First viewed : 7 July 1991
This was a four part science fiction mini-series on Sunday nights on ITV. It concerned genetic engineering to create a half man half ape that wouldn't have any inconvenient human rights. The project was carried out at a remote clinic in the Yorkshire Dales, instantly recognisable as Malham Tarn House. Many scenes were filmed in and around Malham village.
The first episode sprang a considerable surprise in killing off both the girl who seemed to be the main character Tracy ( Emer Gillespie ) , a young nurse coming to work at the clinic and the seeming main villain Dr Jenner ( David Calder ) in a wholesale massacre. This it turned out was due to a conscience-stricken scientist Alison Wells ( Christine Kavanagh ) undoing the bolts of the creature Chad's cage. She then teams up with Tracy's boyfriend Peter ( John Lynch ) who is remarkably sanguine about her fairly direct responsibility for Tracy's death to try and find Chad before the army and a sinister government official Hennessey ( Kenneth Cranham ). A young police detective , Schaffer ( George Costigan ) is also investigating proceedings.
It was good stuff with a fairly cynical ending and certainly brightened up a not usually great night for TV.
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