KOOL TV REVIEW: 'DOCTOR WHO - THE LEGACY COLLECTION' DVD BOXSET

A lost story and a worthy documentary make up the latest Classic DOCTOR WHO BBC release: The Legacy Collection. Images: BBC.

DOCTOR WHO: THE LEGACY COLLECTION

(A 3-disc DVD set comprising Shada and More Than 30 Years of a Time Lord)

Released by BBC WORLDWIDE CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Reviewed by Scott Weller

The BBC kicks off its well-deserved Fiftieth Anniversary celebration of their greatest television achievement- an institution to both the British public and the sci-fi and fantasy genre- with a sterling three-disc set release that looks at the best and brightest aspects of the series classic past. Pop open the champagne bottles, “put another shrimp on the barbie!” and get the birthday cake ready: the LEGACY COLLECTION set, comprising the lost 1979 Tom Baker story Shada, and the 1993 30^th Anniversary documentary, More Than 30 Years of a Time Lord, have arrived on nicely priced DVD...

An ancient threat from Gallifrey poses problems for the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) in Shada.

SHADA (2 discs)

There’s a mind stealer on the loose in the picturesque streets of Cambridge, planet Earth, as the Doctor and companion Romana are called to visit an old friend possessing a vital book of powerful Gallifreyan origin that mustn’t fall into the wrong hands. Too late…

Trailer: DOCTOR WHO - THE LEGACY BOX DVD - COMING SOON TRAILER - COPYRIGHT BBC AND 2ENTERTAIN - YouTube

Supreme master of wit and imagination Douglas Adams final work for DOCTOR WHO sadly never made it to the TV screens but its uncompleted form lives on, via a previous and successful VHS release from the mid-nineties, with linking narration making it whole, now available on DVD, alongside some meticulously produced behind the scenes extra material.

Humour and horror may have been in a state of imbalance during his era’s middle period, but Tom Baker’s dominance and charismatic portrayal of the Doctor remains as compelling as ever. Simply put, there has just never been anyone else in the role to have proved so natural, and seemingly effortless in their portrayal, especially in the way he combines larger than life comedy along with sophisticated drama. Baker’s natural intelligence and charm, along with his to be admired nomad heroism, radiate from the TV screen and bring a warm glow to audience’s heart. No longer the serious dark heart of earlier seasons, and now enjoying a personal creative whirlwind of freedom like never before, Baker’s Doctor is fearful and fearless, funny and intelligent: a hero for all time. Baker doesn’t act the part now-he is the part! And the world is all the richer for it.

Alongside him is Lalla Ward’s classy and intellectual Romana-still one of the finest of the Doctor’s companions, an actress whose personality and on-screen persona can clearly be seen capturing the heart of the actor and the character. Clearly making the most of their friend Adams lively and ideas packed script, they make a wonderful team of intellect and witticism, mixing business with pleasure: the kind of unique and entertaining people we’d all die to have on our dinner party guest list! It was a shame that their real life union beyond WHO was not to last…

Tom Baker: a force to be reckoned with...

A uniformly fine guest cast is well chose by director Pennant Roberts, clearly having a solid grasp on the shows storytelling needs, includes Denis Carey as the lovable eccentric with a dark secret, Professor Chronotis, the striking and leggy Victoria Burgoyne, who would have made an excellent travelling companion to Tom Baker’s Time Lord in my book, and a youthfully enthusiastic Daniel Hill, who brings heart and innocence to his portrayal of Bristolian academic Chris Parsons. Christopher Neame’s snooty, power hungry portrayal of mind stealing baddie Skagra is fine from what little material involving his character was completed, and ultimately proves nowhere near as bad as anything being performed by Graham Crowden as the completely over the top Soldeed in the season’s prior The Horns of Nimon.

Time Lady Romana (Lalla Ward) has fun on the river.

The story’s accompanying set designs are of a good standard and hold up well alongside the lovely location filming. The filmed episodic cliffhangers are also of effective note.

The VHS “completion” of the story back in 1994 did the best it could with a very limited BBC WORLDWIDE budget of the time, proving itself as a noble effort from late producer John Nathan-Turner, though his selection of late eighties WHO series composer Keff McCulloch as a replacement to the expert work of seventies music veteran Dudley Simpson, isn’t totally satisfying, and proves acceptable more than totally rewarding.

On the plus side, the transfer of the VHS release of the story has benefited from a major picture restoration, of which the shot on film location sequences look particularly superb.

With its successful completion into partially animated form last year by another dedicated fan and supporter to the series, record producer Ian Levene, it’s a shame that his unauthorised specially commissioned version of Shada, (with animation filling in the final episodes many blanks (notably its action packed end)) wasn’t additionally given an official release as part of the collection, especially considering all the hard work put into it, including reuniting many of the original cast in the voice recording studio. The animation, though basic, is of a very pleasing standard from what I’ve seen in example cells put online. Would it really have been any harm to include it? Especially in the anniversary year. I’m sure fans would have forked out extra monies to have seen it.

With Levene’s work rejected, it’s a further shame then, that the current BBC restoration team couldn’t have at least added some specially commissioned artwork to heighten the previous VHS release and Tom Baker’s sterling descriptive talents in the final two action-orientated episodes, mostly linked to the un-filmed material of the shows ultimate baddy, Skagra.

