If anyone ever asks me what my favourite Cinderella story is, my answer will be shouting Ever After (1998) at the top of my lungs before they can even finish the question. Perfect Cinderella, perfect Prince Charming, perfect Leonardo da Vinci as the fairy godmother. Perfect, perfect, perfect. As a result, Dougary Scott has always been a favourite of mine and I’m therefore *shock Pikachu face* at the fact that this BBC adaption of a classic science fiction novel from 1951 with the classic Prince Charming has somehow escaped my notice. At least I’ve found it now!

The Day of the Triffids is two-part series that follows Bill Masen and Jo Playton after a meteor shower has left most of the world blind. For context, triffids are a source of alternative fuel that is pollution free and easy to grow, but at a steep risk – these plants eat people. Global warming has been diverted by these plants, but they’re not safe and must be kept under constant watch. Bill, a scientist who has spent his life studying triffids after a sting from one killed his mother, and Jo, a reporter, escaped the blindness (two of the few who did), but not the triffids.

Bill and Jo cross paths as panic breaks out and chaos ensues as a result of so many losing their sight all at once. At the same time, the triffids, now unwatched, begin to wreak havoc on London. While what’s left of the government try and gather supplies, and a man named Coker rallies those who have been blinded by the meteor to keep them safe, the triffids spread across the land and the only ones emphasising their danger are Bill and Jo. Everyone else is more concerned with the obvious diversions of everything going wrong, believing the pair’s fears overblown. (Narrator: Their fears were not overblown.)

Dougray Scott and Joely Richardson are fantastic in this! I wasn’t expecting to see Jason Priestly in a BBC production, but his character makes for a good introduction. He plays Coker, a man furious at the lack of care being shown to those who have been blinded and becomes an activist of sorts, although his tactics take questionable directions. I wasn’t expecting to see Eddie Izzard either, and his character becomes a supplementary antagonist alongside the triffids and adds to the chaos and fear that permeate every scene.

If you’re looking for a science fiction miniseries with a solid cast and a different take on unravelling of society, this one is a good diversion from zombies and aliens. This time, it’s plants!