Time Lords and Star Cops

British Science Fiction Television in the 1970s–80s

Philip Braithwaite

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English

Manchester University Press
01 March 2025

Television soap operas; Popular culture

British science fiction television of the 1970s and 1980s is full of Machiavellian protagonists and fatalistic endings. It presents a complex world of moral and ethical dilemmas, appropriate to the emerging political landscape of Thatcherite Britain. This book analyses the science fiction series of the period

including Blake's 7, Doctor Who and Sapphire & Steel

alongside Britain's transition from social-democracy to neoliberal economics and the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. It examines the abrupt shifts in themes and tone that these series often exhibit compared to their predecessors, highlighting comparisons to the similarly abrupt change in Britain's political landscape.

By: Philip Braithwaite
Imprint: Manchester University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 13mm
Weight: 288g
ISBN: 9781526187291
ISBN 10: 1526187299
Pages: 248
Publication Date: 01 March 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1 British science fiction television in the consensus era: authority and paternalism 2 ‘Wealth is the only reality’: Blake’s 7 and Thatcherism 3 Sapphire & Steel: the illusion of independence 4 Rewriting the Doctor: Doctor Who in the late-Thatcher era 5 ‘A precarious existence’: science fiction television adaptations of the 1980s 6 ‘It won’t be easy’: original science fiction series of the 1980s Conclusion Index -- .

Philip Braithwaite is a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire.

Reviews for Time Lords and Star Cops: British Science Fiction Television in the 1970s–80s

'I would recommend Time Lords and Star Cops to anyone interested in British sf television, its historical context, and the ways British media engaged with politics in the 1970s and 1980s.' Extrapolation ‘Braithwaite's groundbreaking analysis shows how television science-fiction series of the 1970s and 80s, far from being straightforward celebrations of antiauthoritarianism & personal freedom, were shaped by the tone of Thatcher and the New Right.’ Jonathan W. Marshall, associate professor and arts critic, Edith Cowan University ‘A meticulous and rewarding analysis of British television science fiction which traces the collapse of the post-war consensus and the emergence of the neo-liberal regime.’ Una McCormack, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author ‘Braithwaite’s brilliant study is highly recommended reading for all cult TV fans and scholars: you may never view “late Thatcher”-era Doctor Who in quite the same way again!’ Matt Hills, author of Triumph of a Time Lord and co-editor of Adventures Across Space and Time: A Doctor Who Reader -- .