Pondering the mystery of Shada: Romana, K-9 and Chris Parsons (Daniel Hill).

Despite these frustrations, there is a rock solid foundation of extra materials accompanying the story. Chris Chapman’s behind the scenes documentary is a tight and compact affair of love and loss in the climate of a cancelled story, told against the lively green and intellectual climes of Cambridge, with contributions from the always wonderfully grandiose Tom Baker (with a cameo from his lovely pet dog roaming the countryside!), supporting caster Daniel Hill, his Production Assistant wife Olivia Bazalgette, and several other key behind the scenes players.

Additionally, Strike! Strike! Strike! is an interesting look at the history of the unions and their links to the BBC and the entertainment industry in general over the years, plus the trials and tribulations they’ve bought with them. Even more importantly, how they have ultimately affected the destiny of DOCTOR WHO on television, not always for the best over the years. As well as some intriguing and rather snooty comments from several then industry bosses (one of whom clearly doesn’t have much regard for DOCTOR WHO, especially in the late seventies, and its overall place with television audiences-no doubt accidentally dropped on his head as a baby when the very first episode went out!), there’s additional anecdotes from companion actress Nicola Bryant, producers Barry Letts and Derrick Sherwin, and long-term “superfan” and real-life union rep Gary Russell. Shaun Ley presents the documentary with clarity, in a fascinating production incorporating classic clips, behind the scenes material and production info from producer and director James Goss.

The Then and Now look at the Shada's competed location work is particularly pleasing in that it presents us with a charming presentation of not only the selected locations used in the final filming, but also the ones planned for but ultimately not used or abandoned due to rising industrial action complications, including the aborted night filming chase sequence between the Doctor and the pursuing mind sphere, and another short sequence involving the exterior of a Cambridge laboratory.

The mysterious Professor Chronotis (Denis Carey).

Finally, there’s the obligatory fine selection of photos from the location and studio filming, the informative and good humoured production notes, plus, as a final bonus, if only for access via PC and MAC, there’s the BBCi/BIG FINISH co-production of the Paul McGann incarnation of the story from the mid-2000’s, featuring the return of Lalla Ward as Romana. It’s a nice curiosity, but ultimately, despite its completed form, isn’t a patch on the original version.

Nothing to do with Shada itself, but the final Being A Girl documentary is an interesting addition to the overall special features/LEGACY set, as Thomas Guerrier produces a fun half hour featurette on the changing face of the Doctor’s numerous and attractive lady companions over the years, and how their importance along the Time Lord’s side has swung the pendulum in reflecting the times and changing attitudes in both real-life and within the evolving entertainment and story telling medium. There's some nice clips and narration from Leela actress Louise Jameson, whose vocal work brings subtle authority, as well as observations from the latest DOCTOR WHO magazine “expert” Emma Price and the return of journalist/ presenter Samira Ahmed. Engaging stuff.

Over the years there's been much fan debate as to whether Shada would ever have been so highly regarded if it had actually made it to completion on our TV screens as the final story of the shows seventeenth season, with many thinking that it’s overall enjoyment and consideration as a classic being ultimately due to the notoriety of its cancellation and the aura generated around it’s unfinished form. The late, great Douglas Adams himself was apparently not a fan of his final work on WHO, either, feeling it was rushed into development and not living up to his own personal satisfactions: pretty much glad it never made the light of day.

I personally don’t agree with such criticisms and complaints. From what material was completed, Shada, to my mind, shows a terrific cast at work enjoying a solid, intelligent and funny script, working in an overall story telling atmosphere that was both cosy and attractive. Alongside the prior excellent location filming, something good, something extra noteworthy, was definitely coming together at that time in television centre, and for the show, before the studio doors were untimely and disgracefully locked up by industrial action. Shada could and should have been a triumphant end to the series, and the reign of producer Graham Williams and script editor Adams, rather than the Beeb leaving us with the Rennie tablet-inducing travesty of the badly cooked Christmas turkey that proved to be the season’s premature ender, The Horns of Nimon. An enigma and a curiosity certainly, but what remains of Shada, which would have had something for everybody, is still, most definitely, a rewarding viewing experience...

Lots of fun for everyone with the More Than 30 Years in the TARDIS documentary. 

MORE THAN 30 YEARS IN THE TARDIS (1 disc)

1993: the last great year that the shows Classic Series era was truly celebrated by the upper echelons of the BBC, what with their unveiling of a plethora of merchandise, a marvellous celebrity packed convention in London and, despite the lack of a continuing series (not such a problem in these modern times!), the promise of a BBC ENTERPRISES one-off special production directly made for video: The Dark Dimension. Sadly, like Shada, the project ultimately proved doomed, though unlike the Douglas Adams classic, where at least something was shot for all to see, the Adrian Riglesford concoction seemed to have had dark clouds set against it from the start, with ENTERPRISES bullied by rival BBC management and, despite their passionate enthusiasm, ultimately lacking the necessary funds to push it through to filming.

Despite the resulting furore and disappointment, the BBC did at least commission young director and WHO superfan Kevin Davies into bringing to the screens that November an extremely worthwhile visual celebration documentary for BBC 1 viewers, and WHO fans of all ages, to savour and wax lyrical nostalgia over. A veritable triumph then to be given an extended lease of life with additional extra material by BBC WORLDWIDE, back in the days when VHS tapes were king. Now, MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF A TIME LORD returns via DVD, and is all the richer for its reappearance during this bigger, and likely better, Fiftieth Anniversary.

