What’s it all about? The Prisoner – Very British Futures

I’ve been a fan of The Prisoner since I watched in 1983 on the still relatively new UK television station called Channel 4. But I resisted covering it on my podcast because its hardly been unremarked on. There’s several Prisoner podcasts out there, not to mention countless books, documentaries and web pages. Yet there are still plenty of people, particularly in later generations who haven’t heard of. Besides which, I know I generally get the best episodes when guests are really passionate about the subject and I have plenty of friends who wanted to talk about one of ITC’s most memorable series, even though it was hardly in their usual formula. But The Prisoner undoubtedly benefits from the skills and glossy production values of Lew Grade’s television factory.

Patrick McGoohan’s protagonist Number Six — defiant, paranoid, and trapped in the Village — became a prototype for protagonists whose inner conflict is the story. The show’s blend of espionage, dystopia, and existentialism influenced later genre‑bending series such as The X‑Files, whose producer Chris Carter famously called it “the Gone with the Wind of its genre.” The Prisoner proved that mainstream TV could embrace ambiguity, symbolism, and psychological drama without hand‑holding the audience. Shows like Twin Peaks and Lost openly draw from its surreal tone, unsettling imagery, and narrative opacity. Mark Frost called it a “definite influence,” and J.J. Abrams cited its hybrid of sci‑fi, mystery, and character as foundational to his own work.

Initially I had invited Cev Moore, with whom I’d previously recorded a Talking Pictures special on ITC, and Will Hadcroft, an old friend who I knew had a particular connection to this series. It was Will who suggested asking David Barrie to join in. As co-founder of the official appreciation society Six of One and a long time historian of the programme, David brought knowledge and stories from some of the production team and actors who he has interviewed over the year. He is also a friend of Patrick McGoohan’s daughter Christine. He talks about his new book The Prisoner – What’s It All About in the podcast.

It’s another epic episode at 90 minutes but I think it earns it length with the stories and ideas we cover. You can listen to it on your favourite podcast platform. Or follow this link.

In other podcast news, the next episode of the Official Talking Pictures TV podcast is hosted and edited by myself. It’s another in our successful new round table format, where several regulars gather online to talk live about our picks from the channel’s next few weeks. This weekend we are talking about Green for Danger, The Green Man, Tomorrow at Noon and (my pick) Eyes Without a Face.

We’ve travelled from the future! Time Riders – Very British Futures

Motorcyclist on a blue Yamaha R1 speeding through a glowing tunnel with futuristic light trails

British television has long demonstrated a fascination with time travel. The very first UK television SF production was an adaptation of H G Wells’ The Time Machine. From ambitious science fiction dramas to educational children’s programming, television has often used time travel not simply as a device for adventure, but as a means of exploring larger questions about history, identity and the world to come. However, the subject of this episode is simply escapism all the way.

Our latest episode of Very British Futures turns its attention to one of the more overlooked examples of this tradition: Time Riders, produced by Thames Television for CITV and first broadcast in 1991.

Dr B B Miller is a maverick genius who has invented a time machine. When her boss Dr Crow tries to take credit and worse, kidnaps Ben, a young urchin teleported from Victorian times, Miller rides to the rescue and converts her motobike into a time machine so they can escape into the past. They find themselves amongst the violence of the English Civil War and pursued by Roundheads, sadistic aristocrats and finally the Witchfinder General.

Starring Hadyn Gywnne, Kenneth Hall, Ian McNiece, Clive Merrison, Julie T Wallace and James Saxon. Written by Jim Eldridge, produced by Alan Horrox, and directed by Michael Winterbottom.

Arriving at the beginning of a new decade, Time Riders emerged during a period of considerable social and technological change. Personal computers were becoming increasingly visible in everyday life, ideas about the approaching twenty-first century were beginning to take shape, and British children’s television continued to display a remarkable willingness to engage younger audiences with ambitious storytelling.

The series combined elements of science fiction, historical drama and adventure. Like many British children’s programmes of its era, Time Riders treated its audience with a notable seriousness, assuming that younger viewers were more than capable of engaging with ideas that extended beyond straightforward entertainment. It’s an interesting stablemate with Dark Season on BBC1. However it has not maintained a particularly high public profile in the decades since its original transmission. Yet for many viewers who encountered it at the time, it remains a distinctive and memorable part of early-1990s telefantasy.

