The Tripods

James Harpham's theme does half the work before anyone speaks, and the camp stories never felt light even when you'd seen the episode before.

Over on the kids' dial that same week, the Tripods was midway through series two, Friday tea time on BBC One, Will learning more about the masters and the Hall of Beauty, caps on skulls, white mountains, and a proper sci-fi itch after school.

Tripods and Tenko in the same week is peak '85 scheduling.

One show about women surviving a camp, the other about kids dodging alien machines, and both stuck in the playground the next morning.

Before any review scores, a toys and tech beat, the Toy Retailers Association named Transformers Toy of the Year for 1985, Optimus Prime on the box, Autobots and Decepticons emptying shelves, and a second win waiting in '86.