Stark (TV series)

1993 British TV series or programme

Stark

Written by| Ben Elton
Directed by| Nadia Tass
Starring| Ben Elton
Jacqueline McKenzie
Colin Friels
Deborra-Lee Furness
Derrick O'Connor
Bill Wallis
Bill Hunter
Theme music composer| Colin Towns
Country of origin| United Kingdom
Australia
Original language| English
No. of episodes| 3
Production
Producers| David Parker
Michael Wearing
Timothy White
Running time| 158 mins
Original release
Network| ABC TV
Release| 11 August (1993-08-11) –
12 August 1993 (1993-08-12)
Network| BBC2
Release| 8 December (1993-12-08) –
22 December 1993 (1993-12-22)

Stark is a 1993 British-Australian television serial, based on the bestselling 1989 novel Stark by comedian Ben Elton. The three-episode series, directed by Nadia Tass, was an international coproduction between the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It starred Ben Elton and Jacqueline McKenzie.

## Synopsis

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The story is a comedic telling of an action adventure,[1] based on Ben Elton's bestselling 1989 novel Stark.

## Cast

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* Ben Elton as CD (Colin Dobson)
* Jacqueline McKenzie as Rachel O'Donoghue
* Colin Friels as Sly Morgan
* Deborra-Lee Furness as Chrissie
* Derrick O'Connor as Zimmerman
* Bill Wallis as Walter
* Bill Hunter as Ocker Tyron
* John Neville as Lord De Quincey
* Anne Scott-Pendlebury as Sly's secretary
* David Argue
* Marshall Napier as Private Detective (2 episodes)
* Michael Veitch as TV Presenter

## Production

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The budget for the series was A$7 million, with most of the money coming from the BBC. Elton wrote the script adapted from his own novel, as well as taking the starring role as the "whinging Pom", CD.[2][1]

Nadia Tass directed the series, while David Parker, Michael Wearing, and Timothy White were co-producers. Wearing also executive produced, along with Jill Robb. Ken Sallows edited the film, while Laurence Eastwood was responsible for production design.[1]

Stark is an Australia/United Kingdom co-production.[1]

Although Stark is primarily set in Western Australia, the series was filmed in two other Australian states: Victoria and South Australia. Desert scenes, which make up much of the later episodes, were filmed in and around Coober Pedy.[citation needed]

## Broadcast

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Stark was first aired by the ABC in Australia over two nights on 11 and 12 August (the first and second episodes were edited together into one movie-length episode; the third episode aired as the second and final episode in Australia). The series did not air in the United Kingdom until it appeared on BBC2 on Wednesday nights from 8–22 December.

## Differences between the series and the novel

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The main changes from the plot of the novel were the extent of the Stark Consipiracy's plan, and the ending. In the novel, Rachel escapes from Stark just prior to the launch, the Star Arks land at their moonbase and the conspirators are quickly consumed by their own greed, selfishness and hatred, with Sly eventually committing suicide. In the series, Lord de Quincy intends to scuttle a fleet of 'leper ships' carrying toxic waste, to actually hasten the extinction of the human species. Sly boards the rocket with Rachel, who has fallen in love with him, and the pair stage a mutiny, although they are killed when the Star Arks are shot down by the United States Air Force. In an interview included on the DVD edition, Elton states that this change was suggested by producer Michael Wearing, who was concerned that the novel lacked a "jeopardy point".[2]

Several of the main characters' names are also changed in the series: Sly Moorcock was renamed Sly Morgan, and Lord Playing is renamed Lord De Quincey.

## References

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1. ^ a b c d "Stark". Screen Australia. The Screen Guide. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
2. ^ a b An Interview with Ben Elton, Stark DVD, July 2007.

## External links

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* Stark (1993) (TV) at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Ben Elton

Television|

* The Young Ones (1982)
* There's Nothing to Worry About! (1982)
* Alfresco (1983)
* Saturday Live/Friday Night Live (1985)
* Happy Families (1985)
* Filthy Rich & Catflap (1986)
* Blackadder II (1986)
* Blackadder the Third (1987)
* Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)
* The Man from Auntie (1990)
* Mr. Bean (1990)
* Stark (1993)
* The Thin Blue Line (1995)
* The Ben Elton Show (1998)
* Blessed (2005)
* Get a Grip (2007)
* Live from Planet Earth (2011)
* The Wright Way (2013)
* Upstart Crow (2016–20)

Theatre|

* Gasping (1990)
* Silly Cow (1991)
* Popcorn (1996)
* Blast from the Past (1998)
* The Beautiful Game (1998)
* We Will Rock You (2002)
* Tonight's the Night (2003)
* Love Never Dies (2010)
* The Upstart Crow (2020)
* Twiggy The Musical (2023)

Novel|

* Stark (1989)
* Gridlock (1991)
* This Other Eden (1993)
* Popcorn (1996)
* Blast from the Past (1998)
* Inconceivable (1999)
* Dead Famous (2001)
* High Society (2002)
* Past Mortem (2004)
* The First Casualty (2005)
* Chart Throb (2006)
* Blind Faith (2007)
* Meltdown (2010)
* Two Brothers (2012)
* Time and Time Again (2014)
* Identity Crisis (2019)

Film|

* Maybe Baby (2000)
* Three Summers (2017)
* All Is True (2018)

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