The Tripods

[Manford Thirty-Sixborough]

After a late night conversation about childrens literature, in which I surfaced vague memories of The Tripods, I did a bit of Googling yesterday, and discovered that the first series is available on a DVD, which I promptly ordered, and should receive tomorrow.

Does anyone else remember this series, or the three original books? Will I be disappointed when the discs arrive? Is there any way of getting hold of the second series?

[jutl]

After a late night conversation about childrens literature, in which I surfaced vague memories of The Tripods, I did a bit of Googling yesterday, and discovered that the first series is available on a DVD, which I promptly ordered, and should receive tomorrow.

Does anyone else remember this series, or the three original books? Will I be disappointed when the discs arrive? Is there any way of getting hold of the second series?

My only contribution to make on this topic, as with so many of my contributions, is about the late Alan Clark MP. Some of the first series was filmed at his castle, Saltwood. He reports in his diaries that he took great pleasure in gouging the production team for extra location fees. He may have been a closet Nazi, but I worshipped the man.

[fanny splendid]

John Christopher wrote the books.

Here's a bit more info on him.

[Santa's Boyfriend]

I would say you might be disappointed, as the series has not aged well IMO.  Although it cost a bomb and a half in its day, the effects now look pretty poor, the sets look cheap, and the pace is very slow.  I'm planning to sell my DVD on Ebay when I get around to it.

The second series was due to be released ages ago, but as I understand it, the release was blocked due to someone or other developing it as a film property.  Does anyone know what became of that?

[king mob]

Spielberg has the film rights but looks like he won't make it after announcing his version of War Of The Worlds.

[Johnny Yesno]

Tom Rad was telling me about this series. She remembers it being shown in Finland. I don't remember it at all.

[hencole]

Ahh I remember this series. All I can remember is that they had three legs. Non?

[Munday's Chylde]

The series never concluded either did it? If I recall. It just sort of stopped mid-story.

[Cerys]

Not only did it stop mid-story, but the point at which they left it never happened in the books.  Pah.

[fanny splendid]

Gosh, has it been a month already?

If you nip down the shops (suprnova), they have the first 15 episodes available, with the promise of the next ten, to come.

[thomasina]

I remember the books as being pretty intense and I got addicted to them - I was only about 11 at the time.  I never saw the series, but I always thought it would make a great movie.

[the hum]

Oooh yes, I well remember being scared shitless by it.  Great theme tune, and pretty good effects for the time - first use of some video effects technology thingy for a TV series in the world....or something.  Although I'm sure for that reason as Santa said, it won't have aged well.  The second series was shit I believe, and Michael Grade pulled the plug on the proposed third series, so things were left a bit unresolved with a rather bleak ending.

[Alberon]

I read the trilogy yonks ago in school. Wasn't there a sequel to the trilogy or is my mind playing tricks with me?

I haven't seen the series since it aired, but I doubt it's aged well. I've learned to look past cheap FX long ago, so I doubt it matters.

[fanny splendid]

John Christopher beat George Lucas to it, and created not a sequel, but a prequel.

It was set one hundred years in the past, which I assume means it covers the arrival of the Tripods. I have never read this, so I can't guarantee how good it is.

[Fezbongo]

I read somewhere that they want that chap who was Nick in My Family, and over sexed and clueless in Love Actually to be the new Beanpole in the movie/series/mini-series

The green vapour that poured from the tripods when they were opened used to make me the shivers when I was a young un. Ohh and the first book was quite good I seem to recall.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Will, Henry, Beanpole...one of them had curly hair...rolling green fields...a tripod appearing menacingly in the distance...something about France?...was it set there?..."capping" day...an entire village turns out to watch someone being "capped"...what the hell was that all about?...early Sunday evenings...tea, sandwiches, Mum wants to watch Bullseye instead...I orderd all the books from the school book club...nice and glossy and quite densely written for young 'uns I seem to remember...they had really futuristic-looking titles with a green glow...fascinating...scary...addictive...but probably crap now.

[benthalo]

Was the series 2 release blocked? News to me. I simply imagined that the first series bombed its arse off in sales terms, given that BBC Video dropped releases after the same thirteen epioseds were released back in 1994.

I've never managed to get through series 2. I don't have a problem with whether or not it's 'held up' after twenty years - if you regard any British telefantasy with that expectation, then you're in the wrong job - but I found it flatly directed, uninvolving and with some of the worst lead performances I've ever seen. Also, it was lit to an extreme so as to benefit the visual effects, which always struck me as a silly move, as if they were constantly keeping a spotlight on the horizon.

The Tripods is by no means a good example of BBC childrens drama in the 80s. It doesn't have the wistfulness of Break In The Sun, the alchemy of Box Of Delights or even the strong fantasy traditions of Moondial and Tom's Midnight Garden.

[foetalgod]

I read the books a couple of years ago after the DVD of series 1 came out and was pleasantly surprised by them. Although i must admit that the prequal wasn't as good as the original trilogy.

[hotvans]

i remember loving the first series but being confused by the second - also even though a youngster i recall being slightly disturbed by the sexual subtext - or was that just me - of the masters "touching"  Will - and werent there some weird slave olympics? or am i dreaming that?

[Jon]

I stumbled upon the prequel novel "When The Tripods Came" back in the Primary School library, and was absolutely enraptured, so much so I borrowed the book and never took it back.  It was written some time after the original trilogy, after another sci-fi writer challenged John Christopher as to how the Tripods would overcome twenthieth century technology.  It's a great book, because unlike most alien invasion stuff, it's not about humanity defeating the aliens, it's about humanity being totally defeated by the aliens, and the plight of a family just trying to survive it all.  Great fun when you're a kid imagining what it'd be like if it really happened.

I read the original trilogy later on, and thought that was great as well.  Never seen the series, but I remember reading in SFX magazine that it was good in places, but pretty dire in others.

edit: nitpicking

[Morrisfan82]

I remember there was an edition of Blue Peter where they had all the models off Tripods in the studio. Simon Groom took great delight in popping the bubble-wrap that the chief Tripod dude's skin was made out of.

[fanny splendid]

Prequel, dammit, prequel.

[foetalgod]

i am currently standing in the corner with my dunce cap on.

[fanny splendid]

Episodes 16 and 17 are up, as well as the soundtrack album.

[bresker]

This was on Saturday teatime after grandstand, wasn't it?

I hated it. It was boring as fuck. Not a patch on Dr Who. Even crap later Who.

Speaking of scary TV, I went into my local video shop and found, rather absurdly, a copy of  "Threads" for hire.

Brilliant stuff. Boom Boom. Bye Bye Sheffield. Hello mutant babies.

I have visions of some poor unsuspecting Aussies hiring it for a night's light entertainment and slitting their wrists in horror. It really is pant-shittingly good.

[fanny splendid]

Thank god for personal preference...

[bresker]

Yes, and opinions.


Where would we be without them?

[fanny splendid]

Like arseholes, everyone's got one...

[bresker]

Very true. Are you usually so sensitive about sub-standard eighties kids sci-fi?

[fanny splendid]

Heh, no, I was thinking about something else at the time.

I apologise.

I still think it's pretty good, though. Especially compared to kids programs nowadays.

Do they still make 'Round the Twist'? I haven't seen that for ages.