Author: gazhack

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.

Codename Icarus – Very British Futures

Watch out, the latest episode of Very British Futures is available now and this time we are delving into obscurity again to analyze Codename Icarus, what would now be called a techno-thriller, and aimed at teenagers. Joining me on the journey are my old friends, writer Kara Dennsion and Nicky Smalley.

Among the many children’s dramas produced by the BBC in the Eighties, Codename Icarus stands out as one of the more sophisticated. First broadcast in 1981 as a five-part serial, it was written by Richard Cooper, directed by Marilyn Fox, and produced by Paul Stone. It quickly earned a reputation amongst those who watched it for intelligence and a willingness to treat young audiences with respect. Far from being a lightweight adventure, Codename Icarus explored weighty themes of power, manipulation, and the exploitation of genius. Paul Stone would go on to produce some of the best BBC children’s fantasy drama of the decade, including The Box of Delights and The Chronicles of Narnia. While Richard Cooper would create Knights of God for ITV.

At its heart, the drama told the story of Martin Smith, an isolated teenage mathematical prodigy whose brilliance is unrecognised and un-nurtured. His alienation at school and at home makes him vulnerable to recruitment by a mysterious organisation known Icarus. Little does he know that behind a series of private academies is a shadowy group orchestrating a global arms race, and their founder is particularly interested in using Martin’s talents to advance his own ends.

The narrative unfolds on two levels: Martin’s personal journey, as he begins to realise the sinister uses to which his gifts are being put, and the parallel investigation by intelligence agent Andy Rutherford, who uncovers Icarus’ machinations.

Gordon Kaye as science journalist Broadhurst.

The show is notable for how it blended the thrills of a spy drama with a deeply unsettling commentary on the militarisation of science and the pressures faced by gifted children. Rather than offering simple heroes and villains, Codename Icarus painted a morally complex world where adults exploit youth for power, and where intelligence itself becomes both a gift and a curse.

Stylistically, the series was atmospheric and serious, eschewing flashy effects in favour of taut direction, naturalistic performances, and a mounting sense of dread. Barry Angel’s portrayal of Martin Smith was particularly haunting, capturing the vulnerability and quiet anguish of a boy caught in forces far beyond his control. Its willingness to ask difficult questions made it stand apart from much of BBC children’s drama at the time, and it remains a great example of the BBC’s tradition of challenging young audiences.

You can listen on your preferred podcast app or here online.

It was good fun to record this podcast with old friends Kara and Nicky and hear their analysis and enthusiasm. Hope you enjoy this episode too.

A Jaunt with The Tomorrow People – Very British Futures

This week sees the launch of the latest episode of the Very British Futures podcast, an epic length appreciation of The Tomorrow People, one ITV’s most successful family science fiction programmes. I did consider splitting this into two parts but after editing I found it came to about the same length as the Out of this World episode from earlier this year. Not only that, but I am looking at the whole 8 year run of the show, in the company of my friends Tim Reid and Charles Auchterlonie. They’re the hosts of the Doctor Who-centric Randomiser podcast and had been gradually reviewing the series of the last few years.

Even though it’s become a cliched observation, ITV’s children’s fantasy dramas had a golden age in the 70’s. Whilst BBC children’s television tended to adapt classic books and look to the past, the ITV regions produced a string of imaginative contemporary stories including Children of the Stones, Sky and Raven. Made by Thames Television, Roger Price’s bold, ambitious creation The Tomorrow People ran on ITV from 1973 to 1979. A show brimming with imagination, optimism, and youthful energy, it carved out a distinctive niche and left an indelible mark on a generation of viewers.

At its core, The Tomorrow People was about evolution and possibility. It introduced audiences to a group of young people who represented the “next step” in human development—homo superior—equipped with extraordinary abilities like telepathy, teleportation (“jaunting”), and telekinesis. These weren’t superheroes in tights or grim antiheroes in dystopias, but relatable young characters navigating their own growth, relationships, and responsibilities while using their powers to defend humanity. They were also incapable of killing. This gave the series a refreshing tone of hope and inclusivity, at a time when much 70’s science fiction leaned toward bleak futures especially pre-Star Wars.

What made the show so enduring was its fusion of big ideas with a strong sense of fun. Roger Price never shied away from tackling issues of morality, prejudice, and power, but always through adventurous plots that whisked viewers from alien worlds to sinister conspiracies and futuristic technologies. Its use of cliffhangers and serial storytelling kept young audiences glued to their sets, eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Visually, it bore all the hallmarks of 1970s British sci-fi charm—psychedelic effects, imaginative (if sometimes endearingly low-budget) alien designs, and that iconic teleportation shimmer. But rather than being a drawback, these quirks only enhanced its cult appeal, making the show feel daring and inventive, produced with enthusiasm that more than compensated for limited resources.

Whilst Doctor Who had a comforting authority figure, the series put teenagers at the center of the narrative, giving them agency and positioning them as the future—literally. For many young viewers in the 1970s, it was a encouraging recognition of their own potential, wrapped up in a sci-fi adventure.

Simply put, The Tomorrow People wasn’t just a children’s sci-fi show—it was a celebration of human potential, a call to believe in better futures, and a shining example of how bold ideas and youthful spirit can create something timeless.

You can listen to Very British Futures on your favourite podcast app or here.

“I’m ready to come up” Blake’s 7 – Very British Futures

I wasn’t going to do a Blake’s 7 episode when I conceived my podcast Very British Futures. I felt that show already had several excellent podcasts covering it and my series was about the less celebrated UK shows. In time however, I found that listeners want to hear about the shows they had watched, as well as ones they’d never heard of, and besides which, Blake’s 7 has got so much in it to enjoy and discuss.

For such a significant episode I needed first rate guests and I was fortunate that my invitations was accepted by actor and old friend Amy Elizabeth, not to mention author, presenter, academic Dr Una McCormack. They were both great company.

Does Blake’s 7 need much of an introduction? Here’s the quick version: Created by Terry Nation and running for 4 seasons in the slipstream of Star Wars, the drama followed the adventures of a group of criminals turned reluctant resistance fighters in a space-faring future. Humanity is ruled by the bleak tyranny of The Federation. Blake and his recruits have stolen an advanced alien warship rechristened Liberator. The show was famous in British pop culture largely for two factors, the characters who were much more complex and witty than most SF heroes, and a BBC budget stretched to breaking point.

But as we reveal in our talk, Blake’s 7 was made by people who cared, who wanted to make this show as rich as they could. Terry Nation and Chris Boucher did fantastic worldbuilding and in many ways the programme is an early example of the kind of story arc which is now expected in modern television drama.

You can listen to the episode on your favourite podcast app and right here on Spotify.

The list of shows influenced by the series included Babylon 5, Firefly, Dark Matter and Intergalactic.

You can watch Blake’s 7 on ITVX.