An A to Z of UK Television Drama

Andy and Martin turn their attention to a cult sci-fi classic from 1981: John Wyndham's post-apocalyptic tale of man versus plant: The Day of the Triffids. The pair consider how the series has aged, how it compares to similar dramas and what elements still make it rollicking good fun.

Along the way they consider hospital and home decor, the Triffid Gun Christmas of 1981 and why Bill Masen is so bizarrely determined that Triffids are just dumb plants.

Enjoy and watch out for Heavy Plant Crossings!

While Andy is returning to an old favourite and a third viewing, Martin is seeing this 1971 adaptation of Honore de Balzac’s Cousin Bette for the first time. As with Barchester his worst fears are unfounded, in fact he, like confirmed fan Andy, finds this drama compelling and delicious and vows to introduce it to others.

The series concerns the fortunes of poor relation Cousin Bette played with verve and ferocity by the wonderful Margaret Tyzack (best known for the role of Antonia in I, Claudius) who decides to revenge herself upon her family when the man she saves from suicide, Count Steinbock (Colin Baker), is taken from her. Bette allies herself with the beautiful and ambitious Valerie Marneffe (Helen Mirren) whose appetite for money just about surpasses her appetite for lovers and together the pair set about destroying the Hulot family, including sex-mad patriarch Hector (Thorley Walters) and his long-suffering deeply religious wife Adeline (Ursula Howells). The series also stars Doctor Who luminaries Edward de Souza, Davyd Harries and David Garth.

A surprisingly fast-paced exploration of revenge, jealousy and infidelity, Andy and Martin choose their favourite moments and give their commentary on the unfolding intrigue and some of the most memorable performances ever given in BBC costume drama. Margaret Tyzack was quite rightly nominated for an Emmy for what is surely the role of her career.

The second episode of this new series of their podcast sees Andy and Martin visit sleepy Barsetshire and the quiet cathedral town of Barchester, where ecclesiastical and romantic intrigue is going to set tongues wagging and cassocks whirling.

This 1982 adaptation of two of Anthony Trollope’s beloved Barsetshire series, The Warden and Barchester Towers, entitled The Barchester Chronicles boasts memorable performances from Alan Rickman as the slimy Obadiah Slope, Geraldine McEwan as the controlling Mrs Proudie, and Nigel Hawthorne as the overbearing Archdeacon Grantly. The plot concerns a newspaper’s crusade against the Church of England’s practice of self-enrichment which targets the unassuming and harmless Mr Harding (Donald Pleasance). But this battle is as nothing to the threat that Is later posed when a new Bishop (Clive Swift) is appointed, a weak man who is in the merciless grip of his domineering wife, Mts Proudie, and his chaplain Obadiah Slope. Slope does not only have his eyes set on ecclesiastical grandeur but also the hand of Signorna Madeleine Neroni (Susan Hampshire) until, that is, he discovers that Harding’s daughter Eleanor (Janet Maw) may be a better bet.

The cast list also includes Barbara Flynn, Cyril Luckham, Denis Carey, Ursula Howells, John Ringham and Phyllidda Law and the series is adapted by Alan Plater whose Beiderbecke trilogy and Miss Marple: A Murder is Announced we celebrated during our first run.

Neither Andy, nor Martin expect to enjoy the series that much, but they are to be pleasantly surprised by this adaptation which is regarded by Trollope fans to be a faithful and worthy version of two of his most celebrated novels.

Andy and Martin return for another series of an A to Z of UK television drama and in time-honoured fashion are keeping it alphabetical. First up is the iconic Mike Leigh Play for Today: Abigail’s Party.

Devised for the stage, and performed over a 100 times before it was recorded for television, Leigh’s kitsch classic sees the monstrous Beverley (a tour-de-force of a performance from Alison Steadman) preside over an evening soiree which she, her neighbours, and the viewing audience at home would never forget.

Grab your cheese and pineapple on a cocktail stick, get the Beaujolais in the fridge and fire up Demis Roussos on your record player and strap in for this glorious window into the conventions and aspirations of 1976. Another gin and tonic? Sue? Ange? Tony? Okay?

We made it! The final episode of the first series of 'An A to Z of UK TV Drama' is in the can. Rather than choosing the rather obvious Z Cars we thought instead that with this instalment that we'd take a much overdue trip into the world of ITC with the French Riviera-set crime caper The Zoo Gang.

First broadcast in 1974 this series, based on the book by Paul Gallico (The Poseidon Adventure), was filmed in Nice and at Pinewood and starred Sir John Mills, Lilli Palmer, Brian Keith and Barry Morse who played four former resistance agents reunited 28 years after the war. Termed The Zoo Gang because of their codenames during the war: The Elephant, The Leopard, The Fox and The Tiger. A raft of familiar guest stars include Roger Delgado (in his last starring role post-Doctor Who), Jacqueline Pearce, Peter Cushing, and Philip Madoc.

Both Andy and Martin find much to enjoy here and not just because they get the opportunity to try out their French or, rather, their French accents! Highlights include the title theme by Paul and Linda McCartney, the performances of the main cast, and the fun heist & hustle plots. Some of the acting isn't that great (coo-ee Ingrid Pitt!) and some of the storylines a bit convoluted but this limited-run 6 episode series still feels like a fun and upbeat way to end our series.

