'Alternative Three’ a TV puzzler

Press, 27 October 1977, Page 6

'Alternative Three’ a TV puzzler

By

KEN COATES

South Pacific Television's 60-minute Anglia programme, "Alternative Three” — promoting the idea of a secret colony on Mars or the Moon — which was screened last evening looked like an elaborate imported hoax. No advance publicity explaining the programme or its appearance in place of the advertised “Dan August” crime series was supplied by the channel. But “Alternative Three” was promoted by S.P.T. this week as a sensational documentary that would reveal vital information. A Christchurch spokesman for the channel said last evening that the programme looked like a hoax. When a television camera was mounted in a car, there was no sign of the windscreen or pillars in the film, and the sound was perfect.

Likewise an interview with a former astronaut appeared carefully scripted. The film, suggesting top level United States and Russian collusion, carried the date April 1, 1977 — and this implies its own explanation. Television hoaxes have been reported from Britain, but just what S.P.T. considers it offered viewers by importing this one is difficult to determine. “Alternative Three” appeared to have been produced deliberately to deceive, and S.P.T. was irresponsible in screening it, particularly without explanation afterwards. The giggle from the continuity announcer at the conclusion was hardly sufficient explanation. After all. there are many times when television in this country desires to be taken seriously.