Sky

Let's be honest, there's a lot of dross on television at the moment. In a land of the crazy, the sane are mad - perhaps. But in the 1970's there were innovative programs - even on children's television. And this, Sky, was the best - hence my 10 out of 10 rating.

Marc Harrison, as the time traveller, was outstanding, with amazing blue eyes which the extremely new special effects emphatically delivered. The theme of the series - an alien presence disrupting nature, causing it to revolt, was an apt precursor to HIV and its effect on anti-bodies and Covid, which similarly caused horrendous problems, agitating defensive mechanisms within the body, causing severe illness and death.

I'm not sure the writers foresaw all of these things, but their excellent scenario of nature fighting an unnatural presence, was an amazing and precise precursor.

Marc Harrison in the lead role is superb, sensual, vulnerable, preoccupied with problems of his age and situation, Stuart Lock and Cherrald Butterfield as the teenagers who help him, are equally good.

I missed the last episode in 1975 and have only just viewed it, now the series is available on dvd. Sure, it's dated, but as an ambitious foretaste of things to come unless we change our ways, it is unsurpassed. True, Denis Potter wrote great plays, Out of the Unknown was a super 1969's/70's series and contemporary green background special effects make Sky look somewhat anachronistic, but the essence of the series, the conflict between an interloper and nature, the destruction of most of the human race during the chaos and search for the famous, inimitable Juganet (I asked about it in a pub last night) with its' ultimate discovery at Stonehenge, is imaginative and awesome.

Sky is a unique, fabulous, prediction-laden series which Nostradamus may not have mentioned, but we should never forget.

I really thought i'd imagined or dreamt of a programme from the 1970's called SKY about an alien boy rising from the leaves in a forest, with very, very bright blue eyes... but the last time I looked was probably a couple of years ago I could only find a couple of references which were really vague ... but as it was made by Wales' 'local' TV station HTV, I thought there was little hope of ever seeing it again. However... prompted by Facebook quizzes, I looked again today and just found out it's being released in June 09. It does look like they have the whole series albeit with 2 episodes from another source. How cool is that?!!

http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=887

Well, all I remember about this series is the line "Sky, how do you do all those magical things?" spoken by some welsh kid and some bloke running round with pupil-less eyes. Bizarre 70s hippy stuff.

Sky was a super-powered alien who could, as far as I can remember, affect the weather and other stuff. Did he have blue eyes, or were they white?

SKY is a flawed but fascinating children's television production of the late seventies. It's refusal to follow dramatic convention is commendable, if difficult. It's debut episode is abstract and bordering on avant-garde theatre. The rest are occasionally rushed, uneven dramatically, but the last ten minutes are truly jaw dropping. The risibility of this denouement may be a 'jump the shark' moment for some viewers, but it certainly gets full marks for originality.

Sky himself, vulnerable but not entirely benign, is a lead character unlike any I can recall in children's telly. The program is not 'cuddly'. Sky does not express gratitude to his helpers, or any degree of warmth. He is more arbiter than interferer, a fascinating performance from young actor Harrison.

With it's hippy cloaks, druids and Stonehenge, SKY could be seen as the last hurrah before the advent of punk, but it refuses to be pigeon holed as a pantheist diatribe against the 'experiment' of intelligence and the despoiling nature of man. A couple of hippies are given short thrift in one rather disturbing scene and slope off disillusioned. Let's say SKY is sympathetic to Ghia theory but remains open minded, if pessimistic, to other possibilities.

Why is it remembered, albeit dimly? Perhaps due to its striking images, many foreshadowing eighties pop video. Goodchild's appearance is memorably eerie. It also has a splendid character in Mr Crow with his creepy hand, reminiscent of Mr Stabs of 'Ace Of Wands' fame. I also cannot get out of my head Sky's rejuvenation of Arby's mother. The music is less successful, sometimes over-used and then dropped for later episodes.

SKY is a wonderfully balmy creation. It is unique, and may attract a considerable cult following if ever released to the public.

This is one of those seventies classics a bit like the Aztec chocolate bar..A series about the battle of good vs evil, that I remember rushing home from school to watch.I can only remember bits and pieces,but i'm now torn as to whether i should try and track down a copy if possible. Sadly if i do it'll probably be appalling, as i'm no longer 11 years of age.I wouldn't mind an Aztec bar though...............