Show Notes
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.
More from An A to Z of UK Television Drama
[Spoiler alert! This series is almost 50 years old but we will be revealing - around 90 minutes - in who spectacularly dies in the literal cliffhanger to episode 7. You have been warned!]
After a brief hiatus, Andy and Martin resume the second season of A to Z with the letter V. Admittedly cheating a little, their choice was 'Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton', the second of two autobiographical Dennis Potter plays from 1965 in The Wednesday Play strand. They also cover the first play, 'Stand Up, Nigel Barton'. Both feature Keith Barron as the title character who we follow from childhood, to university, to a reluctant attempt to stand as a Labour candidate in the General Election.
Andy and Martin travel back in time to the summer of 1965 and the adventures of HR consultant Drew Heriot and his sister-in-law Anne as they face up to the machinations of 'Undermind’: aliens who have brainwashed British citizens in order to cause national unrest ahead of their imminent invasion. Their various schemes include: spreading pirate radio misinformation; inciting youth violence in a seaside resort; influencing the works of a popular children’s author; the distribution of suicide-inducing birthday records; interference with the printing of exam papers, and most abominably of all, the assassination of Eamonn Andrews! Yes, really.
This month Andy and Martin review the highly regarded 1987 BAFTA-winning Scottish drama Tutti Frutti, written by John Byrne and starring Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson.
Twenty-one years after their first recorded interview on the first Survivors DVDs back in 2003, Andy catches up with Carolyn Seymour who played Abby Grant in Survivors.