My First Planet
My First Planet: The Complete s1-2
More ‘soc-fi’ than sci-fi, My First Planet charts the adventures of the first human colony on another planet. We’re aware that having been in deep cryosleep for 73 years, you may be in need of some supplementary information:
Personnel:
Unfortunately, Burrows the leader of the colony has died on the voyage, so his Number 2, Brian (Nicholas Lyndhurst) is now in charge. He's a nice enough chap, but no alpha male, and his desire to sort things out with a nice friendly meeting infuriates the colony's Chief Physician Lillian (Vicki Pepperdine), who'd really rather everyone was walking round in tight colour-coded tunics and saluting each other. She's also in charge of Project Adam, the plan to conceive and give birth to the first colony-born baby. Unfortunately, the two people hand-picked for this purpose – Carol (Best Edinburgh Newcomer Nominee 2011 Cariad Lloyd in the first series, Letty Butler in Series 2) and Richard (John Dorney) - were rather fibbing about being a couple, just to get on the trip.
Add in an entirely unscrupulous Chief Scientist, Mason (Tom Goodman-Hill) and also Archer (Writer Phil Whelans), an idiot maintenance man who believes he's an "empath" rather than a plumber and you’re all set to answer the question: if humankind were to colonize space, is it destined to succumb to self-interest, prejudice and infighting? (By the way, the answer’s “yes”. Sorry.)
The first series also featured guest performances by Gus Brown as ‘Scalding’ and Clever Peter’s own Richard Bond as the luckless ‘Carshalton’.
Series 1
“The Landing Has Landed”
Day 1 on the colony and they’ve lost the food, the air, the Commander and the Mood Music. Meanwhile, Chief Physician Lillian makes a terrible discovery about Project Adam…
“Hairdresser from Space”
Day 7 on the colony, and Mason stirs up an ethical nightmare involving a clone, a murder and some dreadlocks. Meanwhile, Archer the handyman attempts some repairs on his own head.
“The Noticeboard of Doom”
Day 27 and the colonists are torn between Richard’s newsletter and Archer’s hot pants. And which is more dangerous - Brian’s monkey wrench or Lillian’s “vitamin” drink?
“Inglorious Barters”
A queue for the loo and a rogue backrub threaten to blow up the colony. And just what is Lillian’s “Special Skill”…?
Series 2
The second series was commissioned almost straight away, and bumped up from a generous 4 episodes to a munificent 6! We had one casting change, where Letty Butler, of sketch group LetLuce took over the reins as Carol, and once again, we had some great guests over the series, including that splendid Penny Dreadful Thom Tuck and Oram & Meeten’s very own Tom Meeten...
My First Planet
Series 1
Show 1
"The Landing Has Landed"
First Tx: 11/04/12 11.30-12.00
Day 1 on the colony and they’ve lost the food, the air, the Commander and the Mood Music. Meanwhile, Chief Physician Lillian makes a terrible discovery about Project Adam
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Cariad Lloyd |
Richard | John Dorney |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 2
"Hairdresser From Space"
First Tx: 18/04/12 11.30-12.00
Day 7 on the colony, and Mason stirs up an ethical nightmare involving a clone, a murder and some dreadlocks. Meanwhile, Archer the handyman attempts some repairs on his own head.
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Cariad Lloyd |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guest | |
Scalding | Gus Brown |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 3
"The Noticeboard of Doom"
First Tx: 25/04/12 11.30-12.00
Day 27 and the colonists are torn between Richard’s newsletter and Archer’s hot pants. And which is more dangerous - Brian’s monkey wrench or Lillian’s “vitamin” drink”?
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Cariad Lloyd |
Richard | John Dorney |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 4
"Inglorious Barters"
First Tx: 02/05/12 11.30-12.00
A queue for the loo and a rogue backrub threaten to blow up the colony. And just what is Lillian’s “Special Skill”…?
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Cariad Lloyd |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guest | |
Carshalton | Richard Bond |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Series 2
Show 1
"Sample of Terror"
First Tx Radio 4 Extra: 21/07/14 09.00-09:30
05/09/14 11.30-12.00 Radio 4
It’s Day 30 on the colony and Brian has to win the Tour De France to save the contents of Lillian’s freezer. Meanwhile, Mason discovers that a nuclear core is not the best venue for some role-play...
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Letty Butler |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guest | |
Collins | Catherine Shepherd |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 2
"One Small Naughty Step For Man"
First Tx: 28/07/14 09.00-09:30 Radio 4 Extra
12/09/14 11.30-12.00 Radio 4
Day 32 and the colony teacher tells Carol & Richard to go and sit in the naughty airlock. Meanwhile Lillian has to face a deadly rival, armed only with a marker pen and the common cold
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Letty Butler |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guest | |
Miss Laura Botting | Kate Duchêne |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 3
"They Came To Test Our Brains"
First Tx: 04/08/14 09.00-09:30 Radio 4 Extra
19/09/14 11.30-12.00 Radio 4
A pub quiz and a talking yam spell disaster for Brian when he accidentally discovers his IQ. Oh - and that’s what Archer’s lungs look like. Thank you Lillian.
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Letty Butler |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guest | |
The Yam | Walter Plinge |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 4
"Adjective from Space!"
First Tx: 11/08/14 09.00-09:30 Radio 4 Extra
26/09/14 11.30-12.00 Radio 4
It’s election time on the colony - Richard goes for the youth vote while Brian’s campaign is based on feeding everyone some nauseating protein. And just who is the mysterious Security Officer hidden on the colony?
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Letty Butler |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guests | |
Jackie | Bekka Bowling |
The Security Man | Tom Meeten |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 5
"Let Me Entertain Me"
First Tx: 18/08/14 09.00-09:30 Radio 4 Extra
03/10/14 11.30-12.00 Radio 4
The discovery of a poet on the colony sets off a bomb, a monster, a sword-fight and a poem. But is Archer really capable of murder?
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Letty Butler |
Richard | John Dorney |
with special guest | |
The Poet Hopkin | Thom Tuck |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
Show 6
"Day Trip To Terror!"
First Tx: 25/08/14 09.00-09:30 Radio 4 Extra
10/10/14 11.30-12.00 Radio 4
What better time for Social Media to kick in than on a dangerous search-and-rescue mission on the planet’s surface? And just why is Lillian replacing her nose?
Starring | |
Brian | Nicholas Lyndhurst |
Lillian | Vicki Pepperdine |
Mason | Tom Goodman-Hill |
Archer | Phil Whelans |
Carol | Letty Butler |
Richard | John Dorney |
Written by | Phil Whelans |
Produced & directed by | David Tyler |
My First Planet
The complete first series is now available to buy as a download on iTunes or by clicking here.
And have a look at the lovely flyer we sent out to mark the start of the series by clicking here.