TV: The Changes

The Changes

A rabid hatred of technology brings about a new dark age in England.

The Changes was a children's series, loosely adapted by Anna Home from The Devil's Children by Peter Dickinson, one of his Changes trilogy. The series opens with scenes of mad destruction - the people of England, driven into a frenzy by "the noise" emitted by electricity pylons, are smashing every bit of technology they can lay their hands on.

This orgy of destruction heralded the coming of "the changes" - the breakdown of society and its return to a simpler, pre-Industrial way of living. The very words used to describe technology become taboo.

The main character is Nicky, a young girl separated from her parents. Over 10 episodes, her search for them is helped or hindered by friendly Sikhs, child-abducting robbers and a suspicious witch-finder. Eventually she and a companion discovered the cause of "the noise" in an underground cavern. The series ends with "The Changes" undone, and technology reappearing across the land once more.

Boasting extensive location footage from around Bristol and the Forest of Dean, The Changes has rarely been seen since its first airing. The power of the chaotic opening scenes means The Changes remains a strong memory for those who saw it in 1975, despite the slower pace of later episodes.

Nominated by jomoj_ and EdinBear.