7.4/1035 votes#1 - The Plastic Eaters
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 2/9/1970
What if a man-made virus with the power to melt all plastic became as infectious as the common cold? When a plane crashes in South America, in quite extraordinary circumstances, it's up to Dr Quist's team to avert further disaster.
Director: Paul Ciappessoni
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis
- NaN/100 votes
#2 - Friday's Child
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 2/16/1970
Doctor Quist and Doomwatch become embroiled in an inquiry into the heart-transplanting practices of Doctor Patrick. Several uncomfortable questions are raised: what has he been doing to a newborn baby that has been placed in his care, and should genetic engineering be permitted in society?
Director: Paul Ciappessoni
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, Harry Green
- NaN/100 votes
#3 - Burial at Sea
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 2/23/1970
When a lifeboat crew discovers a luxury cruiser adrift in the English Channel, they find on board are a group of wealthy pop stars and their girlfriends, one of whom is dead. Doomwatch investigate, and discover that the death was not from drug abuse as was previously suspected; instead they begin to uncover the facts behind the dumping of a deadly chemical warfare compound in a deep sea trench, which seems to be far from dormant.
Director: Jonathan Alwyn
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, Dennis Spooner
- 7.7/1031 votes
#4 - Tomorrow, the Rat
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 3/2/1970
Genetic engineering? Tampering with nature in a quest to make Superman? The experimentation is still only being carried out on rats, but with dangerous, and deadly results...
Director: Terence Dudley
Writer: Kit Pedler, Terence Dudley, Gerry Davis
- 7.4/1024 votes
#5 - Project Sahara
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 3/9/1970
Doomwatch are joined by Doctor Robson, sent to undertake tests on the new 'Sahara' spray which is apparently capable of destroying all plant-life on the planet. But when Quist receives a phone call from the ministry, he is given orders to immediately suspend both Robson and Toby without any explanation. Closer investigation leads Quist and his team to discover that a new computerised security system run by Commander Keeping and Barker has become far too powerful, and is making its own decisions about government personnel.
Director: Jonathan Alwyn
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, N.J. Crisp
- 6.0/1022 votes
#6 - Re-Entry Forbidden
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 3/16/1970
The first nuclear-powered rocket, Sunfire One, is sent into space with the first British astronaut, Dick Larch, on board. After the rocket enters Earth orbit, Larch enters an incorrect course alteration, and fails to see the error indicator, which results in Sunfire One splashing down in the sea. Quist is asked by Doctor Goldsworthy to determine whether Larch is suitable for any further missions, as another such mistake could result in the spacecraft becoming a nuclear bomb.
Director: Paul Ciappessoni
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, Don Shaw
- 7.5/1022 votes
#7 - The Devil's Sweets
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 3/23/1970
While on the way to work, secretary Pat Hunnisett takes a free promotional chocolate from a group of girls on the street. Meanwhile, at the Doomwatch office, Quist and his team are investigating the sudden increase in the country's smokers, and are surprised when Pat arrives and lights up a cigarette for the first time in five years. Quist suspects that there could be a link between the promotional chocolates and 'Checker Board' cigarettes, whose recent sales are doing unexpectedly well. Should subliminal advertising be allowed?
Director: David Sullivan Proudfoot
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, Don Shaw
- 8.1/1021 votes
#8 - The Red Sky
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 4/6/1970
Dr Quist attempts to go on holiday, but gets involved instead in a series of jet engine experiments causing harm and the same mysterious hallucination.
Director: Jonathan Alwyn
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis
- NaN/100 votes
#9 - Spectre at the Feast
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 4/13/1970
In order to decide on new proposals for dealing with the dangers of pollution on the environment, Doctor Quist assembles a conference amongst the world's top scientists. But soon several of the delegates become ill, apparently from food-poisoning. However, Quist becomes suspicious, and suspects that the sickness may have been caused deliberately.
Director: N/A
Writer: Terence Dudley
- 7.0/1015 votes
#10 - Train and De-train
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 4/20/1970
Two thousand animals are found dead in the Somerset countryside. Doomwatch investigate whether or not a new pesticide is to blame.
Director: Vere Lorrimer
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, Don Shaw
- 7.7/1018 votes
#11 - The Battery People
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 4/27/1970
The Doomwatch team look into serious health issues experienced by male workers at a Welsh battery farm.
Director: David Sullivan Proudfoot
Writer: Kit Pedler, Elwyn Jones, Gerry Davis
- NaN/100 votes
#12 - Hear No Evil
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 5/4/1970
In an effort to prevent unofficial strikes by its workforce, a company in the North of England decides to use the latest scientific discovery, and attempts to manipulate both the working and the private lives of its employees by bugging them with listening devices. However, when Quist hears of this underhanded practice he is furious and decides that the only way to stop the unethical management is to turn their own method against them.
Director: Frank Cox
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis
- NaN/100 votes
#13 - Survival Code
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 5/11/1970
A military plane ditches into the sea whilst carrying three nuclear weapons on board. While the RAF mounts a search mission, an unidentified object is washed up on the shore near Byfield pier on the south coast of England. It is found by two men, Geoff Harker and Sam Billings, who decide that it must be a weather detecting device, and so begin to strip it down for parts. Toby is sent to investigate the device, but he soon finds himself faced with the terrifying prospect of disarming a very live bomb.
Director: Hugh David
Writer: Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis
The Best Episodes of Doomwatch Season 1
Every episode of Doomwatch Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Doomwatch Season 1!
Doomwatch is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC, which ran on BBC 1 between 1970 and 1972. The series was set...
Genre:Drama
Network:BBC One
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"The Plastic Eaters" is the best rated episode of "Doomwatch" season 1. It scored 7.4/10 based on 35 votes. Directed by Paul Ciappessoni and written by Kit Pedler, Gerry Davis, it aired on 2/9/1970. This episode is rated NaN points higher than the second-best, "Friday's Child".