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*** This review may contain spoilers ***
It seems almost incredible that no other comment exists in respect to this programme.'The Guardians' was an entirely plausible and harrowing representation of leadership spinning out of control.Britain has broken up. There is public dissent and social disorder. The government introduce 'emergency measures' in order to ensure the 'rule of law'. One of those measures is the construction of a new police force called The Guardians. They are a sort of cross between America's national guard and the Nazis' gestapo. Very quickly, they become almost a law unto themselves.A group of intellectuals and media-types see what is happening and attempt to excite public attention and improve their accountability. They find themselves being victimised in lots of insidious ways, eventually uniting as a clandestine organisation under the name 'Quarmby'. A more militant splinter group begin taking direct action and simply earn for themselves the definition of terrorist.This plays directly into the Guardians' hands. Servile politicians are moved to legislate them even greater powers. With the inevitable results.The series has no happy ending. Quarmby is destroyed. The prime minister is forced to commit suicide in order to save his family. The coupe is complete.'The Guardians' was one of several highly innovative short-running programmes that appeared during the late 1960's and early 70's. 'The Prisoner' was another. Strangely, this little gem seems to have been lost. Perhaps it was too close to the knuckle. Much of it could easily have been lifted from Labour's 'unofficial' manifesto. That's the one where they do the opposite of what they promise. Which is usually everything.
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