Things That Go Bump

Spending the weekend mostly at home recovering from my cold has given me the time to watch the last couple of episodes from my box set of DVDs of the complete series of The Omega Factor. “What???” I hear you all cry in unison. Not surprising, this seems to be a sadly largely-forgotten BBC drama from 1979 about the paranormal and mind-control, with a hefty dose of conspiracy theory, cover-ups and dodgy government departments added for good measure.

Starring amongst others, Louise Jameson (in what was her first TV role since leaving Dr Who where she had played the character of Leela for a few years), this is a creepy and chilling series. Set in Edinburgh (though this is actually not necessary or central to the plot), it makes good use of the city’s historic architecture in combination with storylines involving such things as witchcraft, brainwashing, possession, psychokinesis and thought-control to often send more than a mere shiver down your spine.

The only slightly disappointing thing was how it sort of peters out towards the end, when it’s becoming clear what’s been going on all along; the final resolutions are a bit lame and predictable but this should not detract from what is generally an excellent series and a true forgotten gem. Much recommended, so go out and buy it today!