It pains me that all anyone can see in this is gaudiness and Bertie Bassett. The tacky, tasteless-looking scenery is intentional. This is a story involving a society who are forced to be happy on pain of death. It's also an interesting take on Britain under the reign of Thatcher, and it's still as relevant today as it was in 1988. Terra Alpha could so easily be an offshoot of 'cool Britain'. Helen A is a first-rate villain, her sincere broadcasts hiding her executions and her 'Happiness Patrol' troops who will quite happily gun down their own employees. The child-like, tantrum-throwing Kandyman and the cynical Gilbert M form a good double-act. Far from being just a kids' piece of light entertainment, this is quite a dark and intriguing tale about how happiness can't exist without sadness.
Review of The Happiness Patrol: Part One