And it really does maintain its legacy as the ultimate knees-up to WHO’s past and then present, with a look into the shows exciting and ground-breaking birth in the monochrome era of the mid-sixties and its enduring legacy into the seventies and late eighties, what with the iconic character of the Doctor himself, his multitude of companions, incredible monsters- most notably those cunning metal monsters, the Daleks, and overall behind the scenes evolution, all given a much deserved examination in this ultimate visual scrapbook, alongside classic and rare clips from numerous episodes across all the shows eras as well as some sterling scene recreations from classic adventures like the Skaro realm that is The Evil of the Daleks and the Cybermen army patrolling the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral from The Invasion. Plucked out of the vaults, there’s lots of great behind the scenes material adding to this veritable goldmine of the past, and proving a timely reminder to fans of all ages as to why the series is so good and endured for so long, surviving the ravages of changing times, internal corporation resentment and rival channels competition.

Classic clips, extended and deleted scenes and unused title sequences of old, and even overseas TV commercials, are used to great effect alongside contributions from Classic Doctors Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker (appearing in archive form), whilst the late, great Jon Pertwee, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy talk affectionately about their time inhabiting the role and its important, multi-generational appeal. Original series producer Verity Lambert talks candidly on how the show came to fruition and casting original star William Hartnell, whilst successors Barry Letts, Philip Hinchcliffe and John-Nathan Turner maintain the legend admirably, along with equally noteworthy script editors Terrance Dicks and Eric Saward, all of whom discuss many developing aspects linked to the shows existence, including the lead character’s ability to be recast on and off via the handy concept of “regeneration”, and the occasional controversy or unsuccessful elements that have reared their heads along the way. Plus, some of the great traditions linked to the series over the years, like it's connections to Blue Peter, competitions and other publicity. Stars, sportspeople and political figures, like Toyah Wilcox, Mike Gatting and Ken Livingstone, share their childhood memories, whilst the late Gerry Anderson talks about his then young sons adoration for the programme, rather than his own productions!

Of particular note, it's nice to see extended contributions from much missed series icons like Nicholas Courtney (also the narrator of the documentary), and Elisabeth Sladen (who appears in some segments with her then little girl, Sadie), both of whom had played such an important part in so many people’s childhoods. Carole Ann Ford, Fraser Hines, Deborah Watling, Nicola Bryant and Sophie Aldred also have fun reminiscing, and there’s a nice little foray into the two colour packed Dalek movies of the sixties that starred Peter Cushing in the lead role.

Backed up with an affectionate incidental music score from Mary Ayres, the documentary has held up well twenty years on and remains a lively and engaging tribute to the 30th anniversary.

Complimenting More’s release are a host of new materials from the current custodians of the classic WHO flame, including:

Remembering Nicholas Courtney: a charming, sadly never finished documentary talking to the actor about his life and career, hosted by his friend and co-author Michael McManus, with a nice guest appearance from a lively Tom Baker.

Those Deadly Divas: a fun twenty minute look at the classic and modern series female villains, such as The Rani, with contributions from modern series writer Gareth Roberts and actresses Kate O’Mara, Camille Coduri and Tracy Ann Oberman, celebrating just what memorable ingredients are needed to make a lady baddy so memorable in DOCTOR WHO!

The Lambert Tapes- Part One: an interview with the original producer of the show, Verity Lambert: truly one of the all-time great talents of the British television industry, talking with charm about the early difficulties of getting the show made at the BBC with limited resources but lots of enthusiasm and luck, plus the satisfaction of seeing it hit the big time with audiences once the Daleks had made their big entrance. A noteworthy interview segment compiled from The Story of DOCTOR WHO documentary from 2003.

Doctor Who Stories- Peter Purves: Hartnell era companion and Blue Peter icon Peter Purves talks very candidly and amusingly about his time in the TARDIS, earning the then healthy sum of £35 pounds a week in 1964. A nice featurette featuring more unseen footage culled from The Story of DOCTOR WHO special.

Finally, there’s a classic photo gallery of the documentary’s various Doctors, companions and monsters, PDF Radio Times listings, and an atmospheric Coming Soon trailer for the next DVD release: William Hartnell's Doctor caught in the French Revolution, during The Reign of Terror!

KOOL TV RATING: Considered somewhat an eclectic set by die-hard Who fans, the LEGACY box set nonetheless remains an essential purchase. Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

Get the set here: Doctor Who: The Legacy Collection Shada/More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS DVD: Amazon.co.uk: Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, Douglas Adams: Film & TV

GOODBYE, GERRY ANDERSON...

Imagination had no limits with the late, great Gerry Anderson.

