tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post6036996335291839672..comments2024-03-26T13:44:31.435+00:00Comments on Curious British Telly: The Mad Death: DVD ReviewBen Rickettshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749284122022718064noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-22708915388781553962021-03-02T23:50:34.133+00:002021-03-02T23:50:34.133+00:00As memory serves, a very disturbing serial, but co...As memory serves, a very disturbing serial, but compelling and well written and performed<br /><br />I recently came across a collection of episodes of Z Cars (from the later years of the series, the colour era in the 70s) that included an episode that may have been the inspiration for The Mad Death. An habitual criminal is arrested for causing a disturbance in a pub. Nothing unusual in that, but this criminal is a burglar who is not known to be violent. He is also suffering from some kind of illness/mania and is transferred to hospital. His symptoms including fever, delirium and irrational violence when offered a pint of beer and a later cup of tea when in custody. At first, both police and medical staff are baffled by his illness and behaviour until a doctor who has worked in India suspects rabies, although her suspicions are initial scoffed at and dismissed. It soon transpires that the burglar was bitten by an infected dog when burgling a house, the owners having recently been on a caravan holiday to the European mainland. They smuggled their beloved family pet along with them in the caravan to France, where it was bitten by an infected animal at the camp site. This, of course, was not reported to authorities in either France or the UK when they returned home and, because the by now highly infectious dog had ran off after the burglary (infecting at least one other dog) an entire town and surrounding area had to be put under quarrantine with a shoot to kill order for any strays. Not an easy episode to watch, but I felt it would have been more effective than a public information film at the time.Crazee Cat Laydeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12946885957103108099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-81663541459957601972018-08-21T11:07:17.767+01:002018-08-21T11:07:17.767+01:00I remember the opening credits and being scared as...I remember the opening credits and being scared as a child! May have to watch it again :-) Jamiehttp://www.winetravelandsong.comnoreply@blogger.com