In this episode, we examine the origins and production of the series, and see how well it holds up. To help explore these questions, we are joined by Rebecca Wray, Kevin Hiley and Tina Jones. Kevin and Rebecca are familiar voices to Very British Futures, whilst Tina is making her debut.

You can listen to Very British Futures on your favourite podcast platform. For example you find it on Spotify here.

Thunderbirds on the Very British Futures podcast: A Dive into Iconic Episodes

Thunderbird model kit box on a shelf

Thunderbirds is a (the?) classic British science-fiction television series, created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson. First broadcast in 1965, the show follows the adventures of International Rescue, a secret organization dedicated to saving lives using advanced technology. Led by the Tracy family, the team operates a fleet of futuristic rescue vehicles called the Thunderbirds, each designed for different types of emergencies.

The series was probably the peak example of the “Supermarionation” style which Gerry Anderson pioneered, which uses highly detailed puppets, lip synced with the a recording of the voice artist via an electrical wire, combined with elaborate miniature sets and special effects. Main characters include Jeff Tracy and his sons—Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon, and John —along with their ally Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and engineering genius Brains.

Renowned for its exciting rescues, imaginative technology, and memorable theme music by Barry Gray, Thunderbirds became one of the most iconic science-fiction shows of the 1960s and remains a beloved family adventure series today.

Thunderbirds proved to be the ideal subject for a crossover episode with the Official Talking Pictures TV podcast, a series longer term readers will remember has featured prominently in my creative life. It was the series which got me into podcasting as a writer and presenter, back when it was originally founded by Adam Roche. I still contribute reviews regularly. This time it was hosts Mel Byron, Scott Phipps and Daniel Reifferscheid joining my show. Thunderbirds had recently been repeated on Talking Pictures TV. It was great to have a proper conversation with this talented trio after years of emails. Thanks to their rapport and experience, the recording was a breeze.

Together we focused on three different episodes: the pilot and classic disaster movie plot Trapped in the Sky, the creature feature Attack of the Alligators, and crime caper Alias Mr Hackenbacker. As you’ll hear we were all struck by how glossy, colourful and cinematic this sixty year old show still looks.

You can listen to Very British Futures on your favourite podcast app, such as Apple Podcasts. You can also hear me regularly on the Official Talking Pictures TV podcast. Thanks as ever for your support.

Alternative 3 – Very British Futures

The first modern example of a dramatic fiction being told in the style of a documentary is 1933’s Land Without Bread by Luis Brunuel, depicting the wretched poverty in Las Hurdes, Spain in the style of a tourist travelogue. In the Sixties, Peter Watkins created a fictional documentary drama about the Battle of Culloden, and followed it with The War Game, a depiction of a nuclear holocaust in Britain that so disturbed the government it was never shown on television until 1985 (although it enjoyed an acclaimed cinema run in 66-67). This Is Spinal Tap is probably the touchstone for many when it comes to this kind of film.

Before that in 1977, British viewers were alarmed by an apparent documentary about the forthcoming extinction of humanity and a decades-old world conspiracy to set up a secret Mars colony to survive it. This was the riveting idea behind Alternative 3. Yet to the surprise of its makers, the Alternative 3 conspiracy long outlived their programme and becoming a part of today’s fringe mythology.

Alternative 3 was a one-off drama, depicted through the lens of an made-up science magazine programme made by Anglia TV. The journalists’ investigation into the UK’s brain drain of young scientists, leads them into an extraodinary secret operation to preserve humanity in the face of almost certain enviromental collapse. Ironically, the fiction was first time the greenhouse effect was discussed on mainstream television. Former newsreader Tim Brinton lends the proceedings gravitas.

It’s just the kind of science fiction I wanted to cover with Very British Futures and I was lucky enough to be joined by a familiar face from many cult film and TV documentaries, writer, comedian, actor, broadcaster Toby Hadoke. He was an excellent, entertaining guest and this is a great episode to launch the podcast’s third season.

Alternative 3 is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime and was released on DVD by Second Sight.

You can listen to Very British Futures on all major podcast platforms. You can listen to it on Spotify here.

