Includes bibliographical references (pages 200-209) and index.
Contents:
'A balance of terror': Callan (ITV, 1967-72) as an existential thriller for television -- 'A professional's contest': procedure and bureaucracy in Special branch (ITV, 1969-74) and The sandbaggers (ITV, 1978-80) -- 'Who killed Great Britain?': Tinker tailor soldier spy (BBC 2, 1979) as a modern classic serial -- Conspiracy as a crisis of procedure in Bird of prey (BBC 1, 1982) and Edge of darkness (BBC 2 1985) -- Death of a master narrative: the battle for consensus in A very British coup (Channel 4, 1988) -- The precinct is political: espionage as a public service in Spooks (BBC 1, 2002-11) -- Conclusion.
Summary:
Paranoid Visions explores the history of the spy and conspiracy genres on British television, from 1960s Cold War series through 1980s paranoid conspiracy dramas to contemporary 'war on terror' thrillers. It analyses classic dramas including Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Edge of Darkness, A Very British Coup, and Spooks. This book will be an invaluable resource for television scholars interested in a new perspective on the history of television drama and intelligence scholars seeking an analysis of the popular representation of espionage with a strong political focus, as well as fans of cult British television and general readers interested in British cultural history.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.