The Tomorrow People
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The Tomorrow People is a children's science fiction television series, devised by Roger Price and produced by Thames Television for Britain's ITV network between 1973 and 1979, and revived for a three-season series in the 1990s.
The premise of the show concerns the emergence of the next stage of human evolution, who are classified as Homo superior, the next stage after Homo sapiens, but prefer to call themselves "the Tomorrow People". Born to Homo sapiens parents, an apparently-normal child might at some point between childhood and late adolescence experience a physically and mentally stressful process calling "breaking out"; surviving this process means becoming a "Tomorrow Person", capable of various psi powers (especially telepathy, psychokinesis, and teleportation -- called jaunting in the show, after the novel The Stars My Destination) but unable to deliberately physically injure others (though capable of using non-lethal weaponry such as "stun guns".)
Possessing not only psi powers, but advanced technology such as the biological computer "TIM" built by John (which was explicitly capable of original thought, and which could augment their psychic powers), the Tomorrow People operate out of a secret laboratory built in an abandoned London Underground station, watching for new Tomorrow People "breaking out" to help them through the process, and sometimes dealing with attention from extraterrestrial species, especially from a "Galactic Federation" which oversees the development of telepathic species. While they reveal the existence of Tomorrow People to some (especially to parents of the Tomorrow People), they generally operate in secrecy for fear that normal people (whom they term "saps", an abbreviation for Homo sapiens) will either fear and victimise them because of their special powers or try to exploit their powers for military purposes.
Roger Price produced the revival for Tetra Films (a Thames Television subsidiary) and Nickelodeon between 1992 and 1995. However, this was markedly different from its predecessor and featured none of the original cast. Also missing were the computer TIM, the title sequences and music, the "Lab", and their distinctive belt buckles used for teleportation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was not so well received as its forebearer. Nickelodeon broadcast the original 1970s version in the United States in the early 1980s, and broadcast all five stories (The Tomorrow People, The Culex Experiment, Monsoon Man, The Rameses Connection and The Living Stones ) from the revival in the '90s.
A comic strip version was also produced, written by Angus P. Allan and printed in TV comic Look-In.
In 2001, Big Finish Productions launched an audio series based on the original concept, produced by Nigel Fairs. Nicholas Young reprised his role as John and Philip Gilbert as TIM with Helen Goldwyn and Daniel Wilson appearing as the new Tomorrow People Elena and Paul. Some releases also feature other original cast members, such as Peter Vaughan-Clarke, Elizabeth Adare and Mike Holoway (notably Trigonometry). After Philip Gilbert's death, Trevor Littledale took over the role of TIM in the audio series, from The Warlock's Dance onwards.
[edit] Special effects
Even for the time, the special effects of the original show were considered sub-par and camp, largely attributable to the show's small budget. For instance, the planet Peeri (World's Away) was actually the countryside on the outskirts of London filmed through a yellow filter.
The visual effects improved considerably in the 1990s series, although the Tomorrow People initially tend to have some difficulty with their teleportations and seem to frequently teleport to just above a swimming pool, or just off the beach of their South Pacific island (actually a beach in Dorset, England), while the 1970s series often suffers from the somewhat primitive colour-separation overlay effects of the time (and a limited budget).
[edit] 1970s series
The Tomorrow People (1973) | |
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Genre | Fantasy / Drama / Sci-Fi |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Creator(s) | Roger Damon Price |
Starring | Nicholas Young, Elizabeth Adare, Peter Vaughan-Clarke, Philip Gilbert, Stephen Salmon, Sammie Winmill, Dean Lawrence, Michael Holoway, Misako Koba, Nigel Rhodes |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original channel | ITV |
Original run | April 30, 1973–February 19, 1979 |
No. of episodes | 68 |
IMDb profile | |
TV.com summary |
NOTE: All 8 seasons of the original series have been released on DVD through Revelation Films in the UK. All discs are Region 0 and will be playable in most countries where PAL is the standard. In 2005, A&E TV released three boxsets for North America. Set 1 (green cover) contains series 1 and 2. Set 2 (blue cover) contains series 3, 4, and 5 (though the cover erroneously says series 3 & 4 only; the confusion seems to arise that series 3 has the same number of episodes as series 4 & 5 combined). Set three (yellow cover) contains seasons 6, 7, and 8, and the documentary Beyond Tomorrow.
