- Ultraviolet (TV serial)
Infobox Television
show_name = Ultraviolet
caption = "Ultraviolet" Title
format = Horror, Drama
runtime = 300 minutes (approx.)
creator =Joe Ahearne
starring =Jack Davenport
Susannah Harker
Idris Elba
andPhilip Quast
country = UK
network =Channel 4
first_aired = 1998
last_aired = 1998
num_episodes = 6
website = http://www.world-productions.com/wp/content/shows/other/uv/uvhome.htm
imdb_id = 0169501"Ultraviolet" is a
1998 British television serial written and directed byJoe Ahearne and starringJack Davenport ,Susannah Harker ,Idris Elba andPhilip Quast . It was produced byWorld Productions for Channel 4.ynopsis
A modern retelling of the
vampire myth, "Ultraviolet" revolves around a government-fundedparamilitary police unit, which may have connections to theRoman Catholic Church fighting a secret war against a worldwide vampire conspiracy.The main character,
Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield, played by Jack Davenport, is a police detective who encounters agents of this organization when his partner and best friend Jack disappears. In this first encounter they pose as officers of theComplaints Investigation Branch (CIB) of the LondonMetropolitan Police Force investigating possible corruption on Jack's part. Mike is initially unsure of whom to trust, as Jack accuses the agents of being a "death squad ": the modern version of theInquisition ; theCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith . However, he soon finds that his old friend has been co-opted into the vampire conspiracy and learns of their plans to control the destiny of mankind.A hallmark of the series is the scientific methods used by the agents as they investigate a variety of cases. The theme of scientific methods being used to investigate the paranormal has a long history in British television (see "
Quatermass and the Pit " and "The Stone Tape "). In "Ultraviolet" these methods allow the vampire hunters to develop modern weaponry to fend off their foes - instead of stakes, they carry automatichandgun s withcarbon bullets and specialized sights that use video cameras to differentiate between vampires and humans (vampires are invisible to recording devices); instead of wreaths ofgarlic , gas grenades containing concentratedallicin ; instead of sunlight, lamps emittingultraviolet light. The traditional idea of religious symbols repelling the creatures is regarded as aplacebo and not relied upon. A major character describes it as "a matter of faith...on both sides." Thethrall attributed to vampires is explained as chemicalsuggestion , a side effect of feeding. The conversion of humans into vampires is regarded as pathologicalinfection , notdemonic possession . The vampires in turn use scientific tactics, not supernatural ones.Genetic engineering plays a major role in the vampire conspiracy, as female vampires do notmenstruate and male vampires are sterile. They use cars with UV resistant glass for ground travel during the day, andtime lock ed caskets for long-distance air travel. They useVocoder s to communicate over telephone lines.To maintain a more modern and realistic feel the word "vampire" is never spoken in the series; the members of the organisation avoid the word, perhaps because of its superstitious connotations. The term "Code Five" is often substituted (a visual use of the
Roman numeral V is the closest the series gets to citing the word "vampire"), as is the slang "leech".Episode Titles
# Habeas Corpus
# In Nomine Patris
# Sub Judice
# Mea Culpa
# Terra Incognita
# Persona Non GrataLegacy
In
2000 , the American Fox Network developed an ongoing series version of "Ultraviolet", starringEric Thal ,Lisa Going andMädchen Amick and withIdris Elba reprising his role from the British series. The American version did not however progress beyond an unairedpilot episode .Howard Gordon , one of the producers contracted to develop the series, admitted in an interview for www.scifi.com that, "Frankly we screwed it up and it just didn't come out that well." [http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue250/interview.html]The original UK version has been screened by the Sci-Fi Channel in the US. It was shown originally as a three-part miniseries (each part being two of the original episodes shown consecutively), and during some later airings all six episodes were shown in a marathon format.
External links
* [http://www.world-productions.com/wp/content/shows/other/uv/uvhome.htm Official Ultraviolet Homepage]
**Joe Ahearne explains why "Ultraviolet" was not continued: [http://www.world-productions.com/wp/content/shows/other/uv/intview2.htm "Well, there are so many reasons and I don't think you can point to any one. So, in no particular order..."]
*imdb title|id=0169501|title=Ultraviolet
* [http://www.code-v.co.uk/ The Ultraviolet Homepage] (fan site)
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