ELECTRIC DREAMS

CHANNEL 4, SUNDAY 17 SEPTEMBER, 9PM

Channel 4 have splashed serious cash for this sci-fi series, which features an A-list cast (see right) and is based on a series of short stories by legendary US writer Philip K Dick. The first tranche of six episodes kicks off now, and a further four will show early next year. If you think you don’t know PKD’S work, you almost certainly do – Blade Runner, Total Recall and Amazon’s The Man In The High Castle are all based on his books, which were famed for their frequent blurring of the boundaries of time and reality. But the thing that really makes PKD stand out are his well-rounded characters, and highly imaginative and perceptive visions of the future, coupled with page-turning plots.

This first episode is set in a dystopian Britain,

The Hood Maker Ep 1

where a meteor storm has rendered all technology useless and left a group of people telepathic. Known as “Teeps”, they are being used by the authoritarian government to quash any potential uprising. Things get interesting when hoods that can block telepathy start turning up in various locations, leading to cop Agent Ross (GOT ’s Richard Madden) and his Teep partner Honor (Strike’s Holliday Grainger) being tasked with hunting down the mysterious Hood Maker. From here, things get weirder and a whole lot darker. Part noir, part romantic thriller, this is a gripping opener of what promises to be a fascinating and hugely enjoyable series. ★★★★ Matthew Hurrell