[edit] Series 1
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Stephen - Peter Vaughan-Clarke
- Carol - Sammie Winmill
- Kenny - Stephen Salmon
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- Ginge - Michael Standing
- Slaves of Jedikiah
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- Original UK transmission 30 April - 4 June 1973
- Authors: Roger Price, Brian Finch.
- Director: Paul Bernard
- Guest Cast:
- Lefty - Derek Crewe
- Jedikiah - Francis de Wolff
- Cyclops - Robert Bridges
- Mrs. Jameson - Patricia Denys
- Plot: Stephen, up until now an ordinary schoolboy, suddenly collapses on a London street as the mental ordeal of "breaking out" begins. The three existing Tomorrow People John, Carol and Kenny, aware of his ordeal, manage to make contact with him and guide him through the process, but are unable to keep him from being kidnapped by Ginge and Lefty, two Cockney thugs working for the mysterious Jedikiah, who wants the Tomorrow People for their psychic powers, and who serves in turn the even more mysterious Cyclops. Jedikiah turns out to be in reality the Cyclops' shape-changing robot; the Cyclops (implied to be of the same race as Polyphemus, the Cyclops of Homer's Odyssey) turns out to be an alien traveller stranded near Earth after an accident killed his crew of telepaths, whose powers are needed to operate his ship's engines. Jedikiah is damaged and goes berserk, damaging the ship and dooming it to explode; the Tomorrow People, however, are able to teleport the Cyclops off the ship to Earth, and contact other aliens who can provide the Cyclops with the atmosphere he needs to breathe and with transport back to his own star system. Jedikiah survives the explosion of the ship and is left drifting in space; Ginge and Lefty become the Tomorrow People's allies.
- The Medusa Strain
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- Original UK transmission 11 June - 2 July 1973
- Authors: Roger Price, Brian Finch.
- Director: Roger Price.
- Guest Cast:
- Peter - Richard Speight
- Jedikiah - Roger Bizley
- Rabowski - Roger Booth
- Coppin - Dave Prowse
- Medusa - Norman McGlen
- The Vanishing Earth
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- Original UK transmission 9 July - 30 July 1973
- Authors: Roger Price, Brian Finch.
- Director: Paul Bernard.
- Guest Cast:
- Lefty - Derek Crewe
- Smithers - Kenneth Farrington
- Steen - Kevin Stoney
- Spidron - John Woodnutt
[edit] Series 2
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Stephen - Peter Vaughan-Clarke
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Chris - Christopher Chittell
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- Professor Cawston - Brian Stanion
- The Blue and The Green
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- Original UK transmission 4 February - 4 March 1974
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Roger Price.
- Guest Cast:
- Grandfather - Nigel Pegram
- Robert - Jason Kemp
- Police Inspector - Simon Merrick
- Johnson - Ray Burdis
- A Rift in Time
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- Original UK transmission 11 March - 1 April 1974
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Roger Price.
- Guest Cast:
- Peter - Richard Speight
- Professor Sylvia Garner - Sylvia Coleridge
- Gaius - Stanley Lebor
- Lothar - Leonard Pieroni
- The Doomsday Men
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- Original UK transmission 8 April - 6 May 1974
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Roger Price.
- Guest Cast:
- Douglas McLelland - William Relton
- Lt General McLelland - Lindsay Campbell
- Lee Wan - Eric Young
- Doomsday Man - Bill Treacher
[edit] Series 3
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Stephen - Peter Vaughan-Clarke
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Tyso - Dean Lawrence
- Chris - Christopher Chittell
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- Professor Cawston - Brian Stanion
- Secret Weapon
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- Original UK transmission 26 February - 19 March 1975
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Stan Woodward.
- Guest Cast:
- Patricia Conway - Anne Curthoys
- Col. Masters - Trevor Bannister
- Prime Minister - Hugh Morton
- Worlds Away
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- Original UK transmission 26 March - 9 April 1975
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Vic Hughes.
- Guest Cast:
- Mrs Boswell - Joanna Tope
- Evergreen Boswell - Denise Cook
- Lenda - Lydia Lisle
- Timus / Tikno - Philip Gilbert
- Arkron - Keith Chegwin
- A Man For Emily
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- Original UK transmission 16 April - 30 April 1975
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Stan Woodward.
