Call Red
| Call Red | |
|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: File missing | |
| Genre | Action • Drama |
| Created by | J. C. Wilsher |
| Written by | Peter Jukes Michael Jenner Brian McGill Alan Whiting |
| Directed by | Peter Barber-Fleming Christopher King Ian Knox |
| Starring | Michael Carter Seamus Gubbins Allie Byrne Adam Levy Claire Benedict Maria McAteer Ken Drury Vincent Regan Kelle Spry Morgan Jones Charlie Caine |
| Opening theme | "Guardian Angel" by Marcella Detroit |
| Composers | Francis Haines Stephen W. Parsons |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Antony Root[1] |
| Producer | Gillian Gordon[1] |
| Production locations | London, England, UK |
| Cinematography | Peter Middleton |
| Editor | Martin Sharpe |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies | Thames Television Meridian Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 8 January – 19 February 1996 |
Call Red is a British television action drama series created by J. C. Wilsher that premiered on 8 January 1996 on ITV.[2] The series follows the adventures of an Air Ambulance squad, captained by Phillip Tulloch (Michael Carter). The series draws upon a documentary-style feel, including hand-held camera work for helicopter-based scenes, and detailed outlines of the procedures carried out by the medics themselves.[3] Just a single series of seven episodes was produced. The complete series has been earmarked for release on DVD by Network Distributing, although no set date has been given for the release.[4]
Early reception of the series was critical. Thomas Sutcliffe of The Independent said that the series is composed of "wooden acting" and "cardboard dialogue", and that "the wiser viewer will realise it shows no vital signs at all".[5] Jim White of The Independent stated that "all the characters were ludicrously gung-ho, self-important and convinced they were the only people capable of administering medical assistance; typical doctors then, but not much fun to spend sixty minutes with".[2]
Synopsis
[edit | edit source]The show follows the story of a team of undercover police officers who are tasked with infiltrating and bringing down criminal organizations in the UK. Led by Detective Inspector Frank Paterson, the team includes Detective Sergeant Tony Clark and Detective Constable Zoe Haratounian.
Throughout the series, the team takes on a variety of high-stakes assignments, ranging from infiltrating a drug trafficking ring to uncovering a conspiracy involving a wealthy businessman. The show explores themes of crime, justice, and morality, as the team grapples with the difficult decisions they must make in order to bring down the criminals they are targeting.
Cast
[edit | edit source]- Michael Carter as Phillip Tulloch
- Seamus Gubbins as Sean Brooks
- Allie Byrne as Alyson Butler
- Adam Levy as Sam Kline
- Claire Benedict as Jude Patton
- Maria McAteer as Kelly Wallace
- Ken Drury as Ross Murray
- Vincent Regan as Ray Sidley
- Kelle Spry as Clare Waddington
- Morgan Jones as Gary Moulton
- Charlie Caine as Terry Dukes
Episodes
[edit | edit source]This section needs a plot summary. (December 2025) |
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" | Ian Knox | Michael Jenner & Peter Jukes | 8 January 1996 |
| 2 | "Baptism of Fire" | Unknown | Peter Jukes | 15 January 1996 |
| 3 | "Heartbreaker" | Ian Knox | J.C. Wilsher | 22 January 1996 |
| 4 | "Force of Habit" | Unknown | Unknown | 29 January 1996 |
| 5 | "Life Extinct" | Unknown | Unknown | 5 February 1996 |
| 6 | "Night Sun" | Ian Knox | Peter Jukes | 12 February 1996 |
| 7 | "Breaking Strain" | Ian Knox | Unknown | 19 February 1996 |
Reception
[edit | edit source]The series came under fire when aircraft equipment used in the filming of an episode which saw the team helping victims of a plane crash was returned to the owners severely damaged. It was claimed that the damage amounted to more than £48,000, and was caused when the production company, Thames Television, chose to light fires around fuselage and landing gear, which resulted in burning and corrosion of said equipment, and further damage was caused when the producers tried to extinguish the fires. The case was brought to court on 10 January 1996, just two days after the first episode premiered on ITV.[6]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ The Independent
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- 1996 British television series debuts
- 1996 British television series endings
- 1990s British drama television series
- ITV television dramas
- 1990s British television miniseries
- Television series by Fremantle (company)
- Television shows produced by Thames Television
- British English-language television shows
- Television shows set in London