Strange
Encyclopedia
Strange is a British
television
drama series, produced by the independent production company Big Bear Productions for the BBC
, which aired on BBC One
. It consists of a single one-hour pilot episode screened in March 2002, followed by a series of six one-hour episodes broadcast in the summer of 2003. The supernatural
storyline involved a defrocked
priest's mission to destroy demons.
), dismissed from the clergy under mysterious circumstances. He was implicated in a number of gruesome murders, murders that he says were done by demons. Now he seeks those responsible and to clear his name. To help him in his hunt for demons, John has Toby (Bryan Dick
in the pilot, Andrew-Lee Potts
in the series), a technological expert who is in charge of the equipment John uses to sense the presence of demons, and Kevin (Timmy Lang). Kevin has Down's syndrome, which appears to enable him to sense the presence of demons and is often an early warning that something supernatural is about to happen in the area. Jude (Samantha Janus
), a former scientist who works as a nurse, is interested because she found out that her partner Rich was a demon. With Rich dead, her main concern is that the son they had together, Joey (William Tomlin
), could also be a demon. John's mission is hampered by Canon Black (Ian Richardson
), who is intent on denying the presence of dark forces.
Azaal: A demon capable of turning it self in to electricity in order to hunt and kill its victims. The demon has a deep hatred of the church and was found of attacking churches during lightning storms and it eventually helped man discover electricity so that its killings could become easier and more frequent. In modern times it assumed the identity of a courier named Rich and fathered a child with Jude. When Azaal started to sense that a powerful demon called Asmoth was close to awakening to begin its next feeding cycle he began to kill again to gain favour with the demon. He was killed by Jude and Strange when they managed to ground his electrical form though he continued to haunt Jude in dreams about the arrival of Asmoth.
Zoxim: A demon originally from Africa that must feed on human life energy every seven years or perish. The demon was known for feeding on weary travelers and in ancient times traveled in a cart to avoid suspicion. In modern times it assumes the human identity of a minister's wife and travels on a bus at night, feeding at subsequently aging its victims to death and dumps them all over the city to avoid suspicion. It is killed when Strange is able to stop it from feeding on Jude; its intended last victim, causing the creature to rapidly age and die.
Quasami: Known has the warrior devil and servant of the non-corporeal demon Kaa Jinn. Quasami assumes the identity of a tattoo parlour owner where he is then able to mark victims with the mark of his master. His most unique feature is a retractable red hot samurai sword that grows between his middle and index finger. Attempting to create a new body for his master he tattoos unsuspecting people with his master's symbol with poison tattoo ink and then amputating the limb the tattoo is on. He almost successful in mission only for him to die when Strange tricked him in to stabbing his semi formed master causing them both to die.
Kaa Jinn: A non corporeal Japanese demon whose original body was destroyed by a Japanese hero in ancient times. He is partially able to regain a body when his servant fashions him one from the parts of sacrificial victims with only the left arm missing. He is defeated when Strange tricks Quasami in to stabbing him; causing them both to explode.
The Banshi: A human who sacrificed her soul to the Costa Bura in exchange for being allowed to survive a plague that swept their village. She becomes a banshi and must follow the plague and summon the Costa Bura to earth with her demonic cries so it may harvest the souls of the dead. It became part of a Victorian family when the plague eventually died out and befriended the family's unruly daughter Pandora. Sickened by Pandora's father constantly abusing her the demon summoned the Costa Bura to take him only for people to the think Pandora was to blame which led to the girl's death. When Pandora's body is discovered walled up in the cathedral the Banshi begins killing all those involved in the discovery to hide its shame. The demon eventually allows itself to be taken by the Costa Bura as it can no longer tolerate its immortality after the loss of the first human in ever genuinely cared for.
The Costa Bura: Known as the Death Coach, the Costa Bura appears on Earth in times of plague to harvest the souls of the dead or when especially summoned. When it arrives on earth it cannot leave empty handed. It created the Banshi out of a human child to be its servant and to summon it to more victims. In the end the coach returns to hell with the Banshee herself who has given up on life after the death of her human friend Pandora.
Milan Incubai: Reptilian demons that once terrorised Milan and were cultivated by a nameless demon to spread chaos and panic. The demons can only grow surrounded by human flesh which the nameless demon is able to achieve by placing incubai embryos in breast implants and harvesting the emerging young. They are killed when they attack the nameless Demon in their blood lust and die in his explosion wake.
