The Adventures of Don Quick | |
---|---|
Genre | Science fiction Situation comedy |
Starring | Ian Hendry Ronald Lacey |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 6 |
Production | |
Running time | 50 minutes |
Production company | London Weekend |
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 30 October 4 December 1970 | –
The Adventures of Don Quick is a science fiction comedy television series that ran from October–December 1970, on ITV. Starring Ian Hendry and Ronald Lacey, six 50 minute episodes were made, shown in a 60-minute time slot. As of 2008, only the first episode exists, the other five are now missing. A 30 foot model spaceship was built in the studio for the series.
The show was a science fiction satire based on the characters of Don Quixote, with astronaut Captain Don Quick (Ian Hendry) and Sergeant Sam Czopanser (i.e. "Sancho Panza") (Ronald Lacey), members of the "Intergalactic Maintenance Squad". On each planet they visit, Quick attempts to set right imaginary wrongs, often upsetting the inhabitants of whatever society he is in. The plot bears some resemblance to the five Penton and Blake stories by John W Campbell, about two astronauts who travel the Solar System meeting strange races.
# | Title | Original air date |
---|---|---|
1 | "The Benefits of Earth" | 30 October 1970 |
2 | "People Isn't Everything" | 6 November 1970 |
3 | "The Higher the Fewer" | 13 November 1970 |
4 | "The Love Reflector" | 20 November 1970 |
5 | "The Quick and the Dead" | 27 November 1970 |
6 | "Paradise Destruct" | 4 December 1970 |
With the exception of HTV and Southern, all ITV regions showed all six episodes on Fridays between 30 October and 4 December 1970. LWT and most other regions screened the episodes at 21:00, with the following variations:
Southern screen the first episode in the same timeslot as all the other regions bar HTV, then dropped the series completely.
HTV screened all six episodes on Saturdays between 31 October and 5 December 1970, all at 22:10 with the exception of #6 at 23:10.
Unproduced episodes include 'It Was Such a Nice Little Planet' by Angela Carter. A copy of her script is held in the British Library Manuscript Collection.