SciFi drama series Life Force took us 25 years in the future. With much of Britain under water and the population dwindling, two scientists, Richard and Amy Webber, on the small island of Black Coombe (previously the Cumbrian Mountains), set up a school of physicists helping environmental group Greenwatch.
Two of the children, Ashok and Mai Li, attached to the group have telepathic powers (and glowing eyes). Following the arrest of the Webbers their two children Greg and Karen along with Mai Li and Ashok are forced to fend for themselves. They team up with Green campaigner Goodman.
The show proved to be a bit of a hot potato for CITV with calls for it it to be taken off air because of some its more disturbing imagery (including a young boy sticking a pencil clean through his hand) It ended up having a very disjointed showing because of this. Shame really as it was excellent, intelligent scifi that harked back to 1970’s shows. Watch out too for a pre fame Damian Lewis as the villain of the piece.
production details
UK / ITV – Childsplay / 13×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 10 January – 9 April 2000 Mondays 4.35pm and then from episode five Sundays 9.50am
Writers: Peter Tabern, Greg McQueen, Rik Carmichael, John Hay / Directors: Peter Tabern, Lorne Gregory, Justin Chadwick
cast
PAUL FOX as Greg Webber
JULIA HOWARTH as Karen Webber
PABLO DUARTE as Ashok
SARAH HOLLIS as Mai Li
KELLY HUNTER as Amy Webber
DAVID MALLINSON as Goodman
DAMIAN LEWIS as Kurt Glemser
VALENTINE PELKA as Richard Webber
