Nigel Kneale's 1953 serial The Quatermass Experiment has long had a reputation as one of the seminal works of British science fiction. Yet it is by and large missing from the BBC archives and, outside of the published script from it and the subsequent film remake by Hammer that took some liberties in its adaptation, has been impossible to view again. Yet in 2005, more than fifty years after its original broadcast it was once again re-staged in front of cameras to be broadcast live by the BBC. How did this remake of it fair and did it do justice to its source material?The performances are certainly interesting. Jason Flemyng's Professor Quatermass seems quite close to Kneale's original conception of the British Experimental Rocket Group's leader: a determined scientist yet also a thoughtful man who looks on with horror at what the mission he launched has unleashed upon the Earth. Flemyng brings all of those elements across well and his performance in the closing minutes of the production, where he brings to life two vital but lost scenes from the original production makes the entire viewing experience worthwhile. Other times though, Flemyng's performance feels rather rushed as he throws lines out in a hurry (one scene partway in where Quatermass is arguing with Lomax and Blaker is a good example) and he's lumbered with a costume that doesn't quite seem to fit the character. Overall though Flemyng does a good job and his Quatermass is certainly memorable.There's a decent supporting cast as well. A pre-Doctor Who David Tennant does particularly well in the role of Doctor Gordon Briscoe while Mark Gatiss believably plays the increasingly disillusioned scientist Paterson despite his role being largely truncated. Adrian Dunbar's Ministry Of Defence investigator Lomax and Isla Blair as Home Secretary Margaret Blaker comes across well as officials caught up in events beyond their control and trying to deal with it to the best of their abilities. Perhaps a bit less successful are Indira Varma as Judith Carroon and Andrew Tiernan as her husband Victor with both being more melodramatic than anything else though Tiernan does well in the second half where his appearances are more limited. Perhaps the weakest of the main cast though is Adrian Bower as James Fullalove who, partly because of the script and partly because of his performance, comes across as a parody of the 1950s reporter type that seems a bit out of place with the rest of the production. The results then are interesting and good but far from perfect.The script effectively condenses the approximately three hour original TV version into a little more than half of its running time. Despite that, it's far more faithful to the original than the Hammer film was. The opening and closing minutes of this version in particular neatly condense the respective episodes of the original version. As a result, some of the best moments of the original version that have been lost (such as the very conclusion to the story) are presented on screen at last. That isn't to say it's perfect however as the condensing means that characters, subplots and some scenes seem to randomly drop in and out of the film (such as Gatiss' Paterson for example). In other cases, the original 1950s dialogue seems out of place (such as some of the dialogue from the scene with the Matthews' couple) which isn't in turn helped by the fact that the sets and costumes are a really odd mixing of the 1950s with the 2000s, as if the production team couldn't decide which way to go. Overall though, the script does an admirable job of condensing and presenting Kneale's original, if with some hiccups.Perhaps the biggest problem of the production lies in how it was made. While the idea of broadcasting this live seems a good idea, especially given that was how the original went out, in retrospect it served to do little more than hamper the production. Performances can seem rather hurried while lines being drowned out as well as the occasional fluffed line doesn't help matters either. That isn't the big problem though.By doing it live, the whole production feels largely static. For much of its length, the film seems confined to a couple of rooms and even then the number of shots seems limited. When the camera does finally become mobile from time to time, the results are often shaky with a feeling more akin to amateur video than a polished production. Nowhere are the faults perhaps more apparent than in the final scene when the lack of a creature means that the whole scene is effectively just Flemyng acting in a pool of light to an empty room. While doing the film live certainly captures the almost theater like feel of the original's era, it does make the production drag and frankly does it no favors.Ultimately then, this 2005 remake of The Quatermass Experiment is itself an interesting experiment. There's some good performances and some strong moments in it but its a production hampered by and large by its live format and sometimes uneven mixing of past and present. One can't help but wish that it had been done as a filmed production when some of its larger issues could have been sorted out but, baring that, it's an admirable attempt to re-stage one of the lost classics of British television.

While it may be slow, overly-intellectual, and deficient in CGI for younger, ADD-prone viewers, this remake is all the more admirable for sticking to its roots. This is live TV modernized but not homogenized... assembled using the best of current technology, but with the emphasis still very firmly on script and performance. Could it have had a big green CGI monster at the end? Yeah, yeah, sure. But thankfully it avoids such tired clichés.While the original Quatermass is lost, this version goes a long way toward recapturing its impact, and the unique vitality of the live format. The story has been parceled out differently, but quite reasonably; the two new episodes offer an adequate running time, considering all the recaps and redundant credits that are omitted compared to the original shorter episodes. So the careful pacing remains largely intact. Scientific revelations accumulate at an accelerating pace, leading up to the same unnerving climax.The performances are all superb. The younger take on Prof Quatermass is perhaps the biggest shock, but it works. This new Quatermass is very much the kind of scientist you see in all those direct-from-NASA broadcasts. He effectively combines the quick wit and moral sensitivity of the original character with the reality of modern life.I'd love to see more of this kind of thing - not just the rediscovery of lost masterpieces like Quatermass, but the immediacy of TV as a live medium, a direct link between performers and audience. TV just doesn't get any better than this. More, more, more!

I'm all for people trying out different things and a live scifi programme is certainly different! I'll be honest and say that I bought this because David Tennant was in it. And he was very good in the supporting role he had. Mark Gatiss was another highlight which surprised me. I'd only ever seen him in League of Gentlemen sketches. I look forward to seeing him take on other dramatic roles. Unfortunately, I found Jason Flemyng's central performance to be flat and unengaging. I fast forwarded through most of his scenes.For something that was filmed live, it lacked the excitement and adrenalin of a live performance. Perhaps the Experiment could have been improved on DVD with some judicious editing.

When I heard that the BBC were planning to re-make The Quatermass Experiment, I got quite excited. The original is lost forever (except for two episodes) and the film, although a fairly good version (sorry Nigel) is half as long as the original. Great, the BBC might beef this up with some good effects, a colour version to last and interest others in Nigel Kneale's much underrated genius. What planet was I living on? 'Here, let's remake Quatermass'. 'Good idea, ooh shall we spend some money on it like Dr Who? Make it something people will remember'? 'Nah let's cut an hour out, pretend CGi's never been invented, and do it live as a gimmick and instantly forgettable'! 'Oh, and then let's cock-up 'A For Andromeda' in the same spectacular style'! Unforgivable! My advice, buy the scripts in paperback and imagine yourself a better version!