The Extonmoss Experiment – The Crossover Episodes

Cover images for Extonmoss Experiment episodes

One of the highlights of last year was recording episodes of Very British Futures with two podcasters I admire – Simon Exton and Ken Moss of The Extonmoss Experiment. This podcast also looks back at vintage television, mostly genre related but with a wider remit that can include Public Eye, Coronation Street and The Avengers. Not to mention several other podcasts including gin appreciation in The Tonic Screwdriver and LGTBQ magazine Nine Bob Note. Now The Extonmoss Experiment has re-released this pair of episode in new edits, as part of their series.

Initially I planned to record one episode with the pair together, but during our back and forth messages about suitable subjects, it emerged that Simon was very enthusiastic for Sapphire and Steel and Ken was keen to talk about Terrahawks, so it became obvious to invite them on for separate instalments.

For Sapphire and Steel, Simon and I were joined by teacher and longtime fan Mark Stalker. I knew Mark through a mutual friend and knew that this was one of his favourite TV programmes. These two highly intelligent contributors hep create one of my favourite episodes of the podcast so far. It’s full of clever concepts and observations, as well as a supportive friendly atmosphere.

To talk about Terrahawks, Ken and I’s conversation was enlivened in the original version of this episode by contributions by academic and VBF regular Andrew Scott Roe-Crines. It was Andrew who had originally suggested Terrahawks to me, but ironically he had later discovered that his fondly remembered TV show was not nearly as good as he remembered. As I commented at the time, Andrew had been unable to join us live and I added him in from a separate conversation. For this Extonmoss version, you will hear the original conversation between Ken and myself. Although we had our criticisms, overall you’ll hear we are both quite fond of this Gerry Anderson underdog.

You can listen to The Extonmoss Experiment on all the major podcast platforms.

At the moment I am busy producing the first two episode of the third season and I’ve got a good feeling about both. Find out soon what Toby Hadoke made of Alternative 3 and what the Talking Pictures TV team of Scott, Mel and Daniel thought about Thunderbirds.

Terrahawks – Very British Futures

One of the hazards of nostalgia for old children’s television is that fans sometimes forget they’ve done a lot of maturing since they watched their favourite programmes as youngsters. It became a problem for Terrahawks, Gerry Anderson’s comeback to puppet adventures in the Eighties, only to face criticisms from the viewers who’d grown up on Thunderbirds in the Sixties who found these new stringless stories somewhat lacking. Nevertheless plenty of their children did enjoy it, and not just in the UK but in countries such as the United States and Japan too.

Terrahawks could be the strangest, boldest, most Eighties Anderson show you’ve (probably) never seen. If you grew up on Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, or Space: 1999, you might think you know what to expect from a Gerry Anderson production: sleek vehicles, heroic pilots, and a tone that balances earnestness with spectacle. But in 1983, Anderson and script editor Tony Barwick created was something far stranger, cheekier, and more anarchic than anything that came before.

Terrahawks is a British science‑fiction series created by Gerry Anderson and Christopher Burr, originally airing on ITV from 1983 to 1986. It marked Anderson’s first new puppet‑driven show since the 1960s, but this time he ditched the iconic Supermarionation look for a new technique dubbed “Supermacromation”— hand and rod puppets more akin to The Muppets or Spitting Image giving the characters a rubbery, cartoonish energy.

Set in the year 2020, the series follows an elite defence force—the Terrahawks—as they protect Earth from a bizarre and theatrical Martian menace led by Zelda, an android witch with a cackling laugh and a flair for psychological warfare. Rumour has it that Anderson encouraged the sculptor to base her face on his ex-wife Sylvia. Her monstrous creations, from cube‑headed robots to grotesque alien offspring, gave the show a surreal edge that set it apart from Anderson’s earlier, more polished worlds.

Even among Anderson’s eclectic catalogue, Terrahawks is an oddity. It mixes slapstick humour with genuine peril, Saturday‑morning colour with unsettling villain designs, and high‑concept sci‑fi with eccentricity only British television could produce.

A few things that make it uniquely memorable are Zelda and her brood – Some of the most distinctive antagonists in Anderson’s universe, equal parts creepy and comedic. The Zeroids – Spherical robot soldiers whose bickering and bravery became a highlight of the show. A playful tone – Less stiff than Thunderbirds, less grim than Captain Scarlet, and far more willing to be weird. Inventive model work – Even with a smaller budget than Anderson’s 60s heyday, the effects team delivered imaginative vehicles and miniature action sequences.

