Beyond the Roundels

A dystopian setting focusing on energy shortages and natural resources, though, is again very plausible for the time period when this series is supposed to have been made. I mean, you see the preoccupation with such things as well as the beginnings of environmental consciousness in things like Pertwee-era Doctor Who and the other SF series made around the same time. Also the obsession with government-funded Big Science projects to try and solve these crises in the making. This was the time of the "oil shock" following the Yom Kippur War (cue my mum, again, and her tales of the petrol ration coupons they issued to car owners at the time, although it never got so bad that they needed to be used), and the (other) Miners' Strike leading to rolling electricity blackouts and so on. Hallam and his crew are no doubt some sort of fictional counterpart for the very sinister elements in contemporary British political life who were calling for "something" drastic to be done about the whole thing (or would have been if this had actually been made in the early 70s, anyway).

Militant utilitarianism, though, is a good one - it takes it out of the whole left/right thing and allows a more general consideration of extremist political movements and the way they work without worrying about what colour rosettes they may or may not be wearing.

I think this is something I associate with your writing generally, in things like the UNIT series - the characterisations and the words you put into the characters' mouths are always very believable and very consistent, and I think it shines through in this and in the other imaginary series you created when this meme was going around the first time.

Also also... I await yours with much interest!!

Well, my first prompt, which is coincidentally also the one you gave me, is about two thirds done. I stupidly decided I wanted all of the casting, episode guide etc all complete before I posted anything, but that may not have been the best idea with hindsight... ;)