The Nameless Demon: A demon of unknown origin that some believe is an adult Incubai that once terrorised Millian with its offspring. It has the power to control and paralyse victims with its glare which allows it to trap victims and implant incubai embryos within them. Strange and Jude uncover its operation in a cosmetic surgery hospital were it has been implanting the embryos in breast implants with plans to release the young into the public when they bare strong enough. It is killed when Jude and Strange cover it with blood and lock it in the room with the incubai who kill it in a frenzy.
The Dubuykk: A demonic tree that was spawned when a hanging tree's roots fed on the blood of the condemned for many years creating a vampiric entity. Most active at night the Dubuykk can take the form of a deceased person from the victim's memory so it can draw its victim's closer to ensnare them. Originally contained in a forest in Hexagovinian and watched by a local family the demon was brought to England when loggers cut the tree down to make a coffin for one of their own who was killed the night before by the demon. The wood is tracked to a carpenter's house who the Dubuykk has killed and assumed his identity. It uses the carpenter's profession to place its wood in people's home so it can feed on them. It almost managed to kill Strange when it took Helen's form but he was rescued by Jude and they managed to kill the demon by burning down the house. It also vulnerable to a special axe blade that has been in the family that contains it.
Asmoth: An unseen demon in the show and Strange's demonic nemesis who murdered Strange's fiance Helen and scarred Strange with a wound has a reminder of the demon's victory over him. Asmoth is said to be the demon that demons fear and he is believed by some to be the inspiration for the Christian Devil. In ancient times humans both feared and worshiped him and he was once awake in the time of the witch trials. The only image of Asmoth seen in the show is one painted by Father Bernad who's eyes were clawed out by Asmoth so that no one would be able to identify him. Though abstract the painting shows a pale skinned, dark haired man with black eyes. Asmoth normally hibernates has a human for several years until he needs to feed. At that point Strange explained the demon is consumed by a terrible hunger for human flesh which gets worse has time goes on, at first he will devour corpses but as his hunger get worse he moves on to live victims with his chief delight being to devour his victims alive. He apparently returns at the end of the series when bones are discovered in a locker and murdered people are discovered with bite marks on them though it is eventually revealed to be the work of a disturbed young man. However before Strange is beaten by some police hired by Canon Black, Asmoth sends him a taunting message in a dream saying "I win Again" meaning the demon has awakened and can now feed with Strange unable to stop him.
Episode 1: Zoxim: Jude is concerned her son may have inherited his father's demonic talents and seeks out Strange's advice. Soon there are more pressing concerns when withered corpses are discovered. Has a New demon awoken in London?
Episode 2: A missing priest and the killing of group of young boys start the next mystery for Strange. The race is on when these killing are discovered to a greater and more sinister motive that they first thought.
Episode 3: The opening of an old tomb awakens a deadly and ancient evil. Strange and Jude must find and defeat the plague spreading demon and its master before a new deadly outbreak is unleashed.
Episode 4: When one of Strange's team is accused of murder, Strange must work to prove his innocence and find the true demonic culprit. Meanwhile Jude is about to fall in to a deadly trap.
Episode 5: When Strange is given a job by Canon Black involving a demon he is naturally suspicious. Unfortunately the demon proves to be very real and forces Strange to re live a horrible event from his past.
Episode 6: Asmoth: With the discovery of gnawed human remains Strange must face the horrible reality that his demonic nemesis Asmoth has returned. But with Canon Black and even his own friends plotting against him can strange hope to defeat the undefeatable demon alone?
, a scriptwriter primarily known for his comedy work. It was directed by Joe Ahearne
, who had previously been responsible for both writing and directing the World Productions
vampire serial Ultraviolet
for Channel 4
.
The six episodes were shot on location and at Ealing Studios
, and filming concluded on 23 December 2002. Filming was split into two blocks; the first (made up of episodes 1, 2 and 5) was directed by Aherne and the second by Simon Massey, who had previously worked on Ballykissangel
. Marshall wrote the first regular episode as an introduction to the characters and the scenario, despite having already done so for the pilot. He attributed this to the BBC's policy of not repeating pilots; he had to introduce new viewers who may not have seen the pilot.
A second season was planned and Kevin was to have been found dead in the first episode.
In the United States
, Strange has been broadcast by the cable television
network Showtime, on one of its specialist subsidiary channels and in July 2009 the series started airing on Chiller
. The UK Sci-Fi Channel
screened all seven episodes of Strange in both 2006 and 2007.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama series, produced by the independent production company Big Bear Productions for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, which aired on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. It consists of a single one-hour pilot episode screened in March 2002, followed by a series of six one-hour episodes broadcast in the summer of 2003. The supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
storyline involved a defrocked
Defrocking
To defrock, unfrock, or laicize ministers or priests is to remove their rights to exercise the functions of the ordained ministry. This may be due to criminal convictions, disciplinary matters, or disagreements over doctrine or dogma...
priest's mission to destroy demons.
Plot
The series follows former priest John Strange (Richard CoyleRichard Coyle
Richard Coyle is an English actor.-Early life:Coyle was born in Sheffield, England to Irish parents. He began his acting career after a stint working on a ferry entertaining passengers, where he was told by a theatre director that he had a talent and should pursue it further...
), dismissed from the clergy under mysterious circumstances. He was implicated in a number of gruesome murders, murders that he says were done by demons. Now he seeks those responsible and to clear his name. To help him in his hunt for demons, John has Toby (Bryan Dick
Bryan Dick
Bryan Dick is an English actor, who has starred in multiple motion pictures, television series, and stage productions in both the United Kingdom and United States.-Background:...
in the pilot, Andrew-Lee Potts
Andrew-Lee Potts
Andrew-Lee Potts is an English actor.He attended Intake High School Arts College and began his career in Musical Theatre. Potts is best known for his role as quirky student Connor Temple on ITV's science fiction programme Primeval, starring with his real-life fiancée, Hannah Spearritt...
in the series), a technological expert who is in charge of the equipment John uses to sense the presence of demons, and Kevin (Timmy Lang). Kevin has Down's syndrome, which appears to enable him to sense the presence of demons and is often an early warning that something supernatural is about to happen in the area. Jude (Samantha Janus
Samantha Janus
Samantha Zoe Womack is an English actress, singer and director, both on television and stage. In recent years she has been best known for playing the role of Ronnie Branning in EastEnders, but made her name in the early 1990s as Mandy Wilkins in Game On, and also represented the United Kingdom in...
), a former scientist who works as a nurse, is interested because she found out that her partner Rich was a demon. With Rich dead, her main concern is that the son they had together, Joey (William Tomlin
William Tomlin
William Tomlin is a British child actor known for playing Michael in The Story Of Tracy Beaker and Joey in Strange.William Tomlin no longer takes part in the media industry and does not take part in any acting at all as he is no longer attending Sylvia Young Theatre School.William used to attend...
), could also be a demon. John's mission is hampered by Canon Black (Ian Richardson
Ian Richardson
Ian William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
), who is intent on denying the presence of dark forces.
Demons
The Demons in Strange vary from non human to near humans. Near humans are distinguishable by their non human eye colouring which can vary from blood red, silver or gold and the demon is capable of concealing the eyes colour with a sort of nictating membrane which makes the eyes appear human. They are capable of interbreeding with humans and many demons have assimilated themselves in to human society,; hiding in plain sight and using their human identities and professions as cover for their activities. Non-human demons live in the fringes of society or hibernate is isolated areas unless their rest is disturbed. They are difficult to kill and require special methods to end their lives and have reputedly long lifespans. When a demon dies its body will explode in a ball of flame. The Demons of the series include:Azaal: A demon capable of turning it self in to electricity in order to hunt and kill its victims. The demon has a deep hatred of the church and was found of attacking churches during lightning storms and it eventually helped man discover electricity so that its killings could become easier and more frequent. In modern times it assumed the identity of a courier named Rich and fathered a child with Jude. When Azaal started to sense that a powerful demon called Asmoth was close to awakening to begin its next feeding cycle he began to kill again to gain favour with the demon. He was killed by Jude and Strange when they managed to ground his electrical form though he continued to haunt Jude in dreams about the arrival of Asmoth.
Zoxim: A demon originally from Africa that must feed on human life energy every seven years or perish. The demon was known for feeding on weary travelers and in ancient times traveled in a cart to avoid suspicion. In modern times it assumes the human identity of a minister's wife and travels on a bus at night, feeding at subsequently aging its victims to death and dumps them all over the city to avoid suspicion. It is killed when Strange is able to stop it from feeding on Jude; its intended last victim, causing the creature to rapidly age and die.
Quasami: Known has the warrior devil and servant of the non-corporeal demon Kaa Jinn. Quasami assumes the identity of a tattoo parlour owner where he is then able to mark victims with the mark of his master. His most unique feature is a retractable red hot samurai sword that grows between his middle and index finger. Attempting to create a new body for his master he tattoos unsuspecting people with his master's symbol with poison tattoo ink and then amputating the limb the tattoo is on. He almost successful in mission only for him to die when Strange tricked him in to stabbing his semi formed master causing them both to die.
Kaa Jinn: A non corporeal Japanese demon whose original body was destroyed by a Japanese hero in ancient times. He is partially able to regain a body when his servant fashions him one from the parts of sacrificial victims with only the left arm missing. He is defeated when Strange tricks Quasami in to stabbing him; causing them both to explode.
The Banshi: A human who sacrificed her soul to the Costa Bura in exchange for being allowed to survive a plague that swept their village. She becomes a banshi and must follow the plague and summon the Costa Bura to earth with her demonic cries so it may harvest the souls of the dead. It became part of a Victorian family when the plague eventually died out and befriended the family's unruly daughter Pandora. Sickened by Pandora's father constantly abusing her the demon summoned the Costa Bura to take him only for people to the think Pandora was to blame which led to the girl's death. When Pandora's body is discovered walled up in the cathedral the Banshi begins killing all those involved in the discovery to hide its shame. The demon eventually allows itself to be taken by the Costa Bura as it can no longer tolerate its immortality after the loss of the first human in ever genuinely cared for.
The Costa Bura: Known as the Death Coach, the Costa Bura appears on Earth in times of plague to harvest the souls of the dead or when especially summoned. When it arrives on earth it cannot leave empty handed. It created the Banshi out of a human child to be its servant and to summon it to more victims. In the end the coach returns to hell with the Banshee herself who has given up on life after the death of her human friend Pandora.
Milan Incubai: Reptilian demons that once terrorised Milan and were cultivated by a nameless demon to spread chaos and panic. The demons can only grow surrounded by human flesh which the nameless demon is able to achieve by placing incubai embryos in breast implants and harvesting the emerging young. They are killed when they attack the nameless Demon in their blood lust and die in his explosion wake.
The Nameless Demon: A demon of unknown origin that some believe is an adult Incubai that once terrorised Millian with its offspring. It has the power to control and paralyse victims with its glare which allows it to trap victims and implant incubai embryos within them. Strange and Jude uncover its operation in a cosmetic surgery hospital were it has been implanting the embryos in breast implants with plans to release the young into the public when they bare strong enough. It is killed when Jude and Strange cover it with blood and lock it in the room with the incubai who kill it in a frenzy.
The Dubuykk: A demonic tree that was spawned when a hanging tree's roots fed on the blood of the condemned for many years creating a vampiric entity. Most active at night the Dubuykk can take the form of a deceased person from the victim's memory so it can draw its victim's closer to ensnare them. Originally contained in a forest in Hexagovinian and watched by a local family the demon was brought to England when loggers cut the tree down to make a coffin for one of their own who was killed the night before by the demon. The wood is tracked to a carpenter's house who the Dubuykk has killed and assumed his identity. It uses the carpenter's profession to place its wood in people's home so it can feed on them. It almost managed to kill Strange when it took Helen's form but he was rescued by Jude and they managed to kill the demon by burning down the house. It also vulnerable to a special axe blade that has been in the family that contains it.
Asmoth: An unseen demon in the show and Strange's demonic nemesis who murdered Strange's fiance Helen and scarred Strange with a wound has a reminder of the demon's victory over him. Asmoth is said to be the demon that demons fear and he is believed by some to be the inspiration for the Christian Devil. In ancient times humans both feared and worshiped him and he was once awake in the time of the witch trials. The only image of Asmoth seen in the show is one painted by Father Bernad who's eyes were clawed out by Asmoth so that no one would be able to identify him. Though abstract the painting shows a pale skinned, dark haired man with black eyes. Asmoth normally hibernates has a human for several years until he needs to feed. At that point Strange explained the demon is consumed by a terrible hunger for human flesh which gets worse has time goes on, at first he will devour corpses but as his hunger get worse he moves on to live victims with his chief delight being to devour his victims alive. He apparently returns at the end of the series when bones are discovered in a locker and murdered people are discovered with bite marks on them though it is eventually revealed to be the work of a disturbed young man. However before Strange is beaten by some police hired by Canon Black, Asmoth sends him a taunting message in a dream saying "I win Again" meaning the demon has awakened and can now feed with Strange unable to stop him.
