1 9 9 8 (UK)
6 x 50 minute episodes
Flight Lieutenant Chris Drake (Vincent Regan) is scrambled over the Scottish Highlands one night and shoots down an unidentified flying object – little knowing the consequences of this rash act of bravado.
At the same time, Dr Amanda Tucker (Maggie O’Neill) and her assistant Nick Shay (Paul Medford) are monitoring the sky for intelligent forms of communication and detect much more than they bargained for.
The search for the downed aircraft leads to the discovery of Lieutenant Charles Terrell (Anton Lesser), who subsequently turns out to be an army officer who went missing in 1945.
After initial reticence Lt. Terrell begins to reveal his story about the peaceable Echo’s who abducted him years ago and an ancient, merciless enemy, the ND’s, who sought to destroy the Echo’s.
As his story unfolds – and the evidence of Dr Tucker’s observations lend credence to it – the nightmarish prospect of a full-scale alien invasion becomes real.
Unlike Hollywood aliens, there is no reasoning or communicating with the ND. They are inscrutable and unfathomable – and unstoppable – life forms that simply seek other life forms and consume them as fuel.
Everybody dies and we sacrifice our own planet. A second series was planned but the BBC pulled the plug for budgetary reasons.
Real-life RAF personnel from RAF Leuchars (near St Andrews in Fife) were used in the series.
Flt. Lt. Chris Drake
Vincent Regan
Dr Amanda Tucker
Maggie O’Neill
Major General David Reece
Fred Ward
Squadron Leader Helen Knox
Phyllis Logan
Nick Shay
Paul J. Medford
Flt. Lt. Jim Radcliffe
Jonathan Dow
Sgt. Tuffley
Gerard Rooney
Emily Tucker
Laura Harling
Flt. Lt. Stewart
Bob Barrett
Lt. Charles Terrell
Anton Lesser
Group Captain Susan Preston
Sara Kestelman
Wing Commander Friday
Christopher Fairbank
Air Marshal Bentley
John Shrapnel
Det. Sgt. Rebecca Holland
Nicola Grier
Gran
Diana Payan
Dr Vickers
Hugh Ross
Jenny Marchant
Sheila Grier
Inspector Boyd
Michael Vaughan
SAC Burton
Luke Garrett
Sgt. Lynch
David Albion
