Not with a Bang

Not with a Bang was a short-lived British television sitcom produced by LWT for ITV in 1990. It ran for seven episodes, each 30 minutes long.[1] The show was a dark science fiction comedy, focusing on the end of the human race on Earth. The title comes from the last line of T. S. Eliot's poem The Hollow Men "not with a bang, but a whimper"; The concept for the series originates from a self-contained 1986 Radio 4 afternoon play of the same title, from which Mike Grady was the only cast member to reprise his role in the television series.

This article is about the TV show. For the short story by Damon Knight, see Not with a Bang (short story). For the phrase, see The Hollow Men.

Not with a Bang
GenreSituation comedy
Written byTony Millan
Mike Walling
Directed byRobin Carr
StarringMike Grady
Josie Lawrence
Ronald Pickup
Stephen Rea
Theme music composerRod Argent
Peter Van Hooke
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series1
No. of episodes7
Production
ProducerRobin Carr
Running time30 minutes
Production companyLWT
DistributorITV Studios
Release
Original networkITV
Picture format4:3
Audio formatMono
Original release25 March (1990-03-25) –
6 May 1990 (1990-05-06)

Premise

The pilot episode of Not with a Bang begins with a spoof episode of the iconic BBC show Tomorrow's World, (which is also a nod to the opening titles of apocalyptic drama series Survivors) where Judith Hann is presenting a story on how scientists have apparently isolated the hormone that causes aging in humans. The chemical is then accidentally released from a vial and the effect spreads almost instantly, annihilating virtually all human life on Earth, turning people into little piles of an ash-like compound, before dissipating harmlessly.

The show then follows the plight of the four human survivors - three male, one female - who survive due to various far-fetched reasons - for example being sealed in a sound-proof booth during a pub quiz when the agent strikes the vicinity. The four characters are united by chance about one year after the event, and set up a base of operations in a country cottage. They then spend the next six episodes looking for other survivors, adjusting to life after the end of the world, and deliberating over the repopulation of the human race.

The show relies heavily on a small cast of esoteric characters, including: rugby league fanatic Colin; everyman Brian, who comes closest to being the group's leader; and Graham and Janet, a bland couple who struggle over the issue of having children. Conversation between Graham and Janet frequently features Graham's reluctance and Janet's determination to have children, as well as Graham's extraordinarily low sperm count.

The pub name is never mentioned in the show, but the shots from the outside are of the White Hart in the village of Bouth in Cumbria.

Cast

References
  1. "Not With A Bang - Sitcom - British Comedy Guide". Comedy.org.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2009.

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