Edge of Darkness

The first episode of Edge of Darkness was shown on BBC Two on 4 November 1985. Stars Bob Peck and Joanne Whalley appeared on the cover of the Radio Times, which introduced the thriller; "a detectives search for his daughter’s murderer takes him to the heart of the nuclear state." The series played on the fear that the Cold War engendered in the 1980s. In a time before viewing on demand its success earned it a swift repeat on BBC One, where it doubled its audience.

Edge of Darkness was written by Troy Kennedy Martin. The drama follows Ronald Craven (Peck) as he discovers his daughter Emma’s (Whalley) involvement with an environmental activist group called Gaia, and uncovers a government conspiracy to manufacture weapons grade plutonium. The series is by turns naturalistic – with a cameo appearance from MP Michael Meacher – and fantastical - as the murdered Emma appears to her father. The action is overshadowed by the growing potential of nuclear catastrophe.

Edge of Darkness was given four BAFTAs, including Best Drama Series and remains highly regarded. It featured in the BFI TV 100 list of the best British television programmes. In 2010 the original director and producer, Martin Campbell and Michael Wearing, remade the series as a feature film, starring Mel Gibson.