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The Tomorrow People - The Complete Series
RRP: £99.99
Our Price: £35.98 (subject to change)
Editorial
DVD Description
The Tomorrow People are teenagers who have special powers. They can communicate to each other using telepathy. They can also transport themselves (they call it "Jaunting"). With the help of Tim, their talking computer, they battle the bad people of earth and space. This 16-disc box set includes all 8 series of the cult show.
Good in Patches
Review date: 2008-03-10 Rating: 6 out of 10
Some programmes you buy because you enjoyed them as a kid and want to relive your childhood. When you do this you can be delighted or disappointed. I'm inclined to feel that the Tomorrow People is more disappointing than delightful.
The plus points:
There are some pretty decent stories such as The Blue & the Green, The Vanishing Earth, etc.
The interview on the last disk is very entertaining.
The Negative Points:
There are some absolutely dire stories such as A Man for Emily.
The special effects are often very poor
The acting in the early stories is worse than amateurish
Some of the interesting facts are inaccurate & on a couple of the early disks, the picture alongside the Stephen character profile link is of Mike Holoway not Peter Vaughan Clarke
As a whole the early stories are probably better content-wise than the later ones, if you can ignore the acting. Symptomatic of the age, blue screen is overused and technically deficient in all the seasons. However, I think my children would enjoy watching these stories so I intend to give them the opportunity. For the money, the set is probably just about worth buying.
Similar Products
- The Tomorrow People - The New Generation Complete Series
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Reviews
The Tomorrow People: A Sci-Fi classic which has cult status
Review date: 2007-10-06 Rating: 10 out of 10
First of all you have to realise that this series was produced in the 70's on a limited budget at a time when modern special effects such as CGI were not available. But what has made the Tomorrow People deservedly popular is that the plots and some of the acting were good enough to shine through those limitations.
Pros: 1. Author Roger Price who also got involved with some of the direction was a superb storyteller 2. Most of the young leads are pretty good including the serious John who nevertheless has a dry wit. Other highlights are the charming Elizabeth and Philip Gilbert, the voice of their computer TIM. Peter-Vaughn Clark as Stephen, while not the most accomplished actor, puts in some cheeky performances which provide light moments among the twisting plots 3. Frequent cliffhangers designed to get viewers to tune into the next episode means the action often has you on the edge of your seat.
Cons: 1. Some of later episodes started to lose their way in terms of plot content and cast changes which contributed the eventual termination of the show in 1979. Also some of the attempts at slapstick comedy in the series fall a little flat in the context of the show 2. Some acting is lamentable especially Kenny and the excitable whiny Carol in the early series 3. Don't watch the show for the special effects.
Having said that, the pros far outweigh the cons. What really made this show explode into a masterpiece was the chemistry between John, Elizabeth, and Stephen. It's generally acknowledged that the episodes with this trio were among the finest. I can recommend such stories as the Blue and the Green and Secret Weapon. These can hold their own against the very best of Star Trek or Dr Who, and this great value compilation is worth getting for those episodes alone. PM
ITV'S ANSWER TO DR WHO IN THE 1970'S.
Review date: 2007-06-08 Rating: 8 out of 10
The Tomorrow people is a real classic kids sci-series of the 70's to the early 1980's. It based around a group of super human children and young adults who have amazing powers. There main power is that they can 'Jaunt' which isn't a dance move !, they can transport themselves wherever they please. It's much like 'telportation' in 'Trek' of 'Blakes 7' only they don't need a mechanical means to do so. They can also read minds and move items by telekenis but for the good of Earth and the cosmos. They have to hide out in a disused underground station complex for fear of being used by goverments. They are helped by a semi organic computer named T.I.M voiced by the late Phillip Gilbert to great effect. Itv came up with the idea as they had nothing comparable with Dr Who and got whiped in the ratings. Though this series had a differing time slot so it still wasn't in direct competition with Who. Over the series which at times is cringe worthy ! they battle homicdal Robots to living jump suits !. The 'Special' effects are a real laugh and make even early Who effects look polished and expensive. In a series one story there is even a space going Ford Transit van no less ! against a crude CSO. This is a great buy and even if you never saw the series the first time around it's worth buying this good value complete set.
Might be the best money you will spend in a long time!
Review date: 2007-02-12 Rating: 10 out of 10
I started collecting the Tomorrow People DVD's three years ago when the entire series wasn't available yet. It took me two years before I had the wholes series and I wish I could have bought them all at once then for this fabulously low price.
Anyway, I never regretted the money I spent on collecting them all as this series is just great. I was exposed to this series first in 1981 when I lived in the US for half a year. I was then 10 years old and rushed home from school every day to be in time for the day's episode of the Tomorrow People on the children's channel Nickelodeon. Now in my mid-thirties I still find them entertaining.
The whole premise of the series is that a new step in the evolution of man has come into being: The Homo Superior. Endowed with supernatural powers a few youngsters are the first of the new species to appear. From their headquarters in an unused London underground Station and with the help of their speaking computer Tim they protect mankind against its own evils and evils from outer space. The Tomorrow People are telepathic, masters of telekinesis and can transport their bodies through space (jaunting).
The acting doesn't compare to the child actors we have today and the special effects are not that special and probably weren't even for Seventies' standards. But a good story is a good story, both now and then! The DVD quality is about as good as a 30 year old series on DVD gets and for those that can't get enough: watching the episodes with commentaries from the actors will give you unprecedented insights into the making of the Tomorrow People. There are both high points and low points in the series. I would particularly advise watching:
-The Blue and The Green
-A Secret Weapon
-Hitler's Last Secret.
The series is best watched in its particular order, but this is not necessary.
Conclusion: if you either enjoyed this series in the Seventies (or Eighties, as in my case) or are just looking for good English Television SF, this box set will be a very worthwhile purchase. So jaunt back to the Seventies and enjoy!
Product Details/Specifications
Artist(s):
The Tomorrow People
Recording label: Revelation Films
Manufacturer: Revelation Films
EAN: 5027182612734
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 16
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2006-03-20
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Running time: 999 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)