Barry Jackson Movies

Written by Terry Nation, "Mission to the Unknown" (aka "Dalek Cutaway") was one of the few single-episode Doctor Who adventures. None of the series' regulars appear in this story; instead, the action is dominated by Space Agent Marc Cory (Edward de Souza). While investigating the activities of the Doctor's perennial enemies, the Daleks, Cory is put in the unenviable position of saving the universe from the villainous mutants. Originally telecast on October 9, 1965, "Mission to the Unknown" was intended as a preview for the upcoming Doctor Who story arc "The Dalek Masterplan"; alas, no copies of this "teaser" currently exist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the four-part story "The Romans," the Doctor (William Hartnell) and his companions encounter great danger while on a pleasure excursion to ancient Rome. Ian (William Russell) is captured and sold as a galley slave, while Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) is auctioned off as a "companion." The only hope for their rescue lies in the Doctor's precarious relationship with the Emperor Nero (Derek Francis). Originally telecast on January 23, 1965, "All Roads Lead to Rome" was written by Dennis Spooner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this mystery, a salesman unearths important evidence concerning the murder of a famous has-been actress. This evidence leads the investigator to the London estate of the actor who was once involved with her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

While Olde England is being ransacked by roving Danes in the 9th century, Alfred (David Hemmings) is commencing to join the priesthood. But observing the rape of his motherland, he puts aside his religious vows to take up arms against the invaders, leading the English Christians to fight for their country. Alfred soundly defeats the Danes and becomes an English hero. But now, although Alfred still longs for the priesthood, he is torn between his passion for God and his lust for blood. After marrying the beautiful Aelhsweth (Prunella Ransome), he gives himself over to his dark side and aggressively rapes his wife. At this point, the Danes return and Alfred must muster the English forces once again for a decisive battle, but he also must battle his conflicting soul. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Malcom McDowell, who went on to play a chillingly heartless young man in A Clockwork Orange, here plays Bruce, a cheerful young athlete and aspiring writer whose injuries get the better of him on the evening of his colorless brother's wedding. He loses the use of his legs and is sent to a home for the handicapped. As a result of his disability, his attitude undergoes a profound change, and he becomes a surly, resentful and difficult young man. At the home, he meets a young woman (Nanette Newman) whose disability has lasted much longer than his, and they fall in love. They become engaged, but she dies before they can get married. While this sounds relentlessly melancholy, the heart of the movie is the way in which each of the two has enriched the life of the other, and the movie is a good deal more upbeat than it sounds. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Ian Hendry, who as Dr. David Keel had been one of the original stars of the original Avengers, is here cast as Gunner, an amnesiac secret agent. Having been missing for seventeen years, Gunner suddenly shows up, and just as suddenly recovers his memory, providing a strange coded message. This new information may or may not be able to lead Steed (Patrick MacNee), Purdey (Joanna Lumley) and Gambit (Gareth Hunt) to the whereabouts of a notorious double agent known only as the White Rat. As usual, however, the villain gets the upper hand along the way, forcing the New Avengers to gamble with their lives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Briefly encountering another space vessel, Blake (Gareth Thomas) and his comrades awaken the ship's hibernating crew. When one person fails to emerge from his slumbers, it is clear that a murderer is onboard. As Avon (Paul Darrow) attempts to solve this little mystery (and to keep himself and his friends alive), Blake continues his current mission by piloting the Liberator into dangerous territory -- little realizing that he is headed for a deadly rendezvous with the murderer. "Mission to Destiny" was originally broadcast on February 13, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Armageddon Factor," the Doctor (Tom Baker) has arrived on the "hidden" planet between the warring twin worlds of Atrios and Zeos. With the help of his old friend Drax (Barry Jackson), the Doctor is able to free himself and Romana (Mary Tamm) from the grip of the Shadow (William Squire), chief henchman of the dreaded Black Guardian. But several tasks still lie before the Doctor, not least of which is retrieving the sixth segment of the Key to Time, thereby restoring the balance