{"product_id":"paranoid-visions-spies-conspiracies-and-the-secret-state-in-british-television-drama-9781784994150","title":"Paranoid Visions: Spies, Conspiracies and the","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eParanoid visions\u003c\/i\u003e explores the history of the spy and conspiracy genres on British television, from 1960s Cold War series through 1980s conspiracy dramas to contemporary ‘war on terror’ thrillers.  It analyses classic dramas including \u003ci\u003eTinker Tailor Soldier Spy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEdge of Darkness\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eA Very British Coup\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSpooks\u003c\/i\u003e.  This book will be an invaluable resource for television scholars interested in a new perspective on the history of television drama and intelligence scholars seeking an analysis of the popular representation of espionage with a strong political focus, as well as fans of cult British television and general readers interested in British cultural history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Jo Oldham’s very readable book explores two of the most popular, but relatively neglected, forms of television drama: the spy drama and the conspiracy thriller. Generically related but epistemologically distinct, the changing nature of the two forms and the waxing and waning of their appearance on British television screens has much to do with the historical context of their production, as Oldham illustrates very well in a diachronic study […] Such changes may not bode well for the radical potential of spy and conspiracy drama to stir things up in the future but it is to Oldham’s credit that his well-researched and persuasively argued book makes us want to revisit some of the key \"paranoid narratives\" of the last 50 years’.\u003cbr\u003eLez Cooke, Royal Holloway, University of London, \u003ci\u003eCritical Studies in Television\u003c\/i\u003e, Vol. 13, No. 4 (December 2018)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'\u003ci\u003eParanoid visions\u003c\/i\u003e is a welcome addition to studies of television genres and to emerging work on the spy genre on British screens. It is well-written, thoughtful and engaging, and should be read by students of quality British television drama as well as those drawn to narratives of intrigue, conspiracy and national security.'\u003cbr\u003eAlan Burton, \u003ci\u003eJournal of British Cinema and Television\u003c\/i\u003e, Vol.  16, No. 1 (2019)\u003c\/p\u003e -- .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e1 ‘A balance of terror’: \u003ci\u003eCallan \u003c\/i\u003e(ITV, 1967–72) as an existential thriller for television\u003cbr\u003e2 ‘A professional’s contest’: procedure and bureaucracy in \u003ci\u003eSpecial Branch\u003c\/i\u003e (ITV, 1969–74) and \u003ci\u003eThe Sandbaggers\u003c\/i\u003e (ITV, 1978–80)\u003cbr\u003e3 ‘Who killed Great Britain?’: \u003ci\u003eTinker Tailor Soldier Spy\u003c\/i\u003e (BBC 2, 1979) as a modern classic serial\u003cbr\u003e4 Conspiracy as a crisis of procedure in \u003ci\u003eBird of Prey\u003c\/i\u003e (BBC 1, 1982) and \u003ci\u003eEdge of Darkness\u003c\/i\u003e (BBC 2, 1985)\u003cbr\u003e5 Death of a master narrative: the battle for consensus in \u003ci\u003eA Very British Coup\u003c\/i\u003e (Channel 4, 1988)\u003cbr\u003e6 The precinct is political: espionage as a public service in \u003ci\u003eSpooks\u003c\/i\u003e (BBC 1, 2002–11)\u003cbr\u003eConclusion\u003cbr\u003eIndex\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Manchester University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51042323693911,"sku":"9781784994150","price":76.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781784994150.jpg?v=1750953911","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/paranoid-visions-spies-conspiracies-and-the-secret-state-in-british-television-drama-9781784994150","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}