Outcasts (TV series)

Not to be confused with The Outcasts (TV series).

Outcasts
Format	Serial drama
Created by	Ben Richards
Written by	Ben Richards Jack Lothian David Farr
Starring	Liam Cunningham Hermione Norris Amy Manson Daniel Mays Ashley Walters Michael Legge Langley Kirkwood Jeanne Kietzmann Eric Mabius Jamie Bamber
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Production company(s)	Kudos Film & Television
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Original run	7 February 2011 (2011-02-07) – 13 March 2011 (2011-03-13)
External links
Website

Outcasts is an eight-part 2011 British television science-fiction drama serial,^[1][2] starring Liam Cunningham, Hermione Norris, Amy Manson, Daniel Mays, Jamie Bamber, Eric Mabius and Ashley Walters. It originally aired on BBC One, and BBC HD.

Plot

Outcasts is set in the year 2060^[3] on the fictional planet Carpathia, a so-called "Goldilocks planet" five years' travel from Earth. Carpathia has been colonised by a succession of spaceships fleeing destruction and nuclear conflict back on Earth. Most of the planet's population is living within the limits of the pioneer town Forthaven, which was first settled ten years before the time of the beginning of the series. The Carpathians live in ignorance of Earth's fate, receiving news only through the few evacuee transporter ships that successfully pass through the difficult atmospheric entry to Carpathia. Carpathia was so-named by the colonists in honour of the RMS Carpathia, a ship that came to rescue survivors of the historic RMS Titanic disaster.^[4]

The story focuses on the President of Carpathia, Richard Tate, and core members of the Protection and Security (PAS) team, as well as Expeditionaries (XPs), whose role is to explore the planet on foot and retrieve resources and medicines. With the arrival of CT-9, perhaps the last transporter that will reach Carpathia from Earth, the storylines revolve around the ongoing lives of the existing settlers, the induction of new evacuees into the Forthaven community and the effect of others living outside the walls of Forthaven.

Science fiction elements

While much of the series deals with human relationships in a hostile environment, there are a number of sci-fi elements—such as being set in the future, on a planet in a faraway solar system, after some sort of global catastrophe.

The Advanced Cultivars (ACs) are a group of artificially created humans designed to survive in harsh conditions. Early in the colonisation, they were blamed for a plague which killed many of the new colony's children, including those of President Tate. Some of the ACs have specific problems due to their conditioning. They are supposedly sterile.

Though the planet only has simple native animals and birds, over the course of the series the colony discovers evidence of both an extinct native hominid species and a mysterious alien presence.

Cast

• Liam Cunningham as President Richard Tate
• Hermione Norris as Dr. Stella Isen, Head of Protection and Security (PAS)
• Daniel Mays as PAS Officer Cass Cromwell
• Amy Manson as PAS Officer Fleur Morgan
• Ashley Walters as Expeditionary Jack Holt
• Michael Legge as Tipper Malone, an anti-authoritarian black marketeer
• Eric Mabius as Julius Berger, former Vice President of the Earth Evacuation Programme
• Laura Greenwood as Aisling
• Langley Kirkwood as Rudi
• Imdad Miah as Santi
• Patrick Lyster as Captain Kellermann, commander of CT-9 (Colony Transporter 9)
• Jeanne Kietzmann as Lily Isen, Stella's daughter
• Jamie Bamber as Mitchell Hoban, Head of the Expeditionaries (XPs) His Psych profile gives his date of birth (12/03/2023) and indicates that he may suffer from multiple personality disorder.

Production

In development since 2007,^[5] produced by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One, the series started shooting in South Africa in May 2010, coinciding with the 2010 FIFA World Cup being held there.^[6] According to David Stephenson, writing in the Daily Express, the original scripts underwent 25 rewrites.^[7]