On the Very British Futures podcast, we love exploring the corners of British sci‑fi that deserve a second look—or a first one for the uninitiated. Terrahawks is a perfect fit: ambitious, eccentric, and bursting with ideas that reflect both the legacy of Anderson’s earlier work and the experimental spirit of 1980s television.

In our episode, we dive into why its tone is so different from his 60s classics, the show’s most memorable characters and episodes, and its cult legacy and why it still sparks debate among fans.

You can listen to the episode on Spotify and other major podcast platforms.

Whether you’re nostalgic for the original broadcasts or discovering the series for the first time, the episode offers a fresh, affectionate, and occasionally cheeky look at this odd slice of British sci‑fi history. I was lucky to be joined by regular guest Andrew Roe-Crines and Ken Moss from the Extonmoss Experiment podcast. We’re the perfect companions to your viewing, and Very British Futures is right there to guide you through the model scale madness.

An Evening of Seventies Television – I Don’t Do Sci-Fi

If you listen to my podcast Very British Futures than chances are you know about I Don’t Do Sci-Fi, the podcast produced by good friends of mine. This Christmas, Kevin Hiley and Rebecca Wray produced a two-hour special episode for YouTube featuring clips from Dani Wray’s least favourite decade – The Seventies. Joining her and Rebecca to watch this smorgasbord of vintage television was myself and John Isles.

Despite the title of their podcast, the one genre this night did not cover was science fiction. Instead we commented on a wide range of mainstream, mostly peak-time television, interspersed with period adverts. It was a fun night and the team have tracked down some fascinating moments of pop culture. From farming soap Emmerdale, to a music special from Lena Zavaroni and Bonnie Langford, to period drama Affairs of the Heart, to the classic Blue Peter lineup of Purves, Noakes and Singleton and much more. I hope our commentary is as entertaining if you watch it.

More from their website: “There are lots of common phobias: Heights, snakes, spiders, Mr Tumble. Regular listeners of the podcast will know that Dani has a phobia of a whole decade! Her face scrunches up in uncontrollable disgust whenever films and TV from the 1970s come up! So for this festive episode, we’ve sat her down (contrary to popular belief, body restraints were mostly unnecessary) to watch a bumper selection of 1970s British television!

“We wanted Dani to have an authentic, ordinary 1970s viewing experience so instead we’re watching chunks of soap operas, sit-coms, prestige drama, variety shows, science programmes, adverts, and more! So come with us back to that distant land of monster sideburns, flares, polluting cars, three day weeks, casual sexism, and a whole lot of brown! Joining Dani, Rebecca and John for this holiday special is returning guest Gareth Preston, who actually lived through the 1970s, and almost came out of it sane!”

Watch it on YouTube now!

“Democracy is a form of collective suicide.” The Guardians – Very British Futures

We’re getting political this week in the latest episode of Very British Futures as we examine little known near-future dystopian drama The Guardians.

The Guardians, a 13-episode political drama produced by London Weekend Television in 1971, stands as one of British television’s most thoughtful dystopian works. Created by Rex Firkin and Vincent Tilsley, with important contributions from John Bowen, the series imagines a near-future Britain that has slid quietly into authoritarianism, ruled not by a charismatic dictator but a gentlemanly, patrician businessman and fear of the G’s – the Guardians of the Realm.

In the world of The Guardians, Britain is governed by a unified party, elections have been cancelled indefinitely — and their rule is protected by a militarised police force known as the Guardians. Ostensibly created to maintain stability after a national crisis, the Guardians operate with sweeping powers, often outside the boundaries of legality or morality. The regime maintains the outward trappings of democracy, but freedom of expression, political opposition, and civil liberties have been quietly eroded.

The series explored themes that feel remarkably contemporary: surveillance, media manipulation, the fragility of democratic institutions, and the ease with which a population can be persuaded to accept authoritarian measures in the name of security. It also looks honestly at how a resistance movement works, which can be just as ruthless and morally questionable. Its tone is nuanced rather than sensational. The plot weaves together the lives of characters both in power and those seemingly without. Nobody turns out to quite what they appear at first.

Though praised in some quarters for its ambition and intelligence, The Guardians was not repeated after its original broadcast. For decades, it existed mostly in the memories of viewers and television archivists, until Network Video released it on DVD for a new audience to find.