He was a talented writer and director, always on the lookout for the next big thing, he revolutionised children's television, entertained millions and millions of delighted audiences around the world, was an innovative pioneer of puppet and live action filming, and an all-round charming, intelligent, honourable and loving family man. The world lost Gerry Anderson today to the cruel ravages of Alzheimer's, but his distinguished legacy of high-quality episodic film series stay in our hearts: he gave us the fun and excitement of FIREBALL XL5, the perils and adventure of International Rescue in THUNDERBIRDS, the daring and bravery of the indestructible CAPTAIN SCARLET, the colourful sub-aquatic action of STINGRAY, haunted us with man versus alien in the spine-tingling live-action UFO and blasted the moon out of the Earth's orbit in the genuinely iconic and spectacular SPACE: 1999. He launched the careers of so many people, including the special effects genius of the late Derek Meddings and his successor into live action film work, Brian Johnson. Gerry was also a wonderful visualist, an encourager of people and a brilliant ideas man, way ahead of his time who always deserved far more industry recognition from the entertainment industry than he ultimately got, beyond those brilliant and forever enduring puppet series which he so vigorously brought to the screen with his ex-wife, Sylvia. Gerry's CGI series resurrection of CAPTAIN SCARLET in the early 2000's was a great rebirth for his talent and tenacity in the face of a modern entertainment industry largely in the wane and needing his type of chutzpah and enterprise to get it going. And whilst many other TV series come and go in history, THUNDERBIRDS, old or possibly new (returning in CGI at some point), remains his deservedly greatest achievement, part of an outstanding career that will be loved and cherished by children and adults forever...

Gerry Anderson is survived by his son, Jamie, and wife, Mary.

A part of all our childhood has been lost on this very sad day...

Fanderson Home

BBC News - Gerry Anderson, Thunderbirds creator, dies

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM KOOL TV!

Friends reunited in THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG. Image: Channel 4.

What better way to celebrate the evocative wonder and splendid magic of Christmas for children and families across the world than with this terrific image from the eagerly anticipated Channel 4 Xmas Eve screening of the sequel to Raymond Brigg's classic and beloved children's book/animated tale, now in it's Thirtieth Anniversary, THE SNOWMAN: the surely equally charming and festive THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG.

Trailer: Video: The Snowman and The Snowdog trailer - Telegraph

KOOL TV wishes its friends and readers worldwide the warmest, safest and Happiest Xmas, and a prosperous 2013!

KOOL TV CLASSIC IMAGE: 'AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM's BAD SANTA!

And what do you want for Christmas, little girl? Ian McShane brings menace and terror to AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Image: Ryan Murphy.

The season to be jolly is not always enjoyed by everyone, as the 1960's residents of the doomed AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM particularly found out tis week with the re-emergence of a man they all thought they had very definitely under lock and key forever: Lee Emerson, a sexual sadist and serial killer of families who makes his horrific mark dressed as Santa Claus. Released for a little "festive spirit" over the holiday period by the devil possessed Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe), the iconic Brit star of LOVEJOY and DEADWOOD gave a brilliant, deranged and highly brutal performance that wouldn't have been out of place in a Quentin Tarantino film, as he very definitely kissed the girls (and boys) and made them cry. The sequence where he ultimately tried to gets his revenge on his incarcerator (Jessica Lange, who has been pitch perfect in her performance this year as the all-seeing, all-knowing Sister Jude) was easily one of the second series shows most potentially harrowing moments and very well played. Thankfully, the spirit was behind our determined Jude and Santa's rein of terror was soon over.

Up to no good at all with the inmates decorated Xmas tree... Image: FOX.

Right now, though, with the shows mid-season break, all manner of classic horror icons are still at liberty throughout the Briarcliff institution: there's an alien of some kind lurking in the basement, grotesque horrors, created by former Nazi Doctor Alden (James Cromwell), running about the grounds, visitations from the Angel of Death (a sublime performance from Season One's Frances Conroy) and the return of the dreaded Leatherface, capable of giving the cast of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE a run for their money, in a truly wicked performance from STAR TREK and HEROES star Zachary Quinto. Just who, or what else, will be coming through those doom-laded doors next, when the show returns to the UK's FOX channel in early January, remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure it won't be pleasant...

Happy Christmas and sweet dreams...

KOOL TV BABE OF THE WEEK: 'DOCTOR WHO's JENNA-LOUISE COLEMAN

You can never get enough red! Jenna-Louise Coleman heats up the screen in the new series of DOCTOR WHO. Images: BBC.

Despite her general mass audience appeal, I can't say that I ever particularly warmed to the fiery character of Amy Pond, accompanied by her mostly wet husband Rory, when they travelled in adventures far and wide with Matt Smith's incarnation of the Eleventh DOCTOR WHO for two and a half years. At best, I preferred her on her own with the Doctor in the stories, in a duration that might have worked best at a year and a bit. Perhaps she was just a bit too modern for my tastes, with that in your face and often sarcastic attitude. The idea of an at first mentally troubled companion, whose problems were created from childhood by the Time Lord, also left me a little uneasy. I like intelligence and the ability to stick up to baddies, as has been seen in everyone from the monochrome era's Barbara Wright to Freema Agyeman's underrated Martha Jones, but a bit of charm and a twinkle in the eye is essential in the companions just as much as within the Doctor-they have to be likable, and there were times when I thought Karen Gillan's performance was anything but. Amy Pond/Karen Gillan may have shaken up the series and the way the companions are ultimately portrayed in Producer /writer Steven Moffat's revisionist blueprint for the series, but it definitely shook me up too much.

Hold on tight! The Doctor and Clara: a fun new pairing for 2013 onwards.

Impressive new baddies for the Christmas Special: the Snowmen.

