The history of sci-fi on British television is littered with oddities, but few come odder than the 1975 ITV series Star Maidens. Co-produced by a Scottish investment company and a German TV network, Star Maidens was filmed in Slough with … Continue reading The Past is a Different Planet: Star Maidens Revisited
This is not a critique of the 1996 Doctor Who TV Movie. In fact, as a one-off adventure, I rather like it; Paul McGann is an excellent Doctor and his sole full-length TV appearance is fun, fast-paced and remarkably cinematic. … Continue reading ‘6 Reasons Why Doctor Who Dodged a Bullet in the 90s’ by Bob Sheppard
Doctor Who was at the height of its powers in 1977. The gamble of hiring the virtually unknown Tom Baker had paid off and his first two years as the Doctor had seen the series soar in popularity. By a … Continue reading This Isn’t Croydon: Season 14 Blu-Ray Review
I’m not the sort of person who goes on about the children’s television shows of the 70s and 80s that ‘traumatised’ them as a child; in fact, that sort of behaviour really annoys me. If the most traumatic thing that … Continue reading Stepping Back into the Shadows
If you’ve heard of Pablo Fanque at all, it’s probably because of the Beatles. In the song Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite, the lyrics, based on an 1843 circus poster that John Lennon bought in a Sevenoaks antique … Continue reading What a Scene! The Amazing Story of Pablo Fanque
This is a revised and updated version of material first published in the Strange Skins Avengers Special (2004). Such was the great impact and popularity of The Avengers that it was inevitable its success would impact upon other shows on British – … Continue reading The Avengers: The After Party
This is a revised and updated version of material first published in the Strange Skins Avengers Special (2004). There were big changes behind the scenes of The Avengers beyond the departure of Diana Rigg from the series. The top brass at ABC … Continue reading The Avengers: King’s Gambit
This is a revised and updated version of material first published in the Strange Skins Avengers Special (2004). With the departure of Honor Blackman and the imminent move into filmed production, The Avengers was changing. Out went the producer John Bryce, and … Continue reading The Avengers: ‘M’ Appeal
This is a revised and updated version of material first published in the Strange Skins Avengers Special (2004). It’s a popular myth that The Avengers grew directly out of the Ian Hendry vehicle Police Surgeon. It may have had the … Continue reading The Avengers: The Early Years
Marvel Comics almost passed on Star Wars. They had history with adapting big sci-fi movies, having adapted both 2001: A Space Odyssey and Logan’s Run, but neither title ran for more than 12 months and both are now better remembered … Continue reading Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years – Volumes 1 & 2: Review
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