| Genre: | Drama |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Num Series: | 1 |
| Num Episodes: | 10 |
| Composer: | Christopher Gunning |
| Runtime: | 60 minutes |
| Company: | Thames Television |
| Network: | ITV |
| Screenplay: | Christopher Penfold |
The Brack Report is a British television drama series created by Christopher Penfold for Thames Television looking at concerns about nuclear power, and exploring some alternative energy sources. It was broadcast over 10 weeks on ITV from 6 April 1982 to 8 June 1982 which overlapped with the Falklands War.[1] It stars Donald Sumpter, Patricia Garwood and Jenny Seagrove.
After an earthquake causes some damage to a nuclear power station, one of the chief nuclear physicists, Paul Brack, starts to investigate the safety procedures and policies of the station. He is dismayed to discover that there is a lack of real safety processes at the station, and quits his job in disgust. His disillusionment puts a strain on his relationship with his wife, Pat, a fellow researcher and academic.
Through a mutual friend, Brack meets and begins to work for energy consultant Harold Harlan, with hopes that Harlan can highlight the issue of nuclear safety, and explore alternative energy sources. Unfortunately Harlan has his own plans for how he can use Brack.
The show's creator, Christopher Penfold, was previously a writer on (a show where a nuclear accident on the Moon causes it to be knocked out of orbit), and he developed The Brack Report as a means of exploring and dramatizing some of the challenges of nuclear power, as well as looking at some of the alternative ways of generating energy.
The theme tune was composed by Christopher Gunning, who had been composing music for film and TV for twelve years when he completed this piece.[2] Other notable work by Gunning includes the themes for Rogue Male (1976), The Day of the Triffids (1981), Porterhouse Blue (1987), Under Suspicion (1991), Lighthouse Hill (2004), and La Vie en rose (2007).
Filming of the series took over a year to complete.[3] Geoffrey Beevers, who played Dr. Scheer in Episodes 4 and 7, had to be excused from filming on 17 December 1980 to shoot scenes for the Doctor Who serial "The Keeper of Traken" which had been delayed due to an electricians strike.[4]
Some exterior scenes for Episode 7 were filmed in Tynemouth, including at Tynemouth Castle and Priory. Some exterior scenes for Episode 9 were filmed at the Rance Tidal Power Station in Brittany, France. Some interior scenes were filmed at Pinewood Studios.[5]
Creator Christopher Penfold commented that the transmission of the series (6 April to 8 June 1982) "got absolutely swamped by the Falklands War" (2 April to 14 June 1982), and that the show "would have created a much bigger public stir" had it not been for that war.
Episode One was referred to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission by the Central Electricity Generating Board.[10] The UK Atomic Energy Authority also expressed their concerns over the series.[11]
A contemporary review by Lucy Hughes-Hallett, writing in The Times, noted that the weighty subject-matter made for a ponderous narrative: "artistically…not a great success" but allowed that it was "an…intelligent attempt to tackle a difficult subject".[12] Another contemporary review by Chris Dunkley of the Financial Times noted that the show was being broadcast in the same slot that had been previously occupied by drama series Muck and Brass (starring Mel Smith), and he felt those shows were evidence that ITV have a "sane and admirable new policy of creating modern drama series dealing with contemporary themes".[13]
A 192-page novelization of "The Brack Report", written by Patrick Winter, was released on 15 March 1982 by Arrow Books publishers.[14]