The Tripods

It's been a long time since I saw the first of the two installments of this "video series." At the moment, I'm re-reading the books for the third time - this time with my 9-year old daughter, who is riveted to the story.

Whether you track down these films or not, do yourself a favor and read the trilogy by John Christopher. Simply some of the finest sci-fi work ever written, IMHO.

In the late eighties, I saw The Tripods on WGBH in Boston, the Public TV station there. They broadcast parts one and two. The British production company never made the third and final part, so the story just ends unresolved. Never-the-less, it's a terrific adventure for young people based on a series of books. The production values and slower pacing may date it somewhat compared to later standards. Still, the characters are appealing. The special effects are convincing enough to make the Tripods ominous, and there's a surprisingly well sustained dramatic tension that keeps the episodes going. There's a good mix of studio and location photography. The series has now been issued on DVD in the U.S.

I saw this series when it first came out, and I was hooked! I arranged my schedule each week, to make sure I wouldn't miss an episode. It was riveting and menacing and sinister. My only complaint was that the series seemed to peter out at the end. Perhaps PBS in the USA simply stopped running the series. I really wanted some closure, some final battle in which the evil tripods were defeated, once and for all! It's really well done and very well written... worth watching, if you can ever find it (in the US, anyway).

The Tripods was a science fiction adventure based on John Christopher's award-winning Tripods Trilogy. This futuristic story is set in a world where mankind is enslaved by alien rulers - the Tripods. The Tripods keep humanity under their control with the aid of "Caps". The Cap is a mind-control device which makes people obedient to the Tripods. Capping is a mandatory ceremony which everyone must undergo when they reach the age of 16.

Will Parker and his cousin Henry are due to be Capped themselves. They run away from home to make a dangerous journey to the distant White Mountains, where a group of un-Capped rebels plot the overthrow of the Tripods.

This story is about a fight for freedom. The people who aren't Capped are up against overwhelming odds - the might and power of alien oppressors, and the mindless obedience of their Capped slaves. But as long as people remain free hope stays alive.

Sadly, this programme was axed before the final volume of the trilogy was dramatized, due to low ratings and the high cost of production. This was a disappointment because a good show was left with an "up in the air" kind of ending where nothing was resolved. If you wanted to know how it really ended you would have to read the book.

Tripods is set at the end of the 21st century. The world was successfully invaded by aliens is three-legged machines and the humans not killed have been pacified by the use of a cap, a device fitted to the skull that removes aggressive and inquisitive thoughts.

Two boys Will and Henry come from a village in England. Having seen what capping did to their friend they decide to run away rather than go through with it. They meet a vagabond called Ozymandius who tells them of a band of uncapped people called freemen, who live in France on a white mountain. The boys set off in search of this mountain. Once in France they meet a French boy called Jean Paul and this trio forms the main part of the story.

They meet and befriend various people, there are love interests, and they fall foul of the various authorities. Always, in the background, is the menace of the Tripods. Eventually they manage to infiltrate the Tripods' city and learn the true nature of things.

The locations, scenery and costumes were of excellent quality, making the series very watchable. Opinions as to the acting vary from good to awful (I think they did a good enough job).

Unfortunately the BBC cancelled the series before the third part could be made, so we are left hanging at the end of series 2. A wasted chance to round off what was a serious journey into high-quality futuristic drama.