- Guest Cast:
- Elmer - Peter Davison
- Emily - Sandra Dickinson
- The Momma - Margaret Burton
- Publican - Robin Parkinson
- Mr Greenhead - Bill Dean
- See also: Tickling boots
- Revenge of Jedikiah
[edit] Series 4
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Stephen - Peter Vaughan-Clarke
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Tyso - Dean Lawrence
- Mike Bell - Mike Holoway
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- One Law
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- Original UK transmission 21 October - 5 November 1975
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Leon Thau.
- Guest Cast:
- Inspector - Tim Barrett
- Lord Dunning - Harold Kasket
- Mr O'Reilly - Patrick McAlinney
- Thwaites - Arnold Diamond
- Into The Unknown
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- Original UK transmission 13 January - 28 January 1976
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Roger Price.
- Guest Cast:
- Tirayaan - Geoffrey Bayldon
- Kwaan - Stephen Garlick
- Vaktaan - Brian Coburn
- Ralaa - Raymond Boyd
[edit] Series 5
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Mike - Mike Holoway
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- The Dirtiest Business
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- Original UK transmission 28 February - 7 March 1977
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Vic Hughes.
- Guest Cast:
- Pavla - Anulka Dubynska
- KGB Man - Jan Murzynowski
- Senior KGB Man - Gabor Vernon
- Major Ann Turner - Vivien Heilbron
- A Much Needed Holiday
- The Heart of Sogguth
[edit] Series 6
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Mike - Mike Holoway
- Hsui Tai - Misako Koba
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- The Lost Gods
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- Original UK transmission 15 May - 22 May 1978
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Peter Webb.
- Guest Cast:
- Matsu Tan - Burt Kwouk
- Sage - Robert Lee
- Hitler's Last Secret
-
- Original UK transmission 5 June - 12 June 1978
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Leon Thau.
- Guest Cast:
- Hitler - Michael Sheard
- Professor Friedl - Richard Warner
- Major Hughes - Leon Eagles
- Karl Brandt - Nicholas Lyndhurst
- Willi Frisch - Earl Rhodes
- The Thargon Menace
[edit] Series 7
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Mike - Mike Holoway
- Hsui Tai - Misako Koba
- Andrew Forbes - Nigel Rhodes
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- Castle of Fear
-
- Original UK transmission 9 October - 16 October 1978
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Vic Hughes.
- Guest Cast:
- Bruce Forbes - Dominic Allen
- Angus McDuff - Bill Gavin
- Professor Gail Mayer - Jennifer Watts
- Professor Young - Brian Jackson
- Achilles Heel
-
- Original UK transmission 23 October - 30 October 1978
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Gabrielle Beaumont.
- Guest Cast:
- Bruce Forbes - Dominic Allen
- Yagon - Hilary Minster
- Cantor - Christian Rodska
- Glip - Stanley Bates
- Timus - Philip Gilbert
- Accompanist - Ted Taylor
- Living Skins
-
- Original UK transmission 6 November - 11 November 1978
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Stan Woodward.
- Guest Cast:
- Wilton - Ralph Lawford
- Girl - Judith Fielding
- Guard - Dave Carter
[edit] Series 8
- Regular Cast
- John - Nicholas Young
- Elizabeth - Elizabeth Adare
- Mike - Mike Holoway
- Hsui Tai - Misako Koba
- Andrew Forbes - Nigel Rhodes
- Voice of TIM - Philip Gilbert
- War of the Empires
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- Original UK transmission 29 January - 19 February 1979
- Author: Roger Price.
- Director: Vic Hughes.
