I Watch TV: Quatermass

Quatermass

This 4-part series was intended to be the last Quatermass by Kneale, the writer. Produced in 1979 it was written in the early 70s and is filled with ideas from that time; the link-up between Soviet and US spacecraft, the armed gangs on the streets reminiscent of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and of course those damn hippies.

There’s a bit of kids today, they suck going on, and that’s fine as Kneale wraps it deftly into his science fiction plot about humanity meeting with an inexplicable alien intelligence and being doomed by it. Quatermass is invited onto TV for the space link-up, but he now thinks his work with British Rocket Group was a waste and all he wants to do is find his granddaughter who has run off with the Planet People, who believe they will be transported to another planet.

They’re not quite right.

Young people all over the world are gathering at ancient megalithic sites, and then are blasted. Quatermass finds himself caught up against his wishes, initially interested in weird events, then overwhelmed with horror. Then he gathers a group of old people to do the science work, because young people’s minds are being overwhelmed.

But there’s hope; young characters keep struggling against it and they come good in the end.

Watch This: For dark, thoughtful science fiction with a satirical edge – the scene in which they co-opt the TV studio where they are filming Tittetty Bumpety is hilarious and also disturbing
Don’t Watch This: If a grim 70s dystopia is not for you
Previously On Here: Quatermass And The Pit