So I'm delighted to say that the recent casting of the petite and rather lovely Jenna-Louise Coleman in the new companion role of the seemingly upbeat and enthusiastic Clara has cheered me up no end as we approach another new look for the long-running series. The Lancashire born actress may have previously played a completely different (?) character in the series than the one that she will ultimately be appearing in from the upcoming Xmas Special, The Snowmen, onwards, but Coleman's talents as an actress, after years in soap operas but showing potential with roles in the Titanic mini-series and a brief appearance in the Captain America movie, really shined with on-screen promise, what with her truly surprise appearance with a twist as the lone survivor of a spaceship crash, the burnt souffle making character of Oswin Oswald in Season Seven's acclaimed opener Asylum of the Daleks, as Coleman lifted the story greatly above an enjoyable if wasted opportunity for the metal meanies in the fast approaching anniversary year. Now playing the big skirted, Victorian era persona of a children's nanny, caught in the terror filled gaslight streets alongside the stove piped hatted Doctor's investigations of the evil Doctor Simeon (Richard E. Grant) and the monsters he unleashes upon London in the shape of the evil, fanged teeth bearing Snowmen (voiced with relish by iconic actor Sir Ian McKellen), Coleman's bubbly and clever personality as both an actress and as an emerging character, often to be seen in the new series taking the initiative with her Gallifreyan buddy, looks set to shine brightly in this charming time of the year, as further epic, mini-movie adventures are promised for the new and charismatic pairing from April 2013 onwards, leading to the apparently epic Fiftieth Anniversary Special, promised by Moffat and his team as a wonderful tribute and confectionery to the past...

Trailer: Doctor Who: The Snowmen - Christmas Special Trailer - BBC One Christmas 2012 - YouTube

Exclusive DOCTOR WHO: THE SNOWMEN BBC America Trailer Xmas 2012 - YouTube

BBC One - Doctor Who, The Snowmen, Vastra Investigates – A Christmas Prequel

A recent publicity shot celebrating major filming on Season Seven for Smith and Coleman.

KOOL TV wishes Miss Coleman all the best of success for the series and beyond...

THE NEXT STEPS FOR HUMANITY. A NEW DAWN FOR THE 'SURVIVORS'

The end of the world begins in a laboratory, during the opening moments of SURVIVORS. Images: BBC.

The Mayans prophecy for the destruction of the Earth today (21st December 2012) thankfully hasn't happened yet at this time of writing (just my luck, it will probably all kick off when I'm on the toilet!), but in the imaginative and drama-packed realms of science fiction and fantasy TV the planet and its populace have always been easy pickings for what many have called The Armageddon Factor. One of the most memorable of these was from the seventies: Terry Nation's enduring and acclaimed 1975 BBC 1 series SURVIVORS, which saw humankind almost back to the stone age after a devastating virus is accidentally and chillingly let loose from a Chinese laboratory and quickly spreads via infected air passengers across the entire world (courtesy of a classic and now iconic main titles sequence), where only 1 in 5 people manages to survives its virulent life ending biology. By the end of the gloomy but brilliantly staged first episode, full of dread and atmosphere, our three main heroes start to emerge: the first being the relatively affluent housewife and mother, the strong-willed Abby Grant (Carolyn Seymour) who loses her husband (Peter Bowles) to the rapid spreading disease and then desperately begins her weary and almost hopeless search for her missing son, Peter, far away at boarding school when everything kicked off. Along the way, Abby meets once secretary Jenny (Lucy Fleming-real-life niece to the legendary James Bond creator Ian Fleming) who early on proves vulnerable and truly isolated but quickly finds the courage and conviction to survive. Away from the country on company business, though caught in the developing virus, Engineer Greg Preston (a stalwart performance from Ian McCulloch, who, enjoying the series concept, ended up writing and directing several of the series best episodes later on) completes the trio, making a striking debut in the second episode by helicopter searching for fuel. Eventually, they assemble to consolidate their survival plans within an abandoned church, realising that strength in numbers is more necessary than ever to endure what lies ahead: the elements, the now rabid animals searching out food sources, and the isolated pockets of humanity they'll encounter, many of whom will mean them harm in their own quest to survive. Eventually, as they continue their adventures, more stragglers are picked up, including two lost young children, Lizzie and John (played by Tanya Ronder and Stephen Dudley) and an often comedy value tramp, Tom Price (DAD'S ARMY's Talfryn Thomas), with a nasty tongue who causes much trouble along the way. As their small community gathers momentum in a new and more secure location, and as their first stages of self sufficiency grow, outside forces continue to threaten their well-being: the power of the gun now making everyone's fight to survive similar to the once pioneers of the American West, out in the new frontier. But hope is on the horizon, as our small band's first steps in learning to live a new way of life without power and technology bear fruit...

The core trio of the series: Greg (Ian McCulloch), Jenny (Lucy Fleming) and Abby (Carolyn Seymour).

