History Series / EdgeOfDarkness

* {{Cameo}}: Two BBC newsreaders, a weatherman and Labour MP Michael Meacher (at this time Shadow Health Secretary) all appear as themselves

Ronald "Ronnie" Craven (Bob Peck, who won a BAFTA) is a Detective Inspector in the Yorkshire Constabulary; he was decorated for bravery in the line of duty during his time in [[UsefulNotes/TheTroubles Northern Ireland]]. His wife died of cancer, roughly a decade ago, since when he has brought his daughter Emma (Creator/JoanneWhalley) up single handed. As the story opens, she has grown up to be a politically radical student, who seems to be the only remaining person on the face of the planet who can make him smile. Ronnie drives her home from a political meeting -- trying to keep her out of the [[EmpathicEnvironment rain]], which has become [[AStormIsComing absurdly and suspiciously heavy]] -- whereupon she is shot dead by a balaclava-clad thug wielding a sawn-off shotgun. Later, a grieving Ronnie is going through Emma's belongings; he finds [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking a loaded gun, a geiger counter, her vibrator, and her old teddy-bear]].

* DownerEnding: Let's see... [[spoiler:Craven is left to die an agonizing death from radiation poisoning while Jedburgh is killed outright. Neither man achieves what they set out to achieve. Northmoor has been exposed, but the agencies assigned to investigate it are revealed to in fact be complicit in its work as part of the quest for nuclear supremacy. Thus, the production of plutonium and the conspiracy behind it go on without much issue at all, pushing the world closer to nuclear armageddon. While Jerry Grogan is fatally poisoned, his lieutenant Bennet remains at large, with Pendleton bitterly noting that he might very well be praised by the government for publicly admitting to having ordered the cruel murder of the GAIA team, meaning Emma's death ultimately goes unanswered for. Oh, and just in case all of that wasn't enough, the very planet itself has apparently deemed humanity to be an imminent threat to the continued existence of life, so much so that it is engineering a climate catastrophe to kill them off before they take everything else down with them.]] So bleak are these circumstances that when asked to pick a side between the human race and the planet, Craven sides with ''the planet''.

* DownerEnding: Most of the main characters [[spoiler: are dead or dying of radiation poisoning by the end of the series. Craven is last seen crying to the heavens for his daughter Emma and is not expected to live long. While Northmoor has been exposed to the world, there's no sign of the plutonium program coming to a halt, something which the very planet seems to be aware of as it now recognizes humanity as a threat to the continued existence of life and is engineering a climate catastrophe to kill them off before their actions render the planet uninhabitable for all. If there's any good news to be had, it's that the story's villain Grogan is dying from exposure to his own plutonium, but that's small comfort at best...'']]

* DownerEnding: Most of the main characters [[spoiler: are dead or dying of radiation poisoning by the end of the series. Craven is last seen crying to the heavens for his daughter Emma and is not expected to live long. While Northmoor has been exposed to the world, there's no sign of the plutonium program coming to a halt. If there's any good news to be had, it's that the story's villain Grogan is dying from exposure to his own plutonium.]]

* FunWithAcronyms: Though never mentioned in the series, this troper is convinced that the evil corporation '''Fu'''sion '''C'''orporation of '''K'''ansas has an acronym.

On original broadcast, it proved so popular that, immediately after it finished its run on BBC Two, it was repeated on BBC One, a unique occurrence in the history of British Television. It was praised, and awarded, for its acting, scripting, and direction, and launched the career of Creator/MartinCampbell, who would later go on to direct ''Film/GoldenEye'' and ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'' for the ''Film/JamesBond'' franchise - and who cast Creator/JoeDonBaker as a cheery CIA agent in [=GoldenEye=] in direct reference to his role in this series. Oh, and [[Music/EricClapton Eric "Slow Hand" Clapton]] collaborated with Music/MichaelKamen to write the show's distinctive, haunting [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic score]].

On original broadcast, it proved so popular that, immediately after it finished its run on BBC Two, it was repeated on BBC One, a unique occurrence in the history of British Television. It was praised, and awarded, for its acting, scripting, and direction, and launched the career of Creator/MartinCampbell, who would later go on to direct ''Film/GoldenEye'' and ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' for the ''Film/JamesBond'' franchise - and who cast Creator/JoeDonBaker as a cheery CIA agent in [=GoldenEye=] in direct reference to his role in this series. Oh, and [[Music/EricClapton Eric "Slow Hand" Clapton]] collaborated with Music/MichaelKamen to write the show's distinctive, haunting [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic score]].

A classic - perhaps ''the'' classic - BritishConspiracyThriller. Troy Kennedy-Martin -- of ''Series/ZCars'' and ''Film/TheItalianJob1969'' fame -- wrote the screenplay as a [[WriterOnBoard cry of anguish]] against the contemporary political situation, and was rather startled when Creator/TheBBC decided to produce and broadcast it.

* ILoveNuclearPower: And why you really shouldn't.

* NewEraSpeech: We get one from a [[CardCarryingVillain disreputable]] [[ILoveNuclearPower character]].

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