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|serial_name=The Zero Imperative
|serial_name=The Zero Imperative
|image=[[File:The Zero Imperative (1994).jpg|200px]]
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'''''The Zero Imperative''''' was released [[direct-to-video]] in 1994 by [[BBV]].
⚫
'''''The Zero Imperative''''' was released [[direct-to-video]] in 1994 by [[BBV]]. The film is occasionally listed as part of BBV's series ''[[The Stranger (video series)|The Stranger]]'', after Carlton television bought the rights to ''The Stranger'', and included ''The Zero Imperative'' as part of it's release schedule, although it is a standalone production. The only apparent connection besides production company is that Colin Baker stars in both.<ref>http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?1790</ref>


===Synopsis===
===Synopsis===
Over twenty years since she and the Doctor parted ways, former [[UNIT]] luminary [[Liz Shaw]] and her assistant, Louise Bayliss, are now working for P.R.O.B.E., a preternatural research bureau. In their latest investigation, they are tasked with investigating a series of bizarre murders, all committed near a soon-to-be-closed psychiatric hospital. However, when the hospital is unexpectedly reprieved by rich industrialist Peter Russell, events seem to move out of Liz's control. When the murderer starts attacking hospital staff, killing Dr. Bruffin, Liz realises that the incumbent director of the clinic, Doctor Dove, and his predecessor Doctor O'Kane, may be harbouring the killer inside the hospital. What is the centuries-old horror hidden in the hospital grounds? And does a deep family secret involving Russell and O'Kane hold the key to the indentity of the murderer? And what exactly is the secret of room zero?
Former [[UNIT]] luminary [[Liz Shaw]] and her assistant Bayliss are investigating a series of bizarre murders, all committed near a soon-to-be-closed psychiatric hospital.

When the hospital is unexpectedly reprieved by rich Industrialist Peter Russell events seem to move out of Liz's control. Are the incumbent director of the clinic, Doctor Dove and his predecessor Doctor O'Kane harbouring the killer? What is the centuries-old horror hidden in the grounds?

And what exactly is the secret of room zero?


====Cast====
====Cast====
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
* [[Liz Shaw]] - [[Caroline John]]
* [[Liz Shaw]] - [[Caroline John]]
* Patricia Haggard - [[Louise Jameson]]
* Patricia Haggard - [[Louise Jameson]]
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* Patient Zero - David Terence
* Patient Zero - David Terence
* Dr. Hearst - Nicola Fulljames
* Dr. Hearst - Nicola Fulljames
{{col-2}}
* Dr. Gilchrist - [[Patricia Merrick]]
* Dr. Gilchrist - Patricia Merrick
* Cummings - [[Jonathan Rigby]]
* Cummings - [[Jonathan Rigby]]
* P.R.O. - [[Sophie Aldred]]
* P.R.O. - [[Sophie Aldred]]
* Orderly - Simon Messingham
* Orderly - Simon Messingham
* Orderly - Alexander Kirk
* Orderly - Alexander Kirk
* Patient One - [[Peter Davison]]
* Patient One - [[Peter Davison]]
* Daniel - Bill Baggs
* Daniel - Bill Baggs
* Boy's Voice - Daniel Mills
* Boy's Voice - Daniel Mills
{{col-end}}

====Trivia====
⚫
*This film is occasionally listed as part of BBV's series ''[[The Stranger (video series)|The Stranger]]'', although it is a standalone production. The only apparent connection besides production company is that Colin Baker stars in both.<ref>http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?1790</ref>


==''The Devil of Winterborne'' (1995)==
==''The Devil of Winterborne'' (1995)==
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|serial_name=The Devil of Winterborne
|serial_name=The Devil of Winterborne
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|serial_name=Unnatural Selection
|serial_name=Unnatural Selection
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|image=[[File:Unnatural Selection.jpg|200px]]
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'''''Unnatural Selection''''' was released [[direct-to-video]] in 1996 by [[BBV]].


===Synopsis===
===Synopsis===
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|serial_name=Ghosts of Winterborne
|serial_name=Ghosts of Winterborne
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|image=[[File:Ghosts of Winterborne.jpg|200px]]
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|length=45 minutes
|date=1996
|date=1996
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|preceding=
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===Synopsis===
===Synopsis===
The Devil of Winterborne has only recently been exorcised by P.R.O.B.E. But when the body of it's last victim disappears, and a book of black magic spells is stolen from a local museum, Liz Shaw begins to wonder if the ghosts of the past have really been laid to rest. Forced into an unholy alliance with the school's disgraced headmaster, Gavin Purcell, Liz must fight not only her own warring emotions, but a festering evil that threatens to corrupt the Earth again after 100 years. But how do you fight a shadow from hell?
The Devil of Winterborne has only recently been exorcised by P.R.O.B.E.

But when the body of its last victim disappears, and a book of black magic spells is stolen from a local museum, Liz Shaw begins to wonder if the ghosts of the past have really been laid to rest.

Forced into an unholy alliance with the school's disgraced headmaster, Liz must fight not only her own warring emotions, but a festering evil that threatens to corrupt the Earth again after 100 years.

But how do you fight a shadow from hell?


===Cast===
===Cast===
*Liz Shaw - Caroline John
* Liz Shaw - Caroline John
*Patricia Haggard - Louise Jameson
* Patricia Haggard - Louise Jameson
*Gavin Purcell - [[Peter Davison]]
* Gavin Purcell - [[Peter Davison]]
*Christian - [[Daniel Matthews]]
* Christian - [[Daniel Matthews]]
*Margaret Wyndham - [[Charmian May]]
* Margaret Wyndham - [[Charmian May]]
*Andrew Powell - [[Reece Shearsmith]]
* Andrew Powell - [[Reece Shearsmith]]
*Max - [[David Hankinson]]
* Max - David Hankinson
*Ian - [[Nathan Hamlett]]
* Ian - Nathan Hamlett
*Librarian - [[Alan Nicholas]]
* Librarian - Alan Nicholas

===Story Notes===
* The end credits list Mrs. Wyndham's first name as Barbara, rather than her on-screen name of Margaret. However, Mrs. Wyndham's deceased twin sister, Ms. Taploe, was also named Barbara.


