look good. Alex finds herself having to put her differences with Gene to one side to avert a tragedy.
Keats has nearly finished his report on Gene and his team but he's still trying to get Alex to discover the truth about what happened to Sam Tyler. Following reports of a disturbance at an African National Congress illegal drinking den, Gene goes in. Following the discovery of a body, a murder investigation follows.
Gene and the team investigate a diamond heist following the murder of three London gang members. Alex remains determined to discover if Gene did kill Sam Tyler. After Alex disappears, Gene races off after her leaving Ray, Chris and Shaz to plan a sting operation. Gene tries to get to Alex before she finds out the truth.