Title sequence and opening episodes taster: BBC The Survivors 1975 TV classic opening scenes - YouTube

Behind the scenes, Nation wrote the majority of the key episodes of the season, interested in the then growing popularity of new-age self sufficiency and by the notion of what we'd all do in a crisis without any of the easy things in life to help us along. But, in a change of the tide, he soon found himself losing a lot of his creative control due to what he saw was unwarranted interference from the shows very headstrong and equally experienced producer, Terrence Dudley, who ultimately won full creative control over the series with Season Two, and whose inheritance lead to the departure of an angry Nation from his own "baby' (Nation later wrote his own ending to the series and the character of Abby Grant with a popular, now hard to find, one-off novel). Other memorable script contributions came from writers Jack Ronder and M.K. Jeeves, whilst a core trio of successful directors held the visual reins in the first year, including the talented Pennant Roberts (later to work on several classic DOCTOR WHO stories for Tom Baker onwards), Gerald Blake and Terrence Williams. The series would be fondly remembered by audiences over the years and enjoyed solid ratings during the time of its transmission. The first series would be released on VHS tape by the BBC, with the entire run later on DVD and on satellite TV via the UK GOLD channel.  It would inspire a reasonably successful re-make by the BBC a few years back, and the idea of a world without power and back to grass roots is now being explored in J.J. Abrams brand new popular US fantasy series REVOLUTION.

Here's a look at KOOL TV's favourite episodes of Season One-ultimately the best of the three seasons:


THE FOURTH HORSEMAN

"Please God, don't let me be the only one?"

Abby Grant's tearful and desperate plea to the heavens, after finding a church littered with dead corpses, is easily one of the most memorable and iconic scenes from the pilot episode as the world around her is decimated at Xmas time by a deadly virus, and the surviving stragglers, all isolated and desperate, begin their trek to escape the mass death and rotting corpses of London and the suburbs. Probably the best episode of the series, one of the finest ever TV launches of a genre show, and a sterling bench mark for the drama to come.

GENESIS

Greg Preston enters the series and gets caught up in the machinations of a lonely woman whose accidentally crippled partner has now outlived his usefulness. Meanwhile, Abby meets a community whose plans for control border on militia-like intent. Guest starring George Baker.

GONE AWAY 

The trio of Greg, Jenny and Abby go on their first desperate forage for food supplies and encounter some aggressive militiamen. Meanwhile, tramp Tom (Talfryn Thomas) discovers their abandoned church hideaway.

CORN DOLLY

The first non-Nation script sees out heroes arrive at a community where charismatic leader Charles Vaughan (well played by Dennis Lill, later to become a regular in Season Two) is the the almost obsessive head of an effort at self sufficiency and the repopulating of the human race. Some interesting ideas about the future of Mankind and he need for multi-partners in order to sustain the generations are  
notably highlighted by Jack Ronder.

The main trio with additional young cast members Lizzie (Tanya Ronder) and John (Stephen Dudley).

GARLAND'S WAR

Another fine Nation tale. Continuing her search for Peter, Abby runs into the fugitive figure of Jimmy Garland (COLDITZ's Richard Heffer), an experienced tracker and woodsman desperate to reclaim his family home and inheritance from a local group of survivors. The pair soon show an affinity for each other.

LAW AND ORDER

A recent addition to the community, Wendy (Julie Neubert), is found murdered after a celebratory party at the community, resulting in Greg and Jenny having no choice but to initiate a trial against the prime suspect, the young and naive Barney (John Hallet), of which there can be only one punishment to fit the heinous act. 

The notions of crime and punishment, law and order, in a post apocalypse society are intriguingly pondered and realised by M.K. Jeeves in this very successful and overall well-acted episode, which possesses a sting in its a tale whilst crafting it's memorably sad ending.

SOMETHING OF VALUE

Acquiring a much needed petrol tanker, Greg and Jenny fight for their lives against a trio of desperate travellers. Lots of action and tense drama in another pacy Nation script, which definitely has a Western feel about it in many respects. Ian McCulloch is especially good here.

Greg and Abby outside their new community.

A NEW BEGINNING

With all the recent strains affecting our heroes and their relationships, of which Greg and Abby are at loggerheads over where to take the community, tensions are building. Fortunately, hope is on the horizon for Abby, in the form of the returning Jimmy Garland, who brings vital news to her about her son, Peter...

A solid character based season finale, with some excellent moments for Carolyn Seymour to shine in as Abby, reunited with lover Jimmy Garland (Richard Heffer). Nation's season ender shows a note of hope for the future as the community begins making successful interactions with other settlements in the area.

For more on the series and its three seasons, check out this excellent site: Survivors (the classic BBC TV drama series created by Terry Nation)

Buy the complete series of SURVIVORS here: Survivors - Series 1-3 Box Set [DVD] [1975]: Amazon.co.uk: Survivors: Film & TV

A SLICE OF GALACTIC HISTORY. REVISITING THE 'BABYLON 5' TV MOVIES

Out in space, Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) sizes up a deadly new foe in the BABYLON 5 TV movie Thirdspace. All images: Warner Brothers.

The final season of supreme nineties space opera BABYLON 5 may have generated a lot of controversy amongst its die-hard, worldwide fans, as did creator J. Michael Straczynski's follow up in that epic universe: CRUSADE, but the nice thing was that the series then new makers TNT, saving the show and it's sci-fi legend from a premature end with its fourth season, were quick to ride the wave of its building popularity, and a dedicated genre audience base, by commissioning numerous feature-length event TV movies appearing in, out and during its purchase of the original four seasons of B5 in syndicated stripping, and as a warm up to its commissioned fifth year. Okay, so these ratings winning projects would be of varying quality, but there's no denying that the four films comprising the TNT collection are all interestingly diverse and take the universe making heroes of Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner), Mimbari Ambassdor Delenn (Mira Furlan), former Security Chief Michael Gairbaldi (Jerry Doyle), and others, into previously unexplored and fascinating new avenues of storytelling and character, backed up by the shows then state of the art and evolving CGI effects work.

