Noah's Castle
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Noah's Castle
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| Episodes: | 7 |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Seasons: | 1 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 7 |
| Category: | Earth Future |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Southern Television and Independent Television (ITV) |
| Creator: | Based on the novel Townsend by John Rowe-Townsend |
| Run Time (mins): | 30 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | ITV |
| First Aired: | |
| Last Aired: | |
Summary
Set against a backdrop of national turmoil, Britain is depicted as a country without effective government and on the verge of anarchy. Military patrols traverse debris‑strewn streets, and food prices escalate to levels reminiscent of Weimar‑era hyperinflation. Within this environment, the Mortimer family attempts to maintain stability under the authoritarian leadership of Norman Mortimer, a rigid, militaristic patriarch who anticipates the collapse of social order.
Norman prepares for the crisis by stockpiling substantial quantities of food, fuel, and other essential supplies, including alcohol intended for barter, in the cellar of the family’s isolated home, the eponymous Noah’s Castle. To protect these illicit reserves, he installs a fortified front door, acquires a British Army‑issue revolver, and insists that his family conceal the existence of the hoard, as private stockpiling is prohibited under emergency regulations.
Norman’s professional superior, Mr Gerald (Jack May), exploits the family’s vulnerability, subjecting Norman’s wife (Jean Rimmer) and teenage daughter (Annette Ekblom) to coercive and demeaning treatment that leaves them effectively living as subordinates within their own home. Meanwhile, Norman is forced to navigate mounting external pressures: an official food‑distribution authority seeking compliance, an anarchist faction intent on seizing his supplies for redistribution, and a black‑market network led by the opportunistic Cockney trader Mike Reid.
These intersecting threats underscore the series’ exploration of moral compromise, authoritarianism, and the fragility of social cohesion during periods of national crisis
Cast
Nessie Mortimer ANNETTE EKBLOM, Cliff CHRISTOPHER FAIRBANK, Geoff Mortimer MARCUS FRANCIS, Barry Mortimer SIMON GIPPS-KENT, Terry ALUN LEWIS, Mel Holloway LEE MACDONALD, Mr. Mortimer DAVID NEAL, Ellen Mortimer LOUISE OLLEY, Vince Holloway MIKE REID, Mrs. Mortimer JEAN RIMMER
Tags: Earth Future, United Kingdom, 1980, English
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