Episodes

Episode	Title	Directed by	Written by	UK viewers (million)	Share (%)	Original air date
1	"Episode 1"	Bharat Nalluri	Ben Richards	4.50[8]	17.9[8]	7 February 2011 (2011-02-07)
A transport ship is about to arrive to Carpathia, but its re-entry heat shield is compromised. Meanwhile, Mitchell Hoban, head of the Expeditionaries, displays increasingly erratic behaviour.
2	"Episode 2"	Bharat Nalluri	Ben Richards	3.30[9]	13.0[9]	8 February 2011 (2011-02-08)
The escape pods have landed. Julius Berger seems to have saved his life at a high price. The ACs have taken a girl hostage and want the colonists to cure a baby as a price for her life and freedom.
3	"Episode 3"	Omar Madha	Ben Richards and Simon Block	2.95[10]	11.8[10]	14 February 2011 (2011-02-14)
While a huge whiteout (a ferocious dust storm caused by Carpathia's twin moons) is threatening Forthaven, two technicians are sent to secure the Earth beacon, and Cass leaves on a rescue mission that no one believes he will survive.
4	"Episode 4"	Omar Madha	Jack Lothian	2.63[11]	10.05[11]	15 February 2011 (2011-02-15)
Elijah, a troubled AC, enters Forthaven and attacks a citizen. Fleur wants to return him to his people and seeks the help of Cass and Rudi. Expeditionaries make a stunning discovery.
5	"Episode 5"	Andy Goddard	Ben Richards and Jimmy Gardner	2.70[12]	10.8[12]	21 February 2011 (2011-02-21)
Pak, an old expeditionary, leads Cass and Fleur around radioactive areas to a diamond-scattered beach with skeletons of a hominid-like family in the foreshore. Julius secretly contacts spaceship CT-10.
6	"Episode 6"	Andy Goddard	David Farr	1.52[13]	10.5[13]	27 February 2011 (2011-02-27)
Three expeditionaries disappear and nobody seems to know why they were outside the town. One returns but the mystery only gets deeper. The ACs hatch a plot of their own. A choice must be made between the life of a mother, or that of her baby.
7	"Episode 7"	Jamie Payne	David Farr	1.33[14]	9.7[14]	6 March 2011 (2011-03-06)
Cass finds a note threatening to expose his secret, while Stella and Tate must face the prospect of another, superior, hostile lifeform on Carpathia.
8	"Episode 8"	Jamie Payne	Ben Richards	1.56[15]	11.6[15]	13 March 2011 (2011-03-13)
A deadly virus hits Forthaven and Berger sets about bringing down Tate's government. A disturbing secret about Fleur is revealed and many people including Tipper and Lily are infected by the virus but are saved and CT-10 spaceship is about to land.

Reception

Writing in The Independent, Brian Viner admitted that at first Outcasts rekindled his prejudices about science fiction but he was gradually sucked in. The first episode was "well written", "smartly directed" and "splendidly acted".^[1] These quotes are also used as blurb on the cover of the Blu-ray release of the series.

However, other reviews for the series were generally more negative. Reviewing for The Daily Telegraph, Chris Harvey found it "one of the most staggeringly uninteresting dramas that’s been on television for a while", "drab" and "pretty turgid human drama."^[16]

Kevin O'Sullivan writing for The Daily Mirror said, "Hermione Norris and Daniel Mays in excrutiating sci-fi rubbish", and "Who directed it? Ed Wood? And what a script! So jaw-droppingly dreadful it hurt".^[17]

The Times reviewer, David Chater wrote, "Not since Bonekickers has the BBC broadcast such an irredeemably awful series. Sometimes catastrophes on this scale can be enjoyed precisely because they are so dismal, but this one has a kind of grinding badness that defies enjoyment of any kind".^[18]

Andrew Anthony for The Observer concluded, "All along I've been misreading the series as a kind of cosmic tragedy when in reality it was a tragic comedy. It wasn't trying to be wise. Deep down, Carpathia was pure Morecambe."^[19]

Discussion of the series and its plot/script issues took place across various sites, including The Guardian's episode by episode review by Phelim O'Neill,^[20] an interactive interview with writer/creator Ben Richards,^[21] and at Digital Spy.^[22]

Audience figures for the series were poor: starting from an initial low figure of 4.5 million viewers for the pilot episode, the show lost nearly two-thirds over its run, to finish with 1.56 million UK viewers.

Scheduling and cancellation

Having originally launched on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:00, The Guardian reported that after disappointing ratings, the fifth episode would be the last in this prime time slot, with subsequent episodes being rescheduled to late nights on Sundays.^[23]

Ben Richards, the writer/creator of the show, remained defiant, commenting, "I have every confidence we will rule our new slot. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!" and "Cultdom beckons. And keep watching hardcore because remaining eps great."^[24]

On 14 March 2011 (the day following the final episode), the BBC confirmed that Outcasts had been cancelled, and that there would be no second series.^[25]

International broadcast

Country	Network	First broadcast
Australia	ABC1	28 May 2011
Canada	Space Channel	18 June 2011
USA	BBC America	18 June 2011[26]
Scandinavia	Canal+ Scandinavia	October 2011

DVD releases

Outcasts was released as both a three disc DVD and two disc high-definition Blu-ray package on the 4 April 2011, through 2 Entertain, BBFC rated 15.

Format	Prod. code ASIN ref	Other details	Special Features
DVD 3 disc	BBCDVD3339 B004M5J7XU	Region 2, Anamorphic Widescreen 16:9, PAL, Run Time 470 minutes, English language, English subtitles	Reaching out to the stars: Hear from the Producers, writers and cast from the series. Forthaven - Set Tour
Blu-ray 2 disc	BBCBD0156 B004PFB8K2	Region 2, Anamorphic Widescreen 16:9, PAL, Run Time 470 minutes, English language, English subtitles	Reaching out to the stars: Hear from the Producers, writers and cast from the series. Forthaven - Set Tour