This episode was brought to you by the words: malheureusement, maintenant, and perdue.

As for 'Another A to Z of UK TV Drama' you'll just have to wait and see.

This Hong Kong-set series was one of the top-rated shows of 1990. Going out on ITV in the first quarter of the year this 13-part cop show was a big hit with audiences including an 18-year-old Andy but it passed Martin by completely. But how does it stand up some 30 years later?

Starring Bruce Payne, Ray Lonnen, Robert Taylor, Doreen Chan and Tzi Ma, Yellowthread Street was based on the successful novels by the same name by William Marshall and produced by Ranald Graham who had also created Dempsey and Makepeace.

To say Andy is dismayed by how much either his memory has cheated or how badly the series seems to have aged is something of an understatement, While Martin coming to it anew is rightly puzzled that Andy ever held it in high regard.

Watching 3 episodes, all available on YouTube, a DVD release never having materialised, Andy & Martin consider where Yorkshire Television's answer to Miami Vice went so badly wrong.

Next Time: The Zoo Gang

It was always going to be The XYY Man for letter X, giving Andy the opportunity to finally take the cellophane off his DVD boxset. The series is about a repeat offender called Spider Scott, played by Stephen Yardley, who has an extra Y chromosome, believed at the time to make people more likely to commit crimes, particularly against property. On his tail is Don Henderson's Sergeant Bulman, who would go on to appear in Strangers and his own titular TV series.

When a prominent diplomat finds himself in a compromising situation with Zilda from Robots of Death, Spider is approached to steal a negative from the Chinese Legation in London. But its not altogether clear if Spider is being played. And when both South Africans and Rhodesians become involved its obvious that more is at stake than it first appears.

The series is directed by Ken Grieve (Destiny of the Daleks) and adapted from the books by Kenneth Royce. If Network DVD is to be trusted The XYY Man is a cult classic, but what do Andy and Martin make of it, and specifically, the first three-part story? And what effect will Martin just having had his COVID-19 jab have on proceedings?

Next Time: Yellowthread Street

For the first time in this series Andy & Martin turn their attention to the ghost story genre with an examination of the the critically acclaimed 1989 Nigel Kneale adaptation of Susan Hill's novella The Woman in Black. This version sees Adrian Rawlins as Arthur Kidd, Bernard Hepton as Sam Toomey and Pauline Moran as the spooky title character.

Martin watched during the day with the lights on until the bulb went (!) while Andy watched in the evening and despite not being a horror fan wanted more jump scares and creepy bits than were ultimately delivered.

Along the way they discuss, the workings of Eel Marsh House's generator, the stage play, wax cartridges, a tin soldier and the extent of the Woman in Black's power and reach, and inevitably, of course, this TV film's famous shock ending and that pre-ad break scare.

The question is do the pair think tis adaptation lives up to its reputation? Click play if you dare!!!

Next Time: The XYY Man

Andy interviews David Tucker who directed every single episode of A Very Peculiar Practice and the sequel film A Very Polish Practice. He counts the experience as joyous and shares his memories of casting, filming and shaping the series.

In this episode we celebrate the BAFTA-nominated A Very Peculiar Practice and explore 'the swamp of fear and loathing' that is Lowlands University. Starring Peter Davison, Graham Crowden, Barbara Flynn, David Troughton, Amanda Hillwood and Joanna Kanska, this is one of master adapter Andrew Davies's only original drama series and it is widely recognised as a masterpiece. Indeed, in 2010, The Guardian ranked the serial at number 5 in their list of The Top 50 TV Dramas of All Time.

The first series, first broadcast in 1986, follows Dr Stephen Daker (Peter Davison) as he joins the unhappy team who staff the Lowlands University medical practice. They include the alcoholic head of the practice Jock McCannon (Graham Crowden), manipulative feminist doctor RoseMarie (Barbara Flynn), and public school-educated idiot Bob Buzzard (David Troughton). Daker quickly realises that his new post will present him with many challenges but also new opportunities, including the chance to fall in love again, with policewoman and behaviourist Lyn Turtle (Amanda Hillwood), and to overcome some of his personal foibles along the way. The schemes of the poisonous self-serving Vice Chancellor, Ernest Hemmingway (John BIrd) also regularly threaten Daker and his colleagues.

A second series, which went out in 1988, sees Daker promoted and in charge of a new medical centre but a sinister new Vice Chancellor, Jack Daniels (Michael Shannon) presents him, his colleagues and indeed the entire University with even more serious problems than his predecessor. Thankfully his attention is diverted by a new Art History lecturer, Grete Gratowska (Joanna Kanska) who is terrible in bed and a self-confessed 'rude nasty girl'.

The series was wrapped up in a Poland-set feature-length sequel A Very Polish Practice in 1992.

The series was ably produced and directed by Ken Riddington and David Tucker respectively, who had previously teamed up on Tenko and Diana.

Andy and Martin almost run out of superlatives as they uncover the series themes and concerns, especially as they find that it has so much to say about the world today and is more advanced in its attitudes and conceits than seems possible for a drama from the late Eighties.

Next Time: The Woman in Black