Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Mark Gatiss is at the forefront of a celebration of M.R. James’ work coming to BBC Two at Christmas this year, part of a focus on the genre from the channel.

James’ story The Tractate Middoth will be dramatised at Christmas, written and directed by Gatiss. Described as “one of James’ most thrilling tales,” it involves “a disputed will, a race against time, and something very unpleasant lurking in the library.” The story was previously dramatised for Radio 4’s MR James Stories series.

Gatiss will also present Ghost Writer, the story of James’ life. According to the BBC, “A long-time admirer of James, Mark will try to solve one of the great literary mysteries: how this donnish Victorian bachelor, conservative by nature and a devout Anglican, created tales that continue to chill readers a century on.

“Viewers will join Mark on an atmospheric journey from James’ childhood home in Suffolk to Eton and on to King’s College, Cambridge, the two institutions where James spent most of his life, visiting ancient churches, moonlit quadrangles and echoing libraries along the way. By following in James’s footsteps, Mark will hope to uncover the secrets of his inspiration.”

In addition, BBC Arts and BBC America are co-producing My God, It’s Full Of Stars: A Journey To The Edge Of Science Fiction, a four part “definitive television history of science fiction”.

“Each episode will explore one of the enduring themes of science fiction: time travel; the exploration of space; robots and artificial intelligence; and aliens. It will be made with the help of the genre’s greatest pioneers: the filmmakers, writers, actors, and graphic artists whose obsession and imagination has taken them into the unknown. Having explored the future, the past, parallel universes and galaxies far, far away, they are now ready to report back on their experiences.

This is the story of science fiction told by the men and women who fell to earth… From HG Wells’ War Of The Worlds to The Terminator, from Doctor Who to Star Wars this series will guide viewers through a rich, thought-provoking and endlessly exciting genre.”

BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow noted: “It’s a pleasure to bring Mark Gatiss back to BBC Two with a new look at one of Britain’s genre defining writers and we’ll be setting a channel first as we take an in-depth look at the cult of science fiction.”