The Jensen Code is a UK children's television sci-fi thriller series. Produced in colour by
Associated Television
Associated Television was the original name of the British broadcaster ATV, part of the Independent Television (ITV) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on weekdays from 1956 to 1968, and ...
(ATV) in 13 installments, it originally aired weekly on the
ITV network between 28 February 1973 and 23 May 1973. It was written by the novelist and dramatist
Carey Harrison
Carey Harrison (born 19 February 1944) is an English novelist and dramatist.
Early years and education
Harrison was born in London to actor Rex Harrison and actress Lilli Palmer, and raised in Los Angeles and New York, where he attended the ...
(son of actor
Rex Harrison).
Series partial overview
The story begins with 16-year-old Terry Connor sat alone in a
cavern
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
100 feet underground whilst on a
potholing expedition. The senior
Outward Bound
Outward Bound (OB) is an international network of outdoor education organizations that was founded in the United Kingdom by Lawrence Holt and Kurt Hahn in 1941. Today there are organizations, called schools, in over 35 countries which are att ...
instructor, Alex, has long since been missing in the depths of the cavernous subterranean pot named 'Wilmer Deep' after going to retrieve a torch which Terry had dropped earlier. When Alex returns (without the torch) he is strangely convinced that he has been away for ten minutes but Terry knows that Alex has been away for more than two hours. Alex believes that Terry has suffered hallucinations, which he says can be a side-effect of the confined darkness of a cavern. When they surface Terry believes he has seen man watching them, to which Alex again suggests it is an hallucination and that Terry is not cut out for potholing and so should not go on the big potholing expedition on which the rest of the students will be going the next day. Returning to the outward bound centre, Terry is subjected to much ribbing by his fellow students including the ring leader Jacko. Terry is convinced that the centre or the students at least, are being watched and when the others inform Terry that there is a Ministry Of Defence research establishment nearby he begins to feel increasingly uneasy. Another instructor at the centre, Gordon, becomes aware of Terry's concerns and tells him that he believes his story that Alex had gone missing for two hours but that he can't say much more than that.
The following day, Terry is detailed to go on his own day and night solo
trek above ground. However, eager to prove to himself that he is unafraid of the cave, Terry sets out to return to Wilmer Deep. First, he needs to obtain the key to the gate which covers the cave and that key is kept at Granny Powell's
farmhouse. When Terry turns up there he is unexpectedly joined by Alex, who is accompanied Kurtz, the man Terry had seen spying on them the previous day. Strangely, Alex appears vague and seems to have no recollection of setting Terry the trekking task.
Terry follows Alex and Kurtz and witnesses them performing a kidnapping. Terry rushes back to the centre to tell Gordon, who says he works for the security department within the Ministry of Defence and that he is investigating Alex, whom he believes is intending to endanger the life of a scientist in the nearby research unit using the Wilmer Deep pot as a cover to gain access to the research establishment. Gordon also informs Terry that the person who has been kidnapped is Dr Jensen, the only man who knows important strategic communication codes for a military space satellite to be launched shortly. Gordon takes Terry to a house to keep him safe from Alex and the kidnappers but the safe house turns out to be Granny Powell's farmhouse and, becoming increasingly uneasy about the consistency of Gordon's story, Terry manages to make his escape when Gordon's back is turned.
On the run, Terry stumbles into a nearby farm ruin, which is housing both Dr Jensen and a rather confused Alex, who doesn't seem to remember him. Kurtz and the sinister Mr Richards find the three there and they lead Alex away and lock in Terry and Jensen. Alone in the barn, Jensen explains that Alex seems to have been hypnotised. Jensen also confirms that he knows the reason that he has been kidnapped and that reason is for the code that he alone knows - the Jensen Code. He tells Terry that Richards has already tried to hypnotise him but at the moment he has proved strong enough to repel Richard's strong
mind control
Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Brainwashin ...
techniques.
The following morning Terry is removed to the farmhouse where he is subjected to the powerful hypnosis performed by Richards. When Richards is called out to hunt down an escaped Jensen, Terry escapes to the safety of the police station but he remembers nothing, not even his name. Yet there is something nagging at the very back of his mind; in his confusion he believes there is something important he needs to remember but it just won't come to him. After a few days convalescence at home, Terry is still eager to find some answers to the nagging doubts which linger in his mind. He decides to return to the outward bound centre and accepts a lift from a vaguely familiar gentleman - called Dr Jensen.
Thereafter the plot thickens and, at one point, Terry's life is left hanging in the balance.
Cast and characters
* Terry -
Dai Bradley
* Alex -
Tony Wright
* Gordon -
Brian Croucher
Brian Croucher (born 23 January 1942) is an English actor and director best known for his role as Ted Hills, which he played from 1995 to 1997, in the soap opera '' EastEnders''. Croucher also had a regular role in the science fiction series ' ...
* Dr Jensen - Leon Eagles
* Ron - Paul Alexander
* Jacko -
Karl Howman
Karl Howman (born 13 December 1953) is an English actor and voice-over artist. He is best known for playing Jacko in the sitcom ''Brush Strokes'' from 1986 to 1991, Mulberry in ''Mulberry'' from 1992 to 1993 and Buster Briggs in ''EastEnders'' f ...
* Sgt Buckle -
John Barrett
* Kurtz - Dan Meaden
* Mr Richards -
Milton Johns
John Robert Milton (born 13 March 1938), known professionally as Milton Johns, is an English character actor who has worked almost continuously throughout his career. A versatile talent, he specialises in sinister or obsequious roles and has f ...
* Granny Powell -
Daphne Heard
Delia Phyllis Daphne Heard (21 August 1904 – 22 June 1983) was an English actress and acting teacher. She was born in Plymouth, Devon. She appeared in numerous made-for-TV movies and TV series. But was perhaps best known in latter years a ...
* Miss Howard -
Barbara Angell
Barbara Angell (6 March 1935) also known as Barb Angell and Angela Barrsometimes wrongly credited as Barbara Angel – was Australia's first female television comedy writer-entertainer. She was born in Melbourne and educated at Presbyterian Ladi ...
Production
The Jensen Code was written by Carey Harrison. It was directed by
Alan Coleman and Jonathan Wright-Miller and produced by Alan Coleman. The caving scenes were filmed at
Clearwell Caves
Clearwell Caves, at Clearwell in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, is a natural cave system which has been extensively mined for iron ore. It now operates primarily as a mining museum.
The caves are part of a Natural England de ...
.
The series was originally made in colour but the original recordings have long since been wiped. One episode (episode six) does, however, remain in colour although the soundtrack is damaged in places and both sound and vision cut off shortly before the end of the episode.
Mistakes
Near the start of Episode Six, Dr Jensen refers to Terry by his real name (David).
External links
The Cult of The Jensen CodeNetwork DVD's The Jensen Code Release PageThe Jensen Code - Did You Know?The Jensen Code on FacebookRoobarb's Forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jensen Code, The
ITV television dramas
1970s British drama television series
1973 British television series debuts
1973 British television series endings
1970s British children's television series
1970s British television miniseries
Television series by ITV Studios
Television shows produced by Associated Television (ATV)
English-language television shows