Paula Milne’s drama serial White Heat (BBC2, Thursday) starts in 1965 which to some of us might seem like yesterday, but is equidistant between the end of the first world war and now. So to most people it’s ancient history. Various students in London are looking for accommodation, which is strange since Churchill died in January, around the start of their second term.
Doesn’t matter. You take your historical milestones where you find them. The students are selected by their young landlord Jack, a reach-me-down leftie whose father is a wealthy Tory MP. Jack wants them to be part of a socialist commune reflecting all demographics — white, black, gay, working class, and so forth. Jack has the odious arrogance of many public school lefties. You’d think members of his ideal society would want to save time and drink the Kool-Aid now. But they stick it out.
Because it’s 1965, we expect to hear The Who singing ‘My Generation’ at any moment, and 9 mins 05 seconds in we do.
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