Astronauts was a scifi sitcom written by two thirds of The Goodies (Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie). It ran for 12 episodes across two seasons between 1981 and 1983. Cmdr Malcolm Mattocks (Chris Godwin) and Dr Gentian Foster (Carmen Du Sautoy) led the first British mission into space. Unfortunately the astronauts chosen are decidedly not the ideal material or the kind who you’d choose to spend time in space with.
The first episode episode was supposed to air the 26 October 1981 but was pushed back a week.
UK / ITV – ATV – Witzend / 12×30 minute episodes / Broadcast 2 November 1981 – 23 August 1983
Writer: Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie / Script Editors: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais / Executive Producer: Allan McKeown / Producer: Tony Charles, Douglas Argent / Director: Douglas Argent
cast
CHRIS GODWIN as Cmdr Malcolm Mattocks
CARMEN DU SAUTOY as Dr Gentian Foster
BARRIE RUTTER as David Ackroyd
BRUCE BOA as Colonel Beadle
THE EPISODES
SEASON ONE 2 November – 7 December 1981
1. ONE IN FOUR GOES
2. WHY ARE WE HERE
3. ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART
4. WE ARE NOT ALONE
5. ONE WEEK TO GO
6. GOING HOME
SEASON TWO 19 July – 23 August 1983
1. EPISODE ONE
2. EPISODE TWO
3. EPISODE THREE
4. EPISODE FOUR
5. EPISODE FIVE
6. EPISODE SIX