Timeslip
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Timeslip was a British children's science-fiction television series shown from 1970-71. It featured the adventures of two children, Simon Randall (played by Spencer Banks) and Liz Skinner (Cheryl Burfield), who had the ability to travel through a 'time barrier' that led to different historical periods in alternate pasts and futures. Throughout all of these, Commander Traynor (played by Denis Quilley) appears in various guises at different ages. 26 episodes of 25 minutes were made by ATV for ITV, covering a series of linked adventures. Memorable theme music came from previously written "Rites of Earth" by Edouard Michael.
The script editor for Timeslip was Ruth Boswell, who worked on a number of series at the time including The Tomorrow People. The scriptwriters were Bruce Stewart and Victor Pemberton.
Because of a technicians' strike, many episodes toward the end of the series were made in black and white. In any case, the original masters of the series were wiped in the late 1970s, with the exception of episode 12. The only surviving copies of the other episodes are black and white telerecordings.
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[edit] Synopsis
- The Wrong End of Time (6 episodes. The children travel back to a Second World War Naval station ostensibly researching into radar technology, where they encounter Liz's father as a young man, serving under Commander Traynor. The base is captured by German commandos led by the scientist Gottfried, who knows that the radar experiments are a cover for its real purpose)
- The Time of the Ice Box (6 episodes. Escaping from the naval base, they travel forward to 1990, to an experimental research station at the South Pole where Liz encounters her mother, father and future self, Beth)
- The Year of the Burn-Up (8 episodes. An alternate 1990 future, wherein the world's climate is warming dramatically. Liz once more encounters an alternate version of Beth, and for the first time Simon meets his future self, now called '2957')
- The Day of the Clone (6 episodes. Mainly set in 1965, when the various threads in the stories are drawn together)
[edit] Plot
[edit] The Wrong End of Time
6 episodes, written by Bruce Steward with Geoffrey Hoyle as scientific advisor to the show. The first episode was introduced by Peter Fairley {the ITN science correspondent in 1970} explaining about the idea of time travel and déjà vu. A young woman, Sarah vanishes at a deserted Ministry of Defence base at St. Oswald near where Liz, her father and Simon {who has just lost his mother}is staying with them, are on a caravan holiday.
Hearing noises, they come up against an invisible barrier, while the mysterious Traynor ingratiates himself with Liz's parents. Both children pass through the barrier, and while it is day in 1970, it is night on the other side of the barrier. In fact they have travelled in time to the year 1940, where they overhear a group of German commandos.
Liz's mother meanwhile finds she has a psychic connection to her daughter when she is in another time. She knows when Liz is in danger, and has a small degree of insight into what is happening. The children are captured and taken before the officer in charge, a younger Commander Traynor. The Naval station is ostensibly researching into the new radar technology, where they encounter Liz's father {who in 1970 has no memory of what happened in 1940}, Frank Skinner, as a young naval rating, serving under Commander Traynor.
The base is captured by the German commandos, led by the scientist Gottfried, who is determined to discover the real nature of the research taking place at the base. Skinner has orders to disable the laser ray, the real secret of the base, but in doing so is struck by a beam of energy to his head (causing his amnesia).
By a trick, Liz and Sarah are able to get back to 1970. Next day, after an aborted attempt when the barrier was not there, Liz goes back to 1940 to try and find out what happened to her father and to see what the Germans learned about the laser project. Liz is shot but though there is blood and pain, there is no wound. Seeing that she is really unharmed, Liz recovers instantly. However her mother in 1970 thinks she is dead, but later sees her as still alive in 1940. Gottfried has found the laser's ruby but Traynor refuses to reveal it's purpose. He threatens to take him back to Germany but Traynor turns the tables on him. Gottfried and his men escape back to Germany and Liz and Simon head back to the fence and 1970, but instead find themselves freezing in the middle of an ice field. They collapse as episode six ends.
Cast: Cheryl Burfield as Liz Skinner, Spenser Banks as Simon Randall, Denis Quilley as Commander Traynor, Iris Russell as Jean Skinner, Derek Benfield as the 1970 Frank Skinner, John Alkin as 1940 Frank Skinner, Sandor Eles as Gottfried, Sally Templer as Sarah.
