I have a huge affection for the more sci-fi and folklore oriented children television shows from the 70s and early 80s including shows like Children of the Stones, Under the Mountain and Chocky.
The opening credits are suitably weird and spooky.
I'd seen a lot about Sky as it featured quite heavily in my Amazon searches for these type of series so thought I'd finally give it a go. Before watching the show, I did some research and found that this 1975 production was timely as the optimism and hope of the mid to late 60s had dissipated and given way to political unrest, high inflation and strikes here in England. Life was not easy for the masses and this is reflected in the media from the time- including Sky.
In Sky, a trio of teens find a space traveller under piles of leaves while on a pheasant shoot. He takes the human looking alien traveller home to help him in his mission but a malevolent force wishes to do him ill. Over the course of seven episodes, we have a cat and mouse tale of good versus evil but we do not get a view of the larger picture until the denouement. It all involves The Book of Merlin, Glastonbury, messianic figures from history, Stone Henge and stone circles. Y'know, the usual 1970s fare that was in thrall of Erich Von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods.
Watching this with no nostalgia, I can say that it is a typically low budget but atmospheric series. It is of its time and so its economy of design means that the tone is eerie and the pacing languid. However, even with this limited budget, the show is genuinely creepy with eerie music, unsettling imagery, and a pervasive sense of dread. The special effects, while dated by today's standards, must have been surprisingly sophisticated for the era and added much to the show's eerie atmosphere. The distorted visuals, strange lights, and a general air of otherworldly menace through the use of early green screen all adds to the weirdness.
So, nearly 50 years after its release, Sky remains a chilling, unsettling blend of science fiction and the supernatural. It wasn't some whimsical adventure but seemed prescient as Sky's own world was one of ecological disaster and societal breakdown, and his presence in our time hinted at a similar fate awaiting us further down the line. The themes of environmentalism, social responsibility, and the dangers of unchecked technological advancement is one we are all examining now and, while this show was aimed at children, its willingness to tackle darker themes must be what makes it a truly memorable piece of children's television for those who saw it the first time round.
LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review
LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review
LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review