Back in the 60's and 70's, studio-based sci-fi dramas were made and devoured by a mainstream audience. At some point that audience became a "cult" audience. (Probably as a result of the ever-so-hip 80's changing societal attitudes) Those dramas represent the very best that television sci-fi had to offer, even on low budgets, shot on video with 16mm film inserts. They were flawed, and still we loved it... because we knew how to suspend our disbelief.
Today's breed of programme makers, although largely familiar with the era to which I am referring, have rejected this format, and now have an addiction to making everything look like it was shot on film.
How ironic that a 90 minute LIVE programme was processed to look like it was shot on film..... BADLY.
Coupled with the appalling location work at some disused MOD base ( think), this represented the biggest disappointment of the year so far.
Those of you who liked "Eldorado" would have felt right at home here. Due to the nature of the placing all the locations in a single, huge, concrete building (with the odd exterior from out the same building), there was no sound treatment and everywhere echoed all to hell.
It was OBVIOUSLY the same building no matter where you looked, and that ruined it for me utterly. That and the fact that it SEEMED to be live..... no sense of time passing was communicated at all.
No effects, no risks, no fun.
Some of the lead performances were excellent, but a good many were stagey and forced. I expect the pressure of a live broadcast rattled some of the actors.
The live episodes of Coronation Street and The Bill recently were more believable than this.
What a complete waste of time, money and effort! 1/10
