简介：'JohnnyandtheBomb'istheperfectexampleoftheBBCactuallyusingourlicencefeemoneytoproduceexcellententertainmentinsteadofsquanderingitondrearysoapsandrepetitivemusiccompetitions. Thistelevisionteendrama,basedonTerryPratchett'snovel,centresthewhirl-windadventurethirteen-year-oldJohnnyandhisfriendsaredrawnintowhentheyhelpaseeminglyhomelessoldwomanMrsTachyon.TheydiscoverhertrolleyofbinbagscontainnotrubbishbutameansoftravellingbackintimeandtheysoonfindthemselvesrelivingtheBlitz,circa1941.However,bymessingwiththetimeline,thechildrenareforcedtofacetherepercussionswhentheyreturntotheirowntimeandfindouttheychangedhistory,resultinginJohnny'sgrandmotherbeingkilledasateenagegirlinaGermanbombing.TheganghavetoputthingsrightotherwisetheywillhavecreatedafuturewhereJohnnyhadneverbeenborn. Thecharactersareallsolidandengaging(andunliketherecent'HarryPotter'adaptations,thereisnodumbingdownorsexingupoftheyoungcharactersjusttoappealtokiddies),remainingtruetohowtheyareinthebook,withthechildactorsthrowingthemselvesintotheircharacters.Thekidsalldelivergreatperformancesdespitethefacttheyareallrelativelynewtotheactingscene.AndZoeWannamakerisexcellentasthescatter-brained,eccentricMrsTachyon. 'JohnnyandtheBomb'isanicemixofsciencefiction,lightfantasy,dramawithasmidgenofromance.Itdoesn'tjustshowthekidsprancingabouthavingagoodtimeintheFortiesbutdealswithhowtheycopewiththisunfamiliartime,touchingonracialandsexualstereotypesthekidshaveneverreallycomeacrossbefore.Assuch,whileitisaimedatteenagersprimarily,adultswhoarefansofPratchettnovelsorjustlikesci-fi/lite-fantasywillnodoubtthoroughlyenjoythis.Asanadaptation,Ithinkitiscertainlyasuccess.Obviouslytherearesomechangesfromthenovelbut,forthemostpart,ithasremainedfaithfulanddefinitelymaintainstheessenceofwhatmadethebookagreatread. IonlyhopetheBBCmakemoredramasofthisveinasitisdefinitelymoreentertainingthantheusualdrivelyoutendtofinditairing.Dramas,beitthoseaimedatkidsoradults,aretheBBC'sstrongpointanditisashametheydon'tproducemoreas'JohnnyandtheBomb'isprobablyoneofthebestBritishshowsI'veseenthisyear.ItwouldbenicetohavethisavailableonDVDatsomepointsoon.…