Aug 23, 2019
Doomwatch: By The Pricking Of My Thumbs... (2.5, BBC, 1971)
"The fact remains, that Ensor misled me. I gave him time and space for pure genetic research, not to play God. And the Franklins are the stick that I'll beat him with."
"And the effect it could have on the boy, have you thought about that?"
"Of course I've thought about it. Good God, seventeen's possibly the most impressionable age after the first year. To be told... to be told - that you're different, you're marked, it's eradicable because it's in your blood. How dare anyone say that to another? But Ensor has! And compounds his action by lying to me."
#doomwatch#Blood tw#1971#Classic tv#By the pricking of my thumbs...#John Paul#Simon oates#john nolan#Jean trend#Vivien sherrard#Bernard hepton#Patsy byrne#Colin jeavons#Olaf pooley#Barry stokes#Sally thomsett#David janson#Martin howells#Robert yetzes#David jarrett#Eric hills#Robin Chapman#The sight of Robin Chapman's name on the opening was a very pleasant surprise. I didn't know he'd written for Doomwatch and his work is#Always worth a look. He turns in an episode that is once again very topical but that has dated more than some others. The xyy theory was#Already under some pretty heavy scrutiny by this point (not that anyone had told Ken Royce who published the first Spider Scott book in#1970) and I'm glad Chapman came down on the right side of history: the theory of increased criminality in xyy males is now rightly#Dismissed as pseudo scientific rubbish. A strong episode that benefits from one of those great pre credits shock scenes (about the only#Near contemporary i can think of to do that on brit tv was Strange Report) and a top class cast. Always a joy to see Bernard Hepton and he#Even gets a special guest star billing here. I'd actually forgotten all about John Nolan until he turned up half way thru this one#Some good Quist moments too and Jean Trend is settling in nicely (ie. Not taking Ridge's shit). Good stuff.