Doomwatch Revival in the Works?
Created by the late Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis nearly forty years ago, "Doomwatch" was the nickname of the Department of Observation and Measurement of Scientific Work, a department of the 'Ministry of National Security'. The department was a watchdog to the scientific work, supposed to ensure that public and environmental safety was not compromised.
Although its creation was a cynical attempt to win votes and they were not intended to have much sway, the leader of the group, Dr Spencer Quist (played by John Paul), ensured that they never stayed in the background for very long. Storylines included plastic-eating microbes: the illegal dumoing of chemicals at sea; and, perhaps most memorably, genetically modified killer rats.
Screened on BBC1 in the UK and countries such as Canada, the show ran for three seasons and inspired a 1972 feature film. In 1999, Channel 5 bought the rights to revive Doomwatch from the BBC, and screened a 100-minute TV movie produced by the independent production company Working Title Television. Subtitled Winter Angel, the television movie was a continuation of the story rather than a remake.
While no further information was offered, the BBC's ratings success for another recent 1970s scifi revival, Survivors, makes a further revisitation to Doomwatch a viable proposition for a TV company.
As well as John Paul, the original series cast included Robert Powell (who now stars in the hospital drama Holby City) for its first season. His character Toby Wren killed off in the season finale in a terrorist bomb attack, an exit considered daring at the time in a more 'innocent' TV age. Also in the cast was the late Simon Oates, who died last month, and Wendy Hall.
some episodes of the show were wiped by the BBC - incredibly, at one point old TV shows were not considered worth keeping in a burgeoning archive as they had no perceived commercial value - all that remain have been released on DVD.
In more Doomwatch-related news, a new fan web site with extensive guides to all three TV series and its spin-offs, has recently been launched. Doomwatch.org web master Scott Burditt is on the lookout for any reviews, memories or artwork that anyone would like to contribute. "If anyone would like to submit a Doomwatch story that would be fantastic!" he says.
"I think it's about time this series got some respect and hopefully my website will help."
