'1990' is a BBC2 TV series from 1977. It's set in a bankrupt three day week, food and fuel rationed Britain where the Department for Public Control manage everything, badly. Innovations include short prison sentences for a myriad of 'social crimes' which are made more severe by administering prisoners with depressive drugs, a violently enforced ban on emigration, state declared 'non citizens' who are denied work, food and shelter, and the torture and murder of dissidents which is completely ignored by the state controlled media.
Despite running for two series and starring Edward Woodward, the show is little remembered today, which is a shame. It's creator, Wilfred Greatorex, described it as '1984 plus six' but '1990' has little of the ruthless logic of Orwell's dystopia, instead painting a perhaps more realistic picture of corruption, incompetence and bureaucratic muddle made dangerous by absolute power and desperation.
Yes, it does sound familiar...
Lovely BBC2 ident in this clip, followed by a superb title sequence with music from the great John Cameron.
Nice theme, indeed.
ReplyDeleteAlso worth mentioning in terms of dystopian future Britains is "The Guardians", released on DVD by Network recently. Great series that.