The Tripods: The Television Program (Series 1) Quiz

Answer: 2089

In the opening shot of the first episode, there is a caption which reads "A village in England, July 2089 AD". The date is also displayed at the start of other episodes. Since the first season of the series aired in 1984, this was slightly more than a century in the future. The original trilogy of books was published in 1966-1967 and there was the implication that it was set about a century in the future.

With the first few shots, we are already aware that something is wrong. This is not a future of gleaming metal and flying machines. The simpler buildings and horse drawn cart suggest a setting more akin to the 19th century than the 21st.

In some ways this episode can be compared to the first chapter of "The White Mountains". Though we see Will's cousin, Jack, drawn into the Tripod and a more elaborate presentation of the community celebration after he returns, we lose the conversation Will and Jack had before this event where Jack raised many questions about the Tripods to set the mood for the series. However, the episode does offer some conversation between Will and his mother, presenting a bit more of a female character. (One of the common criticisms of the original trilogy was dearth of female characters.)

Answer: Binoculars

Ozymandias shows Will the binoculars when he is explaining to him how he was able to observe people in the village from a distance. Though Ozymandias gives Will a watch during their conversation, it is a mechanical pocket watch.

When humans are "Capped" by the Tripods, most fall under the mental control of some mysterious beings. A small percentage, however, become mentally unbalanced and wander aimlessly. These are the Vagrants and each community maintains a Vagrant House for the benefit of the Vagrants who are temporarily part of their community.

Ozymandias is only posing as a Vagrant. Instead he is one of a number of agents who are recruiting Uncapped boys to run away to the White Mountain referred to this one time in the singular) to join a shadowy rebellion against the Tripods.

Answer: Black Guard

The members of the Black Guard we see wear all black uniforms. In their scenes about Captain Curtis's ship, they claim they are seeking those who are on the ship against their will. Later a group of Black Guard capture Will and Henry in a French port.

The Black Guard were a creation of the series. In the book series, though the Caps conditioned humans to obey the Tripods (and presumably their occupants), there was no group of individuals who acted as secret police on their behalf. This makes them in some ways even more sinister than the Tripods, since they are actively working against their own people (whether voluntarily or not is unclear).

It is suggested that use of human agents may have help save costs by limiting the use of expensive Tripod models and alien costuming. In addition it is suggested that it avoided the diluting impact of the Tripods and aliens through overuse.

Answer: Eyeglasses

When Beanpole first meets Will and Henry in the prison he explains that his eyes are "weak". He describes his eyeglasses as "lunettes" or "little moons" that he designed himself.

Beanpole's real name is Jean-Paul, but Will and Henry feel that the French pronunciation of his name sounds more like "beanpole". In addition, Beanpole is thin and tall of stature.

Beanpole provides several advantages to the group. Since much of their journey is through France, his ability to speak both French and English will be helpful to Will and Henry who only speak English. (In the series, however, the dialogue is primarily in English.) In addition, he has interest in and knowledge of the science of the "ancients" (humanity before the Tripods came).

Answer: Railway

When mentioning that he wishes to see the Shmand Fair (or "chemin de fer"), Benapole says that he does not know the English word for it and he cannot describe it (perhaps because he has not seen it before. In a later scene, the boys are walking along metal tracks when the Shmand Fair appears with the sound of a whistle. It is a train driven by a steam locomotive and the three boys get out of its way.

In the book, the Shmand Fair was instead a series of boxy carts pulled by horses along the rails. Perhaps this change allowed the producers to film this scene with an existing restored tourist railway more easily (and cheaply).

In addition, the ride along the rails allows the boys to visit the large ruined city. In the books, it was implied that this city was Paris. In the television series, it is more blatant with shots of the damaged Eiffel Tower and Arc d'Triumph. Much of Episode 4 details their exploration of Paris. While in the book the city was deserted, in the episode, there is a group of mysterious people (perhaps Vagrants) who follow and attack the three boys at one point.

Answer: Will

The episode opens with Henry and Beanpole pulling a cart in which Will lies. The three boys are discovered and brought to the chateau by retainers of the Comte Ricordeau and his wife. Once there, Will is brought to a special bedroom where he is nursed by Christophe, a member of the Chateau's household, and the Comte's daughter, Eloise.

A significant part of this episode is dedicated to showing a developing relationship between Will and Eloise. She is John Christopher's (author of the original trilogy) most developed female character in a series which has very few female characters. Her and her parents provide a good example that the Caps may control the wearer's thoughts about the Tripods but do not necessarily block other part of the wearer's personality and character.

During this episode, a growing rift also develops between Will and Henry. Henry, most resistant to accepting their life at the Chateau, is anxious to reach the White Mountains and sees no problems with taking supplies from the chateau as part of this goal. Will, who is particularly close to the family, feels that it is wrong to steal supplies from the family who has taken them in.

Answer: Henry wins the archery competition

Henry and Beanpole have left the Chateau to continue towards the White Mountains and are absent during the tournament. The Tripod appears on the screen more than once during the tournament. In a previous episode, the Comte has told Will that the presence of the Tripod will make this tournament stand out. The final two competitors in the tournament compete in the joust. During the three passes, the Duc de Sarlat (one of the finalists) gains the advantage and on the third pass is able to unhorse his opponent, who is helped off the field by the attendants.

Early in the episode, the Comte announces that his daughter and Will are betrothed and will be married the next spring. By the end, the winner of the tournament has named Eloise the queen of the tournament. This leads to her being taken away by the Tripod with several others. Sorrow at this loss, finally leads Will to leave the Chateau in the next episode and renew his journey to the White Mountains.

Answer: Grapes

The Vichot family has a vineyard. In more than one scene the three boys are scene helping the family process the grapes. The family, which includes several daughters, did not appear in the novel "The White Mountains", but was instead created for the television series. John Christopher, still alive when the series was produced, felt the family with its daughters was an unnecessary addition to the boys' journey.

However, his trilogy, as written, included very few female characters.

Answer: Record player

Madame Vichot tells them that her Capping must not have been completely successful since she has retained some curiosity and wonder. As a teenager she traveled to several places and brought home various artifacts. One squarish wooden device she describes as producing music when black disks (record albums) were placed on it.

She says that it no longer works. It is unclear whether she took possession at a location where electric power was still accessible and it is not at her home or if there is some other reason why the device no longer works.

Answer: They use a weapon to damage the Tripod

The boys have brought a few grenades with them from the ruins of Paris which they had visited several weeks previously. A first grenade damages one of the Tripods legs. When an opening appears in the body of the Tripod, they throw a second grenade inside which seems to cause further damage, rendering the Tripod inoperable. Though other Tripods later arrive to attempt to capture Will, Henry, and Beanpole, they are able to successfully escape to the White Mountains.