My First Planet

Cast

• Brian Palmer (Nicholas Lyndhurst) is the Acting Commander of the colony on Planet XB1174, originally the Deputy Commander to Burrows until his death from old age after being locked out of suspended animation. His time as Commander has been marked by his management of an ongoing food crisis, energy crises and several sociological crises (which parodied contemporary news stories).
• Dr Lillian Pointer (Vicki Pepperdine) is the Chief Physician obsessed with the fulfilment of Project Adam, a plan to conceive the first human born on the new planet, even suggesting or going to unethical lengths to try and achieve it. Ruthlessly authoritarian, she usually (and unsuccessfully) demands that Brian be removed as Commander, subjects colonists to invasive medical examinations and attempts to inject colonists with sedatives to evade questioning for wrongdoing.
• Mason (Tom Goodman-Hill) is the Chief Scientist. Amoral, he shows a complete disregard for moral concerns, the feelings of others or the consequences of his actions. He was responsible for Burrows' death due to his design of the suspended animation system. In light of the food crisis, he is responsible for producing a synthetic protein to remedy this.
• Archer (Phil Whelans) is the colony's maintenance engineer but claims that he was selected for the colony as an empath (which the colonists treat with scepticism and is often disproven).
• Carol (Cariad Lloyd (series 1), Letty Butler (series 2)) is the Chief Botanist and originally part of Project Adam (which stalled due to her objections to having a child from a loveless relationship and being subject to invasive medical examination). In light of the food crisis, she is responsible for growing food via innovative means to remedy this.
• Richard (John Dorney) was Carol's boyfriend for three months prior to the mission (minus time spent in suspended animation) who played along with the lie that they were a couple for the chance to travel to space. Having been selected solely to serve as part of Project Adam, the stalling of the plan leaves him without responsibilities barring those as a member of the Colony Steering Committee. His attempts to find a role in the colony are often frustrated or lead to chaos, such as his self-appointment as editor of a newssheet which he eventually fills exclusively with provocative, manufactured stories.

Series one

Series two

Reception

The first series received coverage as 'Pick of the Day' in The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Independent, with The Daily Telegraphs Gillian Reynolds commenting: "What makes it funny is that its characters are (and remain) all too recognisably human".

References

References

1. "BBC Radio 4 - My First Planet, Series 1, Inglorious Barters".
2. "My First Planet press clippings".