Joining me for this episode is an old friend of the show – Stephen Hatcher – who has previously shared his expertise on Out of the Unknown and Play for Tomorrow. His love for the series is infectious. I hope you find this edition as fascinating as I did recording it.

You can listen to episode here on Spotify or any of the major podcast platforms.

Now, Sapphire, take time back! Sapphire and Steel – Very British Futures

There’s a brand new episode of Very British Futures out there now, tackling another of British TV most famous SF series – Sapphire and Steel.

When Sapphire & Steel first aired on ITV in July 1979, it didn’t so much arrive as materialize—mysterious, minimalist, and utterly unlike anything else on television. Created by Peter J. Hammond, who had written for Ace of Wands and Shadows but had mostly worked on conventional fare like Z-Cars and Crossroads, the series was born from a desire to explore the fragility of time and the eerie consequences of its disruption. Originally titled The Time Menders, the show was inspired by Hammond’s stay in a supposedly haunted castle, and that ghostly DNA runs deep through every frame.

The premise? Two interdimensional operatives—Sapphire (Joanna Lumley) and Steel (David McCallum)—are dispatched to locations where time has gone awry. Their mission: to repair temporal anomalies caused by emotional trauma, historical residue, or supernatural interference. Sapphire & Steel thrived on atmosphere, ambiguity, and a creeping sense of dread. Its low-budget sets and sparse exposition only heightened the sense of unease, making it feel more like a stage play trapped in a dream.

Over the course of its 34 episodes, spread across six “assignments,” the series built a cult following. Viewers were captivated by its refusal to explain itself. Who were Sapphire and Steel, really? Were they aliens? Angels? Elements? The show never said. And that was the point. It trusted its audience to lean into the mystery.

Hammond wrote all but one of the stories (Assignment Five was written by Don Houghton and Anthony Read) maintaining a consistent tone of surrealism and existential horror. The show’s stirring theme music by Cyril Ornadel and its stark visual style added to its otherworldly feel. Despite—or perhaps because of—its cryptic nature, Sapphire & Steel left a lasting impression on British sci-fi, influencing later works like Torchwood and Inside No. 9.

In my latest episode of Very British Futures, I’m joined by Dr Steve Exton (The Extonmoss Experiment) and Mark Stalker to revisit this haunting classic. We explore its legacy, its most chilling moments, and why it still resonates decades later. They are both highly educated and knowledgeable and great fans like myself and had some fascinating ideas. Our conversation went on for nearly two and half hours and editing it has been a real challenge. Maybe if this episode is popular enough I’ll released an extended cut? Whether you’re a longtime fan or a curious newcomer, this episode is your invitation to step into the time corridor.

You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Goodpods, Audible, Youtube and most good podcast apps. Or listen to it here.

With thanks to:
Sapphire & Steel – Wikipedia
Temporal Echoes – Horkan

Fantastic! A Celebration of Fans Discovering Doctor Who

Book cover for Fantastic! flying down a time tunnel for Series 5 of Doctor Who

This week sees the release by Zepo Publishing of a brand new book about Doctor Who and specifically its fanbase around the world – Fantastic! A Celebration of Fans Discovering Doctor Who. Editor Nicholas Seidler sent out a questionnaire earlier this year asking Doctor Who fans to contribute memories and thoughts prompted by four questions:

  • When did they first start watching?
  • How did they become a fan?
  • What is their favourite fan related memory?
  • What story would they recommend to a new viewer?

Over a hundred replies are collected together in this book, including my own. I can honestly say its fascinating reading and at a time when so many fandoms seem to have been infected with negativity and toxicity, it is a useful reminder that the majority of people involved in this world are kind and funny individuals. There is a charming forward by the gifted film and television director Rachel Talalay, who directed several episodes of the series, including the highly rated Peter Capaldi one-hander Heaven Sent.

You can order the book through major booksellers as a hardback or paperback. Find out more about the book by visiting its publishing page. You can also find out about the author’s signing tour at several forthcoming USA conventions and read a preview.

Friend and Very British Futures recurring guest Kara Dennison has an article in the latest edition of Celestial Toyroom Issue 554, the official magazine of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society, reviewing The Story and the Engine. You can download the magazine as a PDF.