Here's a look back at those four original movies, in the original production order they were made, now playing in and out of the UK FOX channel's Xmas schedules.

Disturbing visions for Commander Ivanova (Claudia Christian) in Thirdspace.

THIRDSPACE. Filmed in between Season Four and the approaching Five commission from TNT, this is Straczynski's bold attempt to do a pure Lovecraftian horror story in his sci-fi universe, set sometime shortly after the Shadow War, with the commercial/diplomatic Babylon 5 station's Earthforce crew now seceded and outcast fugitives from their home planet's government, due to their exposing the murderous actions of the insane and ambitious President Clarke. Suffering from lack of supplies, Captain John Sheridan and his team have been fighting off increased attacks from raiders taking their goods when a hyperspace journey sees an encounter with a drifting and immense, totally alien ship possibly over a million years old. As a shady Interplanetary Expeditions research team (headed by Shari Belafonte) arrives to help unearth the crafts secrets and possible scientific riches, commercial telepath Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman) starts going loopy with premonitions of danger and death to come via her prior genetic manipulation from the mysterious and now departed Vorlon race, whilst many others on the station start to exhibit equally strange behaviour and soon nightmarish visions of another world and universe, populated by a race of cannibalistic aliens. Quickly, the ultimate intentions of the craft are discovered, but can the doorway to the domain of Thirdspace be shut down before it's too late...

Exploring a dangerous relic: Bill Morishi (Clyde Kusatsu) and Elizabeth Trent (Shari Belafonte).

Making the most of existing sets for the show-the reason it was filmed before Straczynski's mostly all-new environments of the In the Beginning prequel, Thirdspace starts off well, solidly building up the mystery and tension with the aforementioned Lovecraftian elements and shades of the Nigel Neale Quatermass and the Pit. Jesus Salvador Trevino's accompanying direction is fine, and has some creepily effective moments, as does the shows art direction. In front of the camera, our cast equally has stuff to enjoy, especially feisty heroine Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian), who finely displays her kick boxing, fist packing action skills at one point. Unfortunately, the plot stops in the final act and becomes an all-out space battle mess of a finale, when what it really needed was some added and sophisticated story weight to give it a more satisfactory closure. Still, it is a lot of fun and eminently watchable-the horror angle certainly having not been as ramped up before in the series history as it is here. KOOL TV RATING: 3 out of 5

A dark time of revelation for Minbari leader Delenn (Mira Furlan) in the B5 prequel In the Beginning.

IN THE BEGINNING. It seemed like everyone was doing prequels in the nineties, so why not BABYLON 5? Especially as there was so much story material that had been talked about but never really shown over four years, making it a creative gamble definitely worth taking by Straczynski, and especially as the project was going to help launch the fifth season on a new network. In the Beginning would help acclimatise viewers into knowing who was who, who did what to who, and where they came from in this special universe. In a nutshell, the story concerns Earth's continued exploration of the stars, and their first contact with the religious warriors, the Minbari, which, unfortunately for all concerned, ends in tragic disaster with the slaying of the alien leader Dukat (a towering performance Reiner Schone), whose species, now lead by his trusted acolyte, the young and impressionable Delenn (Mira Furlan), initiates a bloody and vengeance fuelled Holy War against Humanity across the entire galaxy, with the might of their unstoppable race and war machine technology at their side, against Earth's limited resources but counter attacking spirit. Humanity's fate in this terrible time is decided at the history marking Battle of the Line, where a lone pilot, Jeffrey Sinclair (the late, much missed Michael O'Hare) becomes the salvation and key to the ultimate saving of his people from universal extinction and the soon following and totally unexpected end of the war. In between all that, Straczynksi crafts a clever and effective new story charting another hero of the saga, John Sheridan and his steady rise to captain and war hero during the early days of the conflict, as well as those histories of the series other important main characters, including Narn ambassador G'Kar (Andreas Katsulas, before his iconic role became a good guy!), Doctor Stephen Franklin (Richard Biggs) and a yery young Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian returning for a fun cameo). Then, around all that, Straczynski builds the main framing device through which the story and history is ultimately told and completed, set in a not too distant future on his devastated home world of Centauri Prime, where the sullen, bitter and lonely rule of Emperor Londo Mollari (a uniformly excellent Peter Jurasik) - a key player in the series from the start- is coming to an even darker end, his fate inexplicably linked to that of an older, and now captured and awaiting execution Sheridan and Delenn...

A young John Sheridan uses his instincts to defeat a Minbari war ship.

Ultimately best enjoyed by fans after seeing the entire series, In the Beginning is a major success for BABYLON 5 in the long run. Mike Vejar's confident and fast-paced storytelling works well against Straczynski's fill in the blanks script. The effects work is excellent for its time, and its great to see the youngified regular actors seeing their characters first moments of glory. Continuity and the use of previous classic moments from the series are well integrated, especially footage of O'Hare/Sinclair from the important first season episode And the Sky Full of Stars. KOOL TV RATING: 4.5 out of 5

Matters of life and death for the mysterious Soul Hunter leader (Martin Sheen) in The River of Souls.