[edit] The Time of the Ice Box
6 episodes, written by Bruce Steward with Geoffrey Hoyle as scientific advisor.
Peter Fairley again introduces the programme by expounding a theory that 'time bubbles' may be able to occur between past, present and future events. The main story starts where the last episode left off. Liz and Simon collapse with cold in 1990. Liz’s mother in 1970 feels the cold too. Dr. Bukov, from a nearby ice station (nick-named Ice Box because it is built into the ice at the South Pole) takes them inside and neither has any sign of frostbite despite being eighty below outside.
Director Devereaux is hooked up to computer, programming it with a brain link. A very fallible director believes in an infallible computer and is working on HA57, a longevity drug. The children are believed to be volunteers for the “AB experiment”, newly sent there. Dr Joynton, then Beth, then Larry show them around the base. Trying to escape, Liz stumbles into a room where her mother is working. Liz and Simon don cold suits and escape to 1970.
They talk it over with Liz’s parents and Traynor. Next morning, Charles Traynor turns up and reveals that Morgan Devereaux died last year and he persuades Simon with his inquiring scientific mind to go back to 1990. After talking it over, Liz later decides to follow him and meets her mother in 1990 who tells Liz that the cold and bossy Beth is her 1990 self.
Mother and daughter arrived there in 1980 after they lost their home after their business failed. There has been problems in the complex and Larry traces one directly to the computer. Beth tries to convince Devereaux not to use Liz and Simon but he tells her that the computer requires blind obedience, so they are given an injection which gives them immunity to all diseases as they wait for their HA57 treatment which is in the form of pills. Simon goes into Devereaux’s private office looking for the HA57 formula while the nasty Beth hassles Liz. Devereaux returns and tries to strangle Simon but freezes for a moment and Simon escapes as someone enters and you hear of the first cracks in the Director’s facade.
Bukov tells Simon that Devereaux is a clone. Liz finds out that Beth went for an intelligence enhancement course in 1980 which changed her totally but she cannot find out what happened to her father. Another dose of HA57 and Simon finds out from Beth that his inefficient organs and limbs are to be replaced by machines. While ranting at Simon, Devereaux freezes again then recovers, not realising what has happened. Again Liz and Simon are in Devereaux’s office and hide as Beth enters. Joynton has a bad experience and dies in the fantasy chamber, where people relax which ages to her almost 100 years of real age in seconds.
Devereaux turns up and tells them in a Dalek-like voice that the longevity drug cannot fail. He blames human error again. Larry. Bukov finds another blank unexplainable spot in the computer. Liz and Simon are confined in an electronic shield while Beth gets a tongue lashing from an increasingly unstable Devereaux. Liz’s mum comes to see the kids and they realise that this is only a potential future which can be avoided if they return to 1970 and warn Liz’s parents to stop it all happening. Bukov tells Larry that he and Joynton were there to keep an eye on Devereaux, and now she is dead and he fears for his own safety. Beth finds out the kids should not be there but a ranting Devereaux insists they should and she now has doubts as he blames them for Joynton’s death.
Larry releases Liz and Simon, and Liz on her way to the barrier to return to 1970 notices a frozen figure in the ice, her father! She takes his body inside to be resuscitated. He is part of an hibernation experiment, a condition of the Skinner’s going to the Ice Box. Simon discovers Devereaux’s secret, that his hidden computer is building a new clone of him to carry on his work. Meanwhile, the which complex overheated a while back is now cooling and Bukov takes over with Larry’s help and puts the Director in an electronic shield. They find proof that Devereaux is suffering blackouts and is responsible for all the errors as the temperature drops to fifteen below. He escapes as the temperature continues to drop, they send out a help signal and take the “anti-freeze” which will put them into suspended animation till help arrives as the temperatures continues to drop and the new clone is destroyed. Liz and Simon don cold suits and escape, passing Devereaux’s frozen body outside on their way to the barrier.
