If... (TV series)
If... is a series of BBC drama-documentaries broadcast on BBC Two from March to April 2004 and December 2004 to January 2005, each of which considers the potentially catastrophic political or social consequences that might arise from current trends in the United Kingdom. Using a drama with interviews from experts, then a discussion of the programme with a panel of experts from both sides of an argument. During the show a televote of opinion is cast.
Series 1
If... The Lights go Out
10 March 2004
If... The Lights Go Out imagined a near-future scenario in which the UK has become dependent upon imported gas supplies to fuel its power stations, so that a terrorist incident at a gas plant in Russia results in Britain suffering a disastrous winter blackout.
If... Things Don't Get Better
17 March 2004
If... Things Don't Get Better imagined a near-future scenario in which the UK has gated communities where the rich and poor are separated by the growing wealth divide. In the story a gated community in London closed off a road to stop crime in the area.
If... The Generations Fall Out
24 March 2004
If... The Generations Fall Out imagined a near-future in the UK where the baby boomers and pensioners fall out over the growing need to pay the number of pensioners their pension.
If... Women Ruled The World
31 March 2004
If... Women Ruled The World imagined a scene of where women have the upper hand and men grumble about it, forming a guerrilla organization called "Fathers Fight Back" (based on Fathers 4 Justice). Using a 21st-century dysfunctional family as an example, the episode focuses on a divorced father, working for Fathers Fight Back, hacking into a live television broadcast from the (female) President of the United States to spread a message of hope and equality. Meanwhile, his ex-wife uses new cloning/IVF treatments to have a daughter (selected by her) without a father.
If... We Don't Stop Eating
7 April 2004
If... We Don't Stop Eating is a look at what might happen if the obesity epidemic went out of control.
Series 2
If... Cloning Could Cure Us
16 December 2004
If... Cloning Could Cure Us, talks about a fictional story where Dr. Alex Douglas is put on trial for using cloned stem cells older than allowed by law to help a paralysed cliff climber Andrew Holland.
If... We Could Stop The Violence
22 December 2004
If... We Could Stop The Violence, talks about a fictional story of a young boy, Liam, who could be genetically predisposed to violence and the ethics behind the idea of genetic bad behaviour.
If... Drugs Were Legal
12 January 2005
If... Drugs Were Legal, talks about a fictional story of the death of two girls (Tanya Williams & Josie Mills) who were taking legal drugs in a legal nightclub. The story follows the search for the killers of the two girls. It turns out that the girls were given an unlicensed blend of drugs by an illegal dealer. The drugs were originally made by an anti-drugs campaigner, in an attempt to have drugs recriminilised.
The world is based on the idea that all drugs such as cannabis, LSD & ecstasy are legal and heroin are available on the National Health Service for addicts.
If... TV Goes Down the Tube
21 March 2005
If... TV Goes Down the Tube, talks about a fictional story of the suicide of a girl Lizzie Alton, on reality TV and how TV is growing as a political tool with worrying close relations between media companies and the government. The story is of the mother Mary Alton, of the suicided daughter, who later uncovers a sinister plot between the media company who had Lizzie as a contestant and the government at the time.
Background on the show has been provided by the shows lead
Production
The series was filmed with the Panasonic SDX 900 DVCPRO 50 professional camcorder in widescreen 25fps progressive mode.[1]