Paradox is a new tv series on BBC1. The first episode looked interesting - images from the future which hint at a disaster are picked up from space. Tonight's disaster included a dead body and a mangled bridge. It looks like other episodes are going to follow a similar pattern of: see photos/try to work out where/try to avert disaster. We'll have to wait and see if it can maintain interest.
The episode claimed to be set in or near Manchester. The city centre featured in a few scenes, and there was a mention of a character taking a train from 'Manchester Station'. No actual station name was given at the time. Amazingly though when this information was relayed by the main character, she had miraculously deduced that he meant Victoria Station.
For some reason the show decided to use fictional place names: Hazel Hills and Marlingham. There is a Hazel Grove near Manchester - perhaps the writers heard the name but didn't like it so they changed it.
The bridge where the 'incident' took place was over the B204. This immediately sounded fishy because I knew that '2' roads were mainly around London, Kent and parts of the south coast. It turns out that there is a real B204 but it's in London, near the Old Kent Road, and not a few minutes train ride from Manchester.
I don't know why there were so many sloppy mistakes in the programme, nor why nobody noticed or bothered fixing them while the programme was being made. It was as if some southern writers decided to set something 'up north' but couldn't be arsed doing any actual research and just made things up.
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Peter wrote at 28/11/2009 17:55:50:
For Marlingham read Newton-le-Willows and for Tedsford read Earlestown, but "Hazel Hill" is complete fiction - in reality the rail line doesn't terminate, but carries on to Liverpool. The Ordnance Survey maps were Photoshopped, but the A572 was genuine. I have my doubts that the bridge used for filming was anywhere near the north-west... but the "North Central" rail network map inside the train was a nice touch. If only the plot was as interesting as guess-the-location.
Philip Norton wrote at 22/12/2009 21:54:27:
The main flaw of the program is that they find out where this blast on a bridge will be happening and what will cause it but then drive off and leave the bridge alone. Also, the police officers in this program simply stalk some people and keep brushing it off as "routine checks" to which the people just say "ok". In one scene they even take a guy's phone from him and fiddle with it whilst he is stood there and he just accepts it!
Sandy wrote at 26/11/2009 22:45:38: