Timeslip: the Complete Collection [DVD] [1970]

Okay, it's a little on the slow side, looks rather low-budget and the actors frequently fluff their lines, but put all of these quibbles to one side because overall, 'Timeslip' is a great piece of television drama. I was only six-years-old when I first watched this programme but it made an indelible impression on me. Revisiting 'Timeslip' as an adult, I am struck by how ambitious the storyline is, prompting the viewer to ponder issues like the ethics of cloning, the impact of technology on society and the nature of time. How many children's television dramas do that today?

At long last the classic SF series from 1970-71 comes to DVD. Though released on VHS in the 1990s, Timeslip has not enjoyed a very large audience in recent years. The DVD should change all that. With meticulous attention to detail, attentive (if not rigid) use of scientific theory, Timeslip provides a thought-provoking and entertaining excursion into the meaning of past experiences and their bearing upon possible futures. It is often a cliché to talk of an SF drama as being 'ahead of its time', but in many ways that is exactly what Timeslip was. With its treatment of themes such as cloning, the blurring of boundaries between organism and mechanism, and warnings of eco-disaster, Timeslip sensitively presents present-day issues with prophetic insight. What's more, as a series originally aimed at the youth market, it avoids the trap of talking down to its audience. With spirited performances from its young stars Cheryl Burfield and Spencer Banks, coupled with the gravitas of such veteran performers as the late Denis Quilley, Timeslip is engaging and, once seen, unfortgettable.

I remember watching this when it first came on in 1970 & when it was repeated in 1973. The plot: two teenagers discover a wall of time with a hole in it. Crawling through they go back in time to 1940 & discover the reason for the father of the girl (Liz) having a chunk of memory missing. They then go to two different possible futures (1990) & finally nip back to 1965 to discover what's up with Commander Traynor who has been manipulating them all series.

There are plenty of plot holes & unanswered questions (the reason for Liz's dad losing his memory is never really explained), and some of the vocal acting is very clipped and old fashioned. Peter Fairley's introductory explanations of what a time bubble is went completely over my head. However, despite this it is a very good series even now.

It was a true credible Doctor Who rival for ITV. For Doctor Who fans/Whovians/Whovers/Whoists, there are strong links to the programme. The last 9 episodes are written by Victor Pemberton, writer of the 1967 classic 'Fury From The Deep'. The incidental music is shared with the contemporary Who story 'Inferno', which is also about alternative futures & the world burning up, and Ian Fairbairn (Dr Fraser/Alpha 7) is also in 'Inferno'. The Icebox story has a similar setting to the 1967 Who story 'The Ice Warriors' and even the costumes are very similar.

I fully intend to get my kids to watch Timeslip - I think they will like it. They, like me, might feel afterwards that they want more. My only criticism is that the extra features are almost non-existant - I really wanted a documentary. Still you can't have everything, and there is a very good website to explore.

I thoroughly recommend this set. Now I'm tempted to buy 'Children of the Stones'!