between Good and Evil in the universe. Originally telecast on February 17, 1979, "The Armageddon Factor, Episode 5" was written by Bob Baker and David Martin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This British Merchant-Ivory look-alike was adapted from a novel by Isabel Colgate. In the summer before World War I, British nobleman James Mason invites an assorted group of acquaintances for a weekend shooting party on his huge estate. Among the participants are longtime rivals Edward Fox and Rupert Frazer, Fox's occasionally unfaithful wife Cheryl Campbell, and staunch anti-hunting advocate John Gielgud. The film unfolds in a carefully calculated but seemingly spontaneous fashion, in the manner of its 1938 ancestor Rules of the Game. Also like the earlier film, The Shooting Party casts a jaundiced eye towards class consciousness--and ends with a sudden, senseless but not altogether unexpected tragedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This is the first in a television series of British-made murder mysteries, adapted from Caroline Graham's novels about the polite and enigmatic Inspector Barnaby (John Nettles). Barnaby is married to the equally low-key Joyce (Jane Wymark), and they have an assertive daughter, Cully (Laura Howard). Barnaby's opposite is his acerbic partner, Troy (Daniel Casey). This pilot episode is set in the English county Midsomer. After the death of elderly Emily Simpson (Renee Asherson), her friend gets Barnaby to investigate, and the suspects include Michael Lacey (Jonathan Firth), curiously attached to his attractive sister Katherine (Emily Mortimer). The series premiered June 28, 1998 on A&E. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) of Midsomer country once again encounters a full docket of baffling mysteries during Series Three of Midsomer Murders. The first of this year's four feature-length episodes is "Death of a Stranger", in which Barnaby's efforts to prove the innocence of a young man arrested for murder are complicated by several more killings. Next up is "Blue Herrings", featuring veteran British stage and screen star Phyllis Calvert) as Barnaby's slightly dotty Aunt Alice, who prevails upon her nephew to look into the strange goings-on at her nursing home. In "Judgment Day", the community of Midsomer Mallow may lose the annual Perfect Village competition thanks to three inconvenient murders (watch for a young Orlando Bloom as burglar. And in "Beyond the Grave", is it possible that Barnaby's most formidable nemesis is a 17th century ghost--or failing that, is it the annoyingly persistent new boyfriend of the Inspector's daughter Cully (Laura Howard)? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Series Four of Midsomer Murders finds Detective Chief Inspector Tom Burnaby (John Nettles) calmly and methodically disseminating five different cases of murder in the deceptively tranquil British rural county of Midsomer, assisted by stalwart young Sgt. Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) and crusty pathologist Dr. George Ballard (Barry Jackson). Things begin percolating in "Garden of Death", involving the fatal feud between two families over a hotly contested property development. Next on the docket is "Destroying Angel", wherein Barnaby probes into the grisly occurrences surrounding a hotel that is jointly owned by four very odd people. In "The Electric Vendetta", the game is afoot when a naked corpse is found in the middle of a mysterious crop circle. Barnaby crosses wits with a former criminal, now a respectable country squire, who is implicated in the death of one of his daughter's friends in "Who Killed Cock Robins". In "Dark Autumn", Sgt. Troy dallies with a pretty female constable (Gillian Kearney) while looking into the numerous indiscretions and infidelities of a murdered postman. Winding up matters is "Tainted Fruit", in which Barnaby tries to determine if a spoiled heiress' drug habit was the cause of her sudden death. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally telecast over Britain's ITV1 in 2000, the two-part mystery miniseries Thursday the 12th began with the discovery of an unidentified body on the estate of Marius Bannister (Ciaran Hinds), a wealthy dentist and politician. As an investigative TV reporter Julian Glover sifted through the particulars of the case, the viewer was introduced to the dramatis personae: Bannister; his wife, Nina (Maria Doyle Kennedy); their troubled adopted teenaged son, Martin (Jim Sturgess); and Nina's predatory sister, Candice Hopper (Elizabeth McGovern). In Rashomon fashion, a series of flashbacks indicated that any one of these worthies had motive aplenty to be a murderer -- and in fact, one of them was the victim. The key to the mystery was in the hands of Marius' supposedly senile father, Edgar Bannister (Peter Vaughan). In the U.S., Thursday the 12th first aired over the Bravo cable network on June 4, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide