The Jensen Code

The Jensen Code was a highly unusual children’s thriller series, written by Carey Harrison (author son of actor Rex Harrison), and starring David (Dai) Bradley, the BAFTA-winning young star of Kes, as the teenager who unwittingly uncovers a terrifying space-age espionage project.

The series was produced by ATV’s head of Children’s programmes Alan Coleman (current ATV Network president in 2010) who had previously directed ATV serial Crossroads and went on to create The Young Doctors in Australia for Grundy Productions.

This complete 13-part series, rarely seen since its original transmission in 1973, is released here for the first time in any format. Originally made in colour, The Jensen Code now exists only as black and white telerecordings made for overseas sales, the full colour episodes having been junked many years ago by ATV.

Storyline

Sixteen-year-old Terry Connor is sent, along with a few of his friends, to an Outward Bound centre. On his first day at the centre Terry is taken pot-holing by the senior instructor, Alex. All goes well until, at 100 feet underground, Alex goes to search for the torchthat Terry has dropped.Hours pass, and, to Terry’s astonishment, when Alex finally returns he has no recollection whatever of having been absent. Terry suspects something sinister is taking place – it is surely no coincidence that there is a secret Ministry of Defence establishment nearby. But just how deeply his curiosity will involve him in dangerous matters becomes clear when he learns the truth about the ‘Jensen Code’…

Special Features

For the first time in over 30 years viewers can see the only surviving colour footage of the programme as Network DVD have uncovered an incomplete, damaged colour version of episode six.

The discs also contain the sales brochure for the programme in PDF format.

Pictured: The Jensen Code filming, image courtesy of Alan Coleman.