New cast: John Barron as Morgan C Devereaux, Mary Preston as Beth Skinner, Peggy Thorpe-Bates as Dr Edith Joynton, John Barcroft as Dr. Bukov, Robert Oates as Larry.)
[edit] The Year of the Burn Up
Liz and Simon return to 1970 and Simon visits Traynor in Whitehall to talk of his trip. He tells Simon not to travel again but he does, with Liz following him.
They arrive in a jungle and hide from a hunter (from the Urbanisation) who is using a strange gun to shoot birds, then stumble on a small village where a woman, Vera is looking after crops. A more friendly Beth is in charge of the community of misfits (one of many) in Buckinghamshire (NW of London) in 1990. On a video scanner they see the future Simon, now called Controller 2957, wandering through the jungle, which Beth finds very funny. The other villagers return with very little because it is too hot now and food is becoming short. There has been “Geographical Reconstruction” under the Technocracy, with some disasters like Liverpool becoming uninhabitable. The Earth is being reshaped to suit Mankind. A hunter appears but David knocks him down and the others take him away.
Next morning, 2957 takes Simon to his office in a Whitehall that has totally changed where he meets Alpha 16 and 17 who are clones of Traynor’s secretary in 1970. There are now 5 huge conurbations in the UK, huge cities and an “Atlantic Curtain” being constructed between Florida and Spain to hold water back from of the melting of the ice caps. Alpha 4 arrives, a man who is 2957’s second in command, a slimy character. Alphas are clones.
Left to himself in the central computer he sees a shabby old man sabotaging it, the 1990 Traynor who recognises Simon. Traynor is now hunted for tampering with the Master Plan. Liz and Simon find out that they were engaged to be married a few years ago but split as they were incompatible from a computer. Simon is A+ and Liz D- in intelligence, etc which upsets Liz. Every day is getting hotter and plants, even trees are beginning to die and rivers are drying up. Alpha 4 finds out that the computer tapes have been edited, so ruining the Master Plan (created by Traynor). He has been spying on 2957.
In the city, Simon (how did he and Liz get so far so quickly, and Liz who was with him get back to the jungle so quickly?) escapes Alpha 4 by shining his torch in his eyes, strong light being a weakness of clones. On orders of Alpha 4, 2957 and Simon are arrested. Liz who has met Traynor takes him to the village. 2957 and Simon are held in electronic fields and Simon tells about Traynor editing the tapes because 2957 denounced him. Traynor it turns out started the clone project off. Simon and 2957 escape using a bright light while Liz and Beth who have entered the city are captured. Beth refuses to talk so Liz is put in a chair designed to ruin her mind but Beth gives in.
In the jungle, Simon and 2957 use lights to free Liz and Beth from their clone guards (hunters) and Alpha 4, but then Vera is captured and leads them to the village. Traynor betrays them, smashing the lights and assuming command. Simon realises that the problem is caused by all the water being pumped into the southern hemisphere (so the northern hemisphere is all land) which will result in the breakdown of the atmosphere. Traynor turns out to be mad, wanting people living underground on a dead world. They escape (2957 is wounded) going to caves where there is water. Beth and 2957 follow at a distance and are met by Liz and Simon. They are cornered by the clones who after a long time in the open suddenly realise it is too bright and collapse. Liz and Simon return to the barrier but it is gone because Traynor has made them doubt.
The jungle is dying as Liz and Simon stagger through it. They meet Beth who tries to help them and makes some kind of contact with their mother in 1970. Traynor has revived two hunters and comes on them as they discover the time barrier but he is too late as they get back to 1970. Only a few days passed in 1970 but about six weeks in 1990. Simon is sent home to his father. Next day, Liz sees Beth in the mirror and leaves a note before going back to the barrier where Traynor kidnaps her. Skinner calls Simon back to go after her. Ends with Traynor telling Liz to "keep out of the future". New cast: Mary Preston as Beth, David Graham as 2957, Teresa Scoble as Miss Stebbins/Alpha 16, Lisa Scoble as Alpha 17, Merdle Jordine as Vera, Brian Pettifer as Paul, Ian Fairburn as Alpha 4, Patrick Durkin as Delta 22 (a hunter).