RIVER OF SOULS. Set in the years between Season Five's penultimate and final episodes, archaeologist Robert Bryson (Ian McShane), under the employ of now pharmaceutical empire running businessman Michael Garibaldi, arrives on Babylon 5 with a stolen artifact from the sacred home world of the Soul Hunters, hoping to unlock is secrets and discover immortality. Instead, he incites the wrath of that race, who soon arrive en mass at the station to demand its return, whilst Doctor Stephen Franklin (Richard Biggs) personally gets caught up in the artifact's life and death abilities and revelations. At the same time, its mystical and surreal powers are causing havoc to the station and its inhabitants, as phantoms roam its metal corridors, of which Commander Elizabeth Lochley (Tracy Scoggins) unforgettably discovers why she's recently become such a popular hit with the male inhabitants of the diplomatic/trade outpost...and not in a good way!

Hello Boys! A different side to Captain Lochley (Tracy Scoggins) is revealed...

Full cast publicity shot for The River of Souls.

The weakest of the four TV movies, River of Souls starts off with good intentions, with what should have been an intriguing and meaningful look into the soul and life after death: the former having played such an important part of the series multi-aspect storytelling since its premiere year, as well as being a fine opportunity for the late Richard Biggs to get more substantial character material to work with as Franklin. Unfortunately, the quirky story just doesn't sustain the duration and could easily have been one of the shows fifty minute episodes. Boredom sets in quickly with primary guest stars Ian McShane and THE WEST WING's Martin Sheen looking lost in it all (in fact, Sheen apparently hated working on the show and pretty much disowns his performance as the strange talking, alien Soul Hunter leader. He originally thought he was going to be playing McShane's role). Overall, more than anything else, River will probably be best remembered for the titillating scenes of the hologram Elizabeth Lochley looking great in her space lingerie, of which promotional images were splattered all over the various film and sci-fi magazines of the period. KOOL TV RATING 2.5 out of 5.

Sheridan, Lochley and Garibaldi lead the fight against the Drakh in A Call to Arms.

A CALL TO ARMS. It's the eve of the fifth anniversary of Sheridan's great and good-intentioned galactic alliance, and a huge celebration is planned. At the same time, he and business entrepreneur Michael Garaibaladi are overseeing the shakedown tests of the first two, hot off the production line prototype starships that will see in the next generation of the protectorate Ranger army. Unfortunately, despite all the good work and noble intent going on, the evil Drakh, seeking revenge on their curtailed power with the loss of their once masters, the Shadows, plan a huge act of retaliation and revenge on both Sheridan and Earth by unleashing the last of a deadly fleet of planet killers against them. Soon, our noble, greyer hero, helped by the mysterious Technomage Galen (a charismatic Peter Woodward) and a motley Earth/alien crew, race against the clock, using their new experimental firepower to win Earth's government over in mobilising its forces against the mighty Drakh menace. As the two great battle fleets lock horns and blaster weapons over the green/blue home of Humanity, the conflict is won, but the war is lost. as the Drakh survivors successfully unleash a deadly bacterial plague into the planet's atmosphere, of which the Alliance will have only five years to discover a cure before all life on Earth is extinct. The clock is ticking...

The enigmatic Galen (Peter Woodward) joins the series.

A time of crisis for Sheridan and Dureena (Carrie Dobro) on the bridge of the Excalibur.

A deliberate and exhilarating action adventure, A Call To Arms is another directorial success for innovative with a budget series regular Mike Vejar. The final original TNT B5 film from Straczynski, primarily acting as a passing the torch primer for the new TNT spin-off series, CRUSADE, Call is a  much underrated and exciting film, full of fresh promise and ideas potential (the visually stunning and powerful starship Excalibur being the particular standout, what with its intriguing submarine like interior and mixing of Human, Vorlon and Minbari technologies, fast becoming a terrific visual creation), whilst the return of the Drakh as a believable nemesis for use across the two B5 series is decently handled. Overall, it's a lively and action-packed send off, done in a stirring incident packed way, though it's a shame that a few more original cast members couldn't have been fitted into the tale beyond Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle and Tracy Scoggins. Boxleitner is great as the older, but still gung- ho Sheridan, as, too, is Doyle. Newcomers and soon CRUSADE regulars Peter Woodward as the mysterious and often sarcastic Galen and Carrie Dobro as Thieves Guild alien Dureena Nafeel, whose extinct race had prior contact with one of the Shadow's doomsday weapons, are a superb new addition to the series, the latter particularly bringing a fresh new perspective to the series. Special mention to guest star Tony Todd as the brave and resourceful Captain Anderson of the starship Victory, who, with his gallant crew, sacrifice their lives in a last ditch effort to save the Earth. Only the distinctive but ultimately lacking incidental music by newcomer composer Evan Chen, replacing notable series regular Christopher Framke, slightly hampers the project. 
KOOL TV RATING: 4 out of 5.

Get hold of the original BABYLON 5 TV movies here: Amazon.com: Babylon 5: The Movie Collection: Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Peter Jurasik, Bill Mumy, Richard Biggs, Mira Furlan: Movies & TV

First lady of BABYLON 5, Claudia Christian, who played sexy and sassy Commander Susan Ivanova in four seasons and two TV movies, has recently published her autobiography, which includes her time working on the series. It's received rave reviews.  Purchase it here: Babylon Confidential: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and Addiction: Claudia Christian, Morgan Grant Buchanan: 9781937856069: Amazon.com: Books

Claudia's FACEBOOK page: Claudia Christian