Episodes
Pilot: Jude is a young woman working in a hospital and is happily living with her boyfriend Rich, a courier, and their son. After a priest turns up in her ward horribly charred during a thunder storm, Jude is given details on John Strange, a mysterious, distant man who may be able to solve the case. Strange introduces Jude to demons and tells her that a demon is walking amongst them in human form and that it is a demon responsible for the priest's death. Jude makes a horrifying discovery that her boyfriend, Rich, is the demon in question.Episode 1: Zoxim: Jude is concerned her son may have inherited his father's demonic talents and seeks out Strange's advice. Soon there are more pressing concerns when withered corpses are discovered. Has a New demon awoken in London?
Episode 2: A missing priest and the killing of group of young boys start the next mystery for Strange. The race is on when these killing are discovered to a greater and more sinister motive that they first thought.
Episode 3: The opening of an old tomb awakens a deadly and ancient evil. Strange and Jude must find and defeat the plague spreading demon and its master before a new deadly outbreak is unleashed.
Episode 4: When one of Strange's team is accused of murder, Strange must work to prove his innocence and find the true demonic culprit. Meanwhile Jude is about to fall in to a deadly trap.
Episode 5: When Strange is given a job by Canon Black involving a demon he is naturally suspicious. Unfortunately the demon proves to be very real and forces Strange to re live a horrible event from his past.
Episode 6: Asmoth: With the discovery of gnawed human remains Strange must face the horrible reality that his demonic nemesis Asmoth has returned. But with Canon Black and even his own friends plotting against him can strange hope to defeat the undefeatable demon alone?
Production
All six episodes of the series were written by Andrew MarshallAndrew Marshall (writer)
Andrew Marshall is an English comedy screenwriter, most noted for the domestic sitcom 2point4 children. He was also the inspiration for Marvin the Paranoid Android in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...
, a scriptwriter primarily known for his comedy work. It was directed by Joe Ahearne
Joe Ahearne
Joe Ahearne is a British television writer and director, best known for his work on several fantasy-based programmes including Ultraviolet and Doctor Who...
, who had previously been responsible for both writing and directing the World Productions
World Productions
World Productions is a British television production company, founded in the early 1990s by acclaimed producer Tony Garnett. The company's first major series was the police drama Between The Lines , and throughout the decade they went on to produce a succession of highly successful drama series...
vampire serial Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet (TV serial)
Ultraviolet is a 1998 British television serial written and directed by Joe Ahearne and starring Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Idris Elba and Philip Quast. It was produced by World Productions for Channel 4.-Synopsis:...
for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The six episodes were shot on location and at Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
, and filming concluded on 23 December 2002. Filming was split into two blocks; the first (made up of episodes 1, 2 and 5) was directed by Aherne and the second by Simon Massey, who had previously worked on Ballykissangel
Ballykissangel
Ballykissangel is a BBC television drama set in Ireland, produced in-house by BBC Northern Ireland. The original story revolved around a young English Roman Catholic priest as he became part of a rural community. It ran for six series, which were first broadcast on BBC One in the UK from 1996 to 2001...
. Marshall wrote the first regular episode as an introduction to the characters and the scenario, despite having already done so for the pilot. He attributed this to the BBC's policy of not repeating pilots; he had to introduce new viewers who may not have seen the pilot.
A second season was planned and Kevin was to have been found dead in the first episode.
Broadcast and reception
Broadcast on Saturday nights, the series was hampered by frequent timeslot changes, the long gap between the pilot and the series and the BBC's decision not to repeat the pilot before the series aired. The viewing figures were low, and a second series was not commissioned. However, to mark five years since the original broadcast, creator Andrew Marshall wrote an additional short story entitled 'Ramset.'In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Strange has been broadcast by the cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
network Showtime, on one of its specialist subsidiary channels and in July 2009 the series started airing on Chiller
Chiller (TV channel)
Chiller is a 24-hour American cable and satellite television channel specializing in horror and suspense programming. conglomerate NBCUniversal.- Origin :...
. The UK Sci-Fi Channel
Sci Fi channel (United Kingdom)
Syfy is a television channel service specialising in science fiction, fantasy and horror shows and movies. It is available via digital cable, IPTV, satellite television and Top Up TV platforms. The channel launched in 1995 in the UK a sister channel to the US Sci Fi Channel , with a similar...
screened all seven episodes of Strange in both 2006 and 2007.
External links
- Strange at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
- Strange (2002 pilot) at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
. - Strange (2003 series) at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
. - "Strange Online" The definitive fansite featuring exclusive material from the writer and others involved with the production