See also

• Terra Nova (TV series)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Viner, Brian (8 February 2011). "Last Night's TV". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/last-nights-tv--outcasts-bbc1-out-of-the-ashes-bbc4-2207364.html. 
2. ^ "Meet the Outcasts in a major new BBC One drama series". BBC Press Office. 13 May 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/05_may/13/outcasts.shtml. 
3. ^ Norris, Hermione (1 February 2011) (Transcript). Hermione Norris: I’m on another planet!. Interview. What's on TV. http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/drama/outcasts/interviews/hermione-norris-im-on-another-planet/11666. "It’s an incredibly bold thing to set something in 2060". 
4. ^ Hassan, Genevieve (3 February 2011). "BBC drama sends Outcasts to new planet". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12336474. Retrieved 22 March 2011. 
5. ^ "BBC Drama develops Outcasts", BBC Press Office, 24 May 2007.
6. ^ Wilkes, Neil (13 May 2010). "BBC unveils "epic" new sci-fi series". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/cult/news/a219588/bbc-unveils-epic-new-sci-fi-series.html. Retrieved 11 November 2010. 
7. ^ Stephenson, David (20 March 2011). "A False Start for 2012". Daily Express. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/235637/A-false-start-for-2012.html. Retrieved 21 March 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Jaques, Liz (8 February 2011). "TV Overnights: BBC One's new Outcasts debuts with 4.5m viewers". MediaTel. http://mediatel.co.uk/newsline/2011/02/08/tv-overnights-bbc-ones-new-outcasts-debuts-with-4-5m-viewers/. Retrieved 9 February 2011. 
9. ^ ^{a b} Jaques, Liz (9 February 2011). "TV Overnights: Big Fat Gypsy Wedding wins peak-hour top spot with 8m viewers". MediaTel. http://mediatel.co.uk/newsline/2011/02/09/tv-overnights-big-fat-gypsy-wedding-wins-peak-hour-top-spot-with-8m-viewers/. Retrieved 9 February 2011. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Laughlin, Andrew (15 February 2011). "BBC One's 'Outcasts' slumps to 2.9m". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a303868/bbc-ones-outcasts-slumps-to-29m.html. Retrieved 16 February 2011. 
11. ^ ^{a b} Rosser, Michael (16 February 2011). "Gypsy Weddings beats Brit Awards". Broadcast. http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/ratings/gypsy-weddings-beats-brit-awards/5023880.article. Retrieved 16 February 2011. 
12. ^ ^{a b} "BBC comedy 'Mrs Brown's Boys' grabs 2.6m", Digital Spy, 22 February 2011.
13. ^ ^{a b} "Over 1m watch 'Got To Dance' finale". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s112/got-to-dance/news/a306571/over-1m-watch-got-to-dance-finale.html. Retrieved 2011-03-02. 
14. ^ ^{a b} "New 'Wonders' captivates 3.5m". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a307506/new-wonders-captivates-35m.html. Retrieved 2011-07-02. 
15. ^ ^{a b} "BBC confirms 'Outcasts' axe". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a308844/bbc-confirms-outcasts-axe.html. Retrieved 2011-03-14. 
16. ^ Harvey, Chris (8 February 2011). "Outcasts, BBC One, review". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8309545/Outcasts-BBC-One-review.html. Retrieved 10 February 2011. 
17. ^ O'Sullivan, Kevin (13 February 2011). "TV Review of Outcasts: Hermione Norris and Daniel Mays in excrutiating sci-fi rubbish". The Daily Mirror. http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv-entertainment/columnists/kevin-osullivan/2011/02/13/tv-review-of-outcasts-hermione-norris-and-daniel-mays-in-excrutiating-sci-fi-rubbish-115875-22918130/. Retrieved 19 March 2011. 
18. ^ Chater, David (5 February 2011). "Monday’s TV: Outcasts". The Times. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/tv-radio/article2895885.ece. Retrieved 26 March 2011. 
19. ^ Anthony, Andrew (20 March 2011). "Rewind TV: Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags; Twenty Twelve; Waking the Dead; Outcasts; Wonders of the Universe". The Observer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/mar/20/lily-allen-twenty-twelve-outcasts. Retrieved 22 March 2011. 
20. ^ O'Neill, Phelim. "outcasts-episode-by-episode". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/series/outcasts-episode-by-episode. Retrieved 28 March 2011. 
21. ^ Richards, Ben. "Interview: Ben Richards, writer/creator of 'Outcasts'". Dan Owen. http://danowen.blogspot.com/2011/03/interview-ben-richards-writercreator-of.html. Retrieved 28 March 2011. 
22. ^ "BBC unveils "epic" new sci-fi series - Outcasts". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1260930. 
23. ^ Conlan, Tara (16 February 2011). "Outcasts cast out to Sunday late slot". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/16/outcasts-bbc1. Retrieved 16 February 2011. 
24. ^ Fletcher, Alex (16 February 2011). "'Outcasts' writer responds to critics". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a304158/outcasts-writer-responds-to-critics.html. Retrieved 22 March 2011. 
25. ^ Love, Ryan (14 March 2011). "BBC confirms 'Outcasts' axe". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a308844/bbc-confirms-outcasts-axe.html. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
26. ^ "Outcasts". BBC Press Office. http://press.bbcamerica.com/program.jsp?id=16157. Retrieved 26 May 2011. 

External links

• Outcasts at BBC Programmes
• Outcasts at the Internet Movie Database