TV2 Mini-Series: Flood
TV2 Mini-Series: Flood
About the show
A bright autumn morning, London shines in all its glory - its
architecture, its iconic river and the impressive edifice of the
Thames Barrier gleaming in the sunlight. Meanwhile, in Scotland, a
storm of hurricane proportions crashes into the coast, devastating
the sleepy town of Wick. Mountainous tides barrel mercilessly along
the North Coast of Britain, heading for London. However the
authorities remain sceptical that nature could deal any blow that
London's Thames Barrier, the largest fixed tidal defence in the
world, could not withstand. But the reality is that the storm and
seasonal high seas will soon converge in the Thames causing a
colossal surge, big enough to flood London.
Rob Morrison, (Robert Carlyle) head of Atlantis Engineering, is
just back from holiday and he's annoyed to be called to the Thames
Barrier for a maintenance check. His ex-wife, Sam, (Jesslyn Gilsig)
the Barrier's Director of Operations, is the last person he wants
to see. Meanwhile his estranged father, engineering genius
Professor Leonard Morrison (Tom Courtenay) is desperately
attempting to contact the Barrier high command with a warning about
the potential ineffectiveness of the structure. Upon receiving the
news that a colleague has drowned during the devastation at Wick
and with soaring water levels and a unique set of weather
conditions closing in, Rob realises that his father's worst
predictions are coming true. Rob, Sam and Leonard must put aside
their personal differences to mount an operation to save London
from certain destruction.
After a dramatic forecast of the devastation to come from crisis control centre, COBRA, headed by Patricia Nash, (Joanne Whalley), the Deputy Prime Minister (David Suchet) finally begins the evacuation of the capital. Is it too late? Reports indicate that transport systems throughout the capital will come to a standstill in four hours and anyone left behind will have no way out. As a pillar of authority, Nash faces difficult decisions, knowing that her own daughters are lost in the heart of the city.
Then the unthinkable happens: the Barrier is overwhelmed by an immense and terrifying surge. Water flows into London at a terrifying rate and volume, causing panic in the Underground as the torrent cascades through the tunnels. Thousands of trapped passengers are drowned. The devastation continues as the city's landmarks -Tower Bridge, the London Eye and Big Ben- are all submerged. Eight million Londoners are about to become heroes or victims as they struggle to survive the biggest disaster Britain's capital has ever faced.
Having narrowly escaped the Barrier with their lives, Rob, Sam and Leonard realise that to save London, they must return to its submerged machine room and implement a high-risk plan to drain the city of water. It's a race against time and the lives of millions of Londoners are in their hands. What happens next will determine whether the city survives or is wiped off the face of the earth.
*Captions available on TVNZ Teletext page 801*

