I have just introduced Bugs to my 14-year-old son, who loved it. 25 years on from the first series, it's better than I remembered, with some very prophetic insights into the impact of technology on society.
The first two series have a very distinct identity. There was a "house style" which only allowed plain, primary colours, particularly blue and yellow (no actors were seen wearing any patterns of any sort) and most of the location filming was set around Canary Wharf. The scripts were centered around the technology and the three main characters were largely two-dimensional, with rather wooden dialogue.
In the third series, there seems to have been a change of direction. The house style was largely abandoned and there was a move to flesh out the main characters, with more insight into their past. The dialogue was more naturalistic and Bugs began to feel more like a programme for grown-ups. The addition of Jan and Alex gave a stale format a big boost.
The decision to have another actor play Ed, in the fourth series, was a huge mistake.
25 years on, Bugs comes across as a highly accomplished piece of entertainment. If you can turn a blind eye to the clichéd, leaden dialogue, it is an enjoyable piece of escapism for older children of all ages.
The first two series have a very distinct identity. There was a "house style" which only allowed plain, primary colours, particularly blue and yellow (no actors were seen wearing any patterns of any sort) and most of the location filming was set around Canary Wharf. The scripts were centered around the technology and the three main characters were largely two-dimensional, with rather wooden dialogue.
In the third series, there seems to have been a change of direction. The house style was largely abandoned and there was a move to flesh out the main characters, with more insight into their past. The dialogue was more naturalistic and Bugs began to feel more like a programme for grown-ups. The addition of Jan and Alex gave a stale format a big boost.
The decision to have another actor play Ed, in the fourth series, was a huge mistake.
25 years on, Bugs comes across as a highly accomplished piece of entertainment. If you can turn a blind eye to the clichéd, leaden dialogue, it is an enjoyable piece of escapism for older children of all ages.