Science Fiction television is more that a genre, it’s a sub-culture. For this episode we’re stepping out one kind of imaginary world, and into one rather more similar to ours. It’s also possibly the most personal episode yet.

Cruise of the Gods is a poignant, darkly comedic British television film that aired during Christmas on BBC Two in 2002. Written by Tim Firth, Peter Baynan and Michael Thomas, the story revolves around a convention for a defunct cult sci-fi TV series titled Children of Castor. This reunion takes place aboard a fan-organized cruise ship event that quickly becomes a stage for awkward encounters, faded glory, and heartfelt reflection.

At the heart of the film are two former stars of Children of Castor: Andy Van Allen (played by Rob Brydon), a bitter unemployed actor still clinging to the remnants of his fleeting fame, and Nick Lee (played by Steve Coogan), who has moved on to a successful career as a Hollywood actor, now famous as the star of Sherlock Holmes in Miami. The contrasting fortunes of the two men set the tone for a sharp exploration of celebrity, nostalgia, and the often bittersweet relationship between fans and their idols.

The film's witty script balances humour with pathos, as it highlights the absurdity of chasing fame and the perils of rejecting human contact. Supported by an ensemble cast that includes Helen Coker, David Walliams, Phillip Jackson and James Corden, Cruise of the Gods offers a touching and satirical look at the fleeting nature of success and the enduring power of fandom.

Despite only being broadcast once, Cruise of the Gods remains a cult favourite, compared favourably with the better known Galaxy Quest.

Joining me aboard the good ship VBF are actor Cliff Chapman and podcaster Dani Wray and our conversation goes into our own fandom experiences, as well as Doctor Who, Little Britain, Elementary and Fraiser amongst others.

Find out more about Cliff Chapman at https://cliff-chapman.com/

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Listen to Dani’s podcast I Don’t Do Scifi at https://westlakefilms.uk/idontdoscifi/

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A for Andromeda is a BBC science fiction TV series that originally aired in 1961.

It was the first adult BBC science fiction series since the Quatermass trilogy of the Fifties. Created by reknown (and controversial) astronomer Fred Hoyle and television writer and producer John Elliot, and directed by Michael Hayes (Replaced by John Knight for the sequel). One of the earliest mainstream British TV dramas to explore the themes of artificial intelligence and realistic alien contact.

A for Andromeda follows a group of scientists who receive a radio signal from the Andromeda galaxy containing instructions for building a powerful computer. Once built, the computer reveals a formula for creating a new life. Meanwhile a multinational company called Intel are stealing information from the project via a mole. Shockingly, one of the team, Christine, is hypnotised and killed by the computer. Her body is then used as a blueprint for a newly grown beautiful woman who is christened Andromeda. However, as Andromeda grows more self-aware, she begins to be torn between the agenda of the alien AI and her own humanity.

The series was a great success at a time when the BBC had been losing audiences to its new rival ITV. Unsurprisingly a sequel was commissioned.

The Andromeda Breakthrough was originally broadcast in 1962. It picks up directly where the previous one left off, with Andromeda and Dr John Flemming, the scientist who has treated the computer with suspicion almost from the beginning, having escaped from the island where it was created. Soon they are abducted by Intel and taken to the Middle Eastern country of Azaran, where the alien computer has been recreated. Too late, the humans realise that the computer has a ruthless plan for human civilisation, and only the dying Andromeda can save them.

Both series were groundbreaking for television in mixing scientific concepts with contemporary politics and a more cynical view of business and political institutions.

For this episode I was delighted to be reunited with writers Nigel J Anderson and Brian M Clarke, who had been my very first guests when we covered Pathfinders in Space. We also take a few minutes to discuss the BBC4 remake in 2006. I must also mention Michael Thompson, who helped with the glossy production values on this particular podcast.