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 13:57, 16 January 2013

logo for the series

P.R.O.B.E. is a series of four videos written by Mark Gatiss and produced by BBV Productions. It predates Torchwood as the first ongoing spin-off of the Doctor Who universe.

The series features Caroline John as Liz Shaw, working for the Preternatural Research Bureau. Many former Doctor Who actors, including former Doctors Jon Pertwee, Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy, appear in the series playing different roles. (Due to licensing restrictions, no overt reference to The Doctor is permitted.) Doctor Who alumnus Louise Jameson co-stars with Pertwee in all four films, as Patricia Haggard.

Originally released on VHS, the series is not widely available on video. When an interviewer commented to series author Mark Gatiss that he had never seen the series, Gatiss replied "No, and you never will. One, they're not available. And two, I forbid it. Christ, for all I knew, they were the only things I would ever get to make. And I learned a frightening amount from working on them."[1] All four films were released on DVD on 3 March 2012 exclusive to Galaxy 4 shop with a 12 rating.[2]

The Zero Imperative (1994)

1 – The Zero Imperative
File:The Zero Imperative (1994).jpg
Production
Directed byBill Baggs
Written byMark Gatiss
Produced byBill Baggs
Executive producer(s)Andy Grant
Running time60 min.
First broadcast1994

The Zero Imperative was released direct-to-video in 1994 by BBV. The film is occasionally listed as part of BBV's series The Stranger, after Carlton television bought the rights to The Stranger, and included The Zero Imperative as part of it's release schedule, although it is a standalone production. The only apparent connection besides production company is that Colin Baker stars in both.[3]

Synopsis

Over twenty years since she and the Doctor parted ways, former UNIT luminary Liz Shaw and her assistant, Louise Bayliss, are now working for P.R.O.B.E., a preternatural research bureau. In their latest investigation, they are tasked with investigating a series of bizarre murders, all committed near a soon-to-be-closed psychiatric hospital. However, when the hospital is unexpectedly reprieved by rich industrialist Peter Russell, events seem to move out of Liz's control. When the murderer starts attacking hospital staff, killing Dr. Bruffin, Liz realises that the incumbent director of the clinic, Doctor Dove, and his predecessor Doctor O'Kane, may be harbouring the killer inside the hospital. What is the centuries-old horror hidden in the hospital grounds? And does a deep family secret involving Russell and O'Kane hold the key to the indentity of the murderer? And what exactly is the secret of room zero?

Cast

The Devil of Winterborne (1995)

2 – The Devil of Winterborne
File:Devil of Winterborne.jpg
Production
Directed byBill Baggs
Written byMark Gatiss
Produced byBill Baggs
Running time80 minutes
First broadcast1995

The Devil of Winterborne was released direct-to-video in 1995 by BBV.

Synopsis

When P.R.O.B.E. are summoned to investigate the savage murder of retired headmaster Mr. Whittaker and his dog, Liz Shaw is disturbed to find evidence of a satanic ritual near the scene of the crime. The trail leads of deceit and corruption extends to the current occupants of nearby Winterborne School, where it appears that someone is determined to cover up an ancient secret - at any cost. With another animal having bit the dust, the current headteacher accused of murdering a pupil, and one of the school's oldest employees having been stabbed with a knife, Liz finds herself under increasing pressure from all sides to produce results, especially with P.R.O.B.E. under threat from within - and the death toll mounting. However, a shocking revelation from headteacher Gavin Purcell reveals that The Devil of Winterborne is at large - and only Liz can stop it.

Cast

Unnatural Selection (1996)

3 – Unnatural Selection
File:Unnatural Selection.jpg
Production
Directed byBill Baggs
Written byMark Gatiss
Produced byBill Baggs
Running time45 minutes
First broadcast1996

Synopsis

Twenty years ago, the British Government quietly closed down a secret evolutionary project codenamed BEAGLE, ordering the destruction of all research materials used in the project. Today, the horrific discovery of several oddly mutated bodies alerts Liz Shaw and P.R.O.B.E. to the fact that something is stalking the original site of project BEAGLE, something which may challenge the very nature of humanity itself. With a crack security team at her disposal, Liz desperately attempts to track down the perverted results of the project. But who or what is hunting whom?

Cast

Ghosts of Winterborne (1996)

4 – Ghosts of Winterborne
File:Ghosts of Winterborne.jpg
Production
Directed byBill Baggs
Written byMark Gatiss
Produced byBill Baggs
Running time45 minutes
First broadcast1996

Ghosts of Winterborne was released direct-to-video in 1996 by BBV.

Synopsis

The Devil of Winterborne has only recently been exorcised by P.R.O.B.E. But when the body of it's last victim disappears, and a book of black magic spells is stolen from a local museum, Liz Shaw begins to wonder if the ghosts of the past have really been laid to rest. Forced into an unholy alliance with the school's disgraced headmaster, Gavin Purcell, Liz must fight not only her own warring emotions, but a festering evil that threatens to corrupt the Earth again after 100 years. But how do you fight a shadow from hell?

Cast

See also

Other creator-authorised Doctor Who spin-offs include:

References

  1. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20041107/ai_n12591433/
  2. ^ https://www.galaxy4.co.uk/product.thtml?id=2586&vts=gv0qAgE
  3. ^ http://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.asp?1790
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