Rachel Jensen is not impressed to find that her research into artificial intelligence has been copied…
The second story in this 1960s-set series maintains the standard of the first, delving this time into The Prisoner territory. We’ve got jangling jingles (“Golden Wonder potato crisps” kept going round my mind when I heard it), attempts at mind-control and scientists from behind the Iron Curtain who may not be as dedicated to the West as first appears.
I’m going to assume that the considerable rewriting of the history of the late 1940s to early 1960s is intentional: the Berlin Airlift and the CIA’s project MKULTRA weren’t as portrayed here, but the fictionalised versions fit neatly into the heightened version of events. We do seem to have a few things becoming standard though: Rachel Jensen doesn’t play well with others (both the other scientists we’ve met to date wouldn’t be getting birthday cards from her), and Sir Toby has agendas way beyond what he’s telling Chunky Gilmore (would a Mr Stevens and his BOSS feature in the future, one wonders at the end of this…)
In Ken Bentley’s hands, Matt Fitton’s script keeps moving at a good pace; the overlaps of the Sen-Gen computer and those it’s affecting never become distracting. It’s good to see some development for Allison Williams in this story, and the introduction of her fiancé, and his role in the ICMG’s life, gives ample scope for new angles.
Verdict: Another great homage and possibly the first time a sequence of numbers being recited will give you chills down the spine. 7/10
Paul Simpson
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