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Imagine Star Trek designed by Stanley Kubrick and inhabited by a plethora of familiar (or soon to be familiar) British actors, led by three American TV stars. It's a SF show that mixes big imaginative concepts with foam machines and alien babes in tight costumes. It looks amazing, with one of the most iconic spaceships that ever flew across the small screen. And for a while, it was one of the biggest SF series on TV.

The Moon has escaped orbit and gone warping across the galaxy. Each episode the survivors face new aliens and new terrors. The time, the place? Space: 1999!

Space: 1999 ran for 48 episodes across two seasons between 1975 and 1977. Made by ITC and produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, although Star Trek producer Fred Freiberger took over day to day running of the second season. Brian Johnson headed the special effects modelwork and would later gain acclaim for The Empire Strikes Back and The Neverending Story.

Very British Futures host Gareth Preston invites nostalgic Ian Taylor and recent fan Kara Dennison to examine one of ITC's biggest undertakings. They'll be taking an especially close look at "Dragon's Domain", "Earthbound" and "The Beta Cloud".

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Find out more about Kara Dennison's work at https://karadennison.blogspot.com/

Find out more about Ian Taylor's horror anthologies at https://twitter.com/BHF_books

Seasons greetings! Stingray is the iconic children's television series that captured the imagination of Sixties viewers. Created by the legendary Gerry and Sylvia Andersonthis pioneering show set new standards for their Supermarionation process, as well as being their first in colour.

The series follows the adventures of the crew aboard the futuristic submarine known as Stingray, designed for undersea exploration and defense. Led by the valiant Captain Troy Tempest, his partner Lieutenant George Lee "Phones" Sheridan, and the enigmatic Marina, a mystical undersea woman, the trio works for WASP (the World Aquatic Security Patrol) and embark on daring missions to protect the ocean and humanity from various threats. They regularly battle King Titan, ruler of the Aquaphibians, and his cunning spy X-2-Zero.

Whilst definitely a children's show, Stingray has an unusual depth of character development, largely thanks to the romantic triangle between Troy, Marina, and Atlanta, a fellow WASP officer and daughter of the WASP's leader, Commander Shore. Shore himself had an interesting back story, having been crippled and left hoverchair bound by nameless underwater aliens.

For this special Christmas edition of Very British Futures, regular guest John Isles, and his daughter Amber, join Gareth Preston to watch "A Christmas to Remember", written by Dennis Spooner and directed by Alan Pattillo.

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A fascinating curio from producer Gerry Anderson's peak period, made in between seasons one and two of Space: 1999 and featuring many personnel from that programme.

The spaceship Altares, with a photon drive capable of accelerating it to the speed of light, leaves an Earth-orbiting space station. The Altares crew, two families of trained specialists, journey at light speed to Alpha Centauri, experiencing time-dilation. After launching several satellites to transmit information on the Centauri star system back to Earth, guiding future vessels exploring the star system, the families vote to explore further, but a meteorite strike sends their ship accelerating out of control.

Like the original blueprint of Doctor Who and Pathfinders in Space, Special Treats producer George Heinemann, Century 21 owner Gerry Anderson, and writer Johnny Bryne's intention was combine education with entertainment. In particular, the show illustrated Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Speaking to Starlog magazine in 1979, Heinemann said, “When the teacher wrote E = mc2 on the board, I wanted the young viewer to recall the programme and say, "Yeah, I saw a programme about that. I want to learn more about it."

Starring Brian Blessed, Nick Tate and Joanna Dunham

Written by Johnny Byrne

Directed by Charles Crichton

I was fortunate to be joined by Felicia Baxter, writer, podcaster and former NASA intern, to look back at this unique British production which was originally shown on both NBC and BBC1.

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Find out more about my guest Felicia Baxter at: news.drgator.ufl.edu/2020/02/19/alumni-never-ending-curiosity/

and learn more about her books at: writers.coverfly.com/profile/writer-e7b425c55-87513

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham is one of the best known science fiction novels in Britain. For many viewers, the 1981 BBC adaptation remains the best and closest version.