- Guest Cast:
- American President - John F. Parker
- American General - Richard Bartlett
- Morgan Evans - David Baxt
- Thargon General - Oliver Maguire
- Chaircreature - David Cann
- Sorsen Captain - Terry Woodfield
- Thargon Commander - Percy Herbert
- Thargon Officer - Anthony Stafford
[edit] 1990s series
The Tomorrow People (1992) | |
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Genre | Fantasy / Drama / Sci-Fi |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Creator(s) | Roger Damon Price |
Starring | Kristian Schmid, Christian Tessier, Adam Pearce, Kristen Ariza, Naomie Harris, Alexandra Millman |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original channel | ITV |
Original run | November 18, 1992–March 8, 1995 |
No. of episodes | 25 |
IMDb profile | |
TV.com summary |
- Regular Tomorrow People:
- Adam Newman - Kristian Schmid
- Megabyte (Marmaduke Damon) - Christian Tessier
- Kevin Wilson - Adam Pearce (only until The Culex Experiment)
- Lisa Davies - Kristen Ariza (only in The Origin Story)
- Ami Jackson - Naomie Harris (from The Culex Experiment)
- Jade Weston - Alexandra Millman (The Living Stones with a brief appearance in The Culex Experiment)
- The Origin Story
-
- First UK transmission: November - December 1992
- Guest Cast:
- Colonel Masters - Manning Redwood
- Professor John Galt - Hugh Quarshie
- General Bill Damon - Jeff Harding
- Lady Mulvaney - Gabrielle Hamilton
- Gloria - Romilly Nolan
- Jones - Lou Hirsch
- Mrs. Davies - Shezwae Powell
- Sammi - Linda Goens
- Ray - Callum Dixon
- Hulk - Tom Kerridge
- The Culex Experiment
-
- First UK transmission: January - February 1994
- Guest Cast:
- Dr. Culex (Dr. Eliza Jeffries) - Jean Marsh
- Twin #1 - Tessa Vale
- Twin #2 - Deborah Vale
- Dr. Lucy Connor - Connie Booth
- Commander Scott - Janet Amsden
- Dr. Poole - Adam Blackwood
- Dr. Leong - Richard Rees
- Monsoon Man
-
- First UK transmission: February 1994
- Guest Cast:
- Colonel Jeremiah J. Cobb - William Hootkins
- Professor Lawrence Middlemass - Christopher Benjamin
- Wilkie - Kerry Shale
- The Rameses Connection
-
- First UK transmission: January 1995
- Guest Cast:
- Rameses - Christopher Lee
- The Living Stones
-
- First UK transmission: February 1995
- Guest Cast:
- Byron Lucifer - Danny John-Jules
[edit] The audio series
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- The New Gods by Rebecca Levene and Gareth Roberts
- The Deadliest Species by Gary Russell
- The Ghosts of Mendez by Austin Atkinson
- The Sign of Diolyx by Mike Tucker and Robert Perry (2 Discs)
- A New Atlantis by Nigel Fairs
- The Power of Fear by Steve Lyons
- The Curse of Kaavan by Nigel Fairs
- Alone by Nigel Fairs
- The Slarvian Menace by Mark Wright
- The Warlock's Dance by Cavan Scott
- A Living Hell by Nigel Fairs
- Trigonometry by Gary Russell
- Saying Goodbye by Nigel Fairs
- The Lords of Forever by Craig Hinton
- Queen of Slarvos by Nigel Fairs
- The Plague of Dreams by Jim Mortimore (2 Discs)
- A Broken Song by Nigel Fairs (Released June 2006)
- Aftermath by Joseph Lidster (Released August 2006)
- Spiritus Mundi by Craig Hinton (Released October 2006)
- Stemming the Tide by Helen Goldwyn (Released December 2006)
- End of Silence by Alex Crowe (Released February 2007)
- Rachel by Nigel Fairs (Released April 2007) (2 Discs)
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[edit] Trivia
- Silver-suits and references to the "homo superior" were popularised in the early 1970's by David Bowie in his Ziggy Stardust incarnation. The phrase homo superior appears on the track Oh! You Pretty Things from the 1971 album Hunky Dory. {{fact]]
- Parallels have been drawn between The Tomorrow People and the Marvel comic X-Men, which in its original 1963 incarnation featured a team of teenage mutants, some of who had telepathic abilities. The phrase Homo sapiens superior was used in the comic. This has lead to some claiming one drew inspiration from the other and vice versa. Although neither case, so far, can be supported. [citation needed]
[edit] External links
- The Tomorrow People Episode Guide & Photo Gallery
- British Film Institute Screen Online
- The Tomorrow People at the Internet Movie Database (original series)
- The Tomorrow People at the Internet Movie Database (new series)