The series follows the story of Bill Marsden, a farmer living in a post-apocalyptic world after a meteor shower has rendered most of the population blind. The disaster also allows a species of mobile carnivorous plant called Triffids to escape and multiply. Bill is a young man who has retained his sight due to being protected by bandages, ironically after a Triffid attack. As he navigates the dangers of the new world, he meets a young woman called Joselyn and together they face tough choices, trying to balance compassion and self-preservation. The drama explores themes of survival, adaptation, and the dangers of unchecked scientific progress.

I must credit Andrew Pixley for his exhaustive DVD viewing notes in helping me research this podcast. For this episode I was lucky to be joined by writer Rik Hoskin, singer and actor Ella Burton and actor and director Chris Burton.

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You can order Rik Hoskin's latest graphic novel Red Rising: Sons of Ares Vol 3 now

Chocky was a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, the final one published in his lifetime (1968). It tells the story of an 11 year old boy named Matthew, who begins to exhibit strange behavior and abilities that concern his parents. They learn that Matthew has an imaginary friend named Chocky, who is actually a highly advanced alien being with a mission to help humanity. Yet the alien knows enough about humanity to know that if people discover the truth, Matthew's life will be in danger from groups who want to exploit Chocky's knowledge for their own wealth and power.

The novel was adapted for radio and most famously into a 1984 ITV television series which led to two original sequels, written by Anthony Read. Although the novel is narrated from the viewpoint of Matthew's father, the series is much more from the children's perspective. Very popular at the time with CITV viewers, the series is fondly remembered. In fact the Wyndham estate regards it as one of the best adaptations of his work.

As part of the research for this episode, Gareth Preston spoke to producer Richard Bates (A Touch of Frost, The Tripods) who originally obtained the rights for a television adaptation of Chocky, and served as both creative consultant and producer of the third and final series. Joining Gareth for this edition is our regular guest Dr Rebecca Wray, and author and publisher Will Hadcroft.

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It wouldn't be claiming too much to say that George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 is one of the key books of post-war Britain and its influence is still with us today. Big Brother, newspeak, double-think, thought police, are all concepts used in politics and social media. However, the book might not have broken into the mainstream without the help of a BBC television adaptation in 1954. It created controversy in the newspapers and even the Houses of Parliament, whilst gripping the nation at a time when the BBC was still the sole broadcaster in the UK.

The story is set in a futuristic world where the government is led by IngSoc, headed by a man known as Big Brother. The Party seeks to control every aspect of people's lives, including their thoughts, emotions, and behaviour. Winston Smith (Peter Cushing) is a low-ranking member of the Party who works in the Ministry of Truth, where he is responsible for altering historical records to conform to the Party's version of reality. Despite being a loyal member of the Party, Winston is secretly unhappy with the oppressive regime and begins to rebel against it. He begins a secret affair with Julia (Yvonne Mitchell), a party member from the Fiction department. Together they become involved with a group known as the Brotherhood, which is rumoured to be a group of rebels who are plotting against the Party. However the Brotherhood is actually a myth created by the Party to lure out and eliminate any potential dissenters.

Despite his efforts to rebel against the Party, Winston is ultimately unable to escape their control and is captured and tortured until he fully conforms to their ideology. The novel ends with Winston being released back into society, fully loyal to the Party and completely brainwashed.

Written by Nigel Kneale and produced by Rudolph Cartier, using everything they had learnt from their previous hit drama The Quatermass Experiment, the play translated Orwell's cautionary tale into a grim, futuristic drama that stretched the resources of the drama department to new frontiers. The result is a production which still has power today, as evidenced by the 2022 BFI bluray release.

Writers Andrew Scott Roe-Crines and John Isles return to the show to join Gareth Preston in discussing the messages of the book and strengths of this television play. Find out about what the papers said, how the Ingsoc party operates and the nightmare of Newspeak.

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