Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Melancholy | 20100518 | A story by Toby Litt inspired by Issac Asimov's three laws of robotics. It is 2068 AD. Local application 13/13 has disappeared mysteriously on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. In her official report, Chief Engineer Chandi Kane arrives at an all-too-human set of conclusions. Writer Toby Litt was born in 1968 and grew up in Bedfordshire. In 2003, he was named one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists. His eleventh novel, King Death, will be published in May 2010. Written by Toby Litt Read by Indira Varma Producer - Jeremy Osborne By Toby Litt. It's 2068 AD; local application 13/13 has disappeared mysteriously on Europa |
| 02 | Algorithms | 20100519 | Scarlet Thomas has a very different take on a brief which asked writers to use Issac Asimov's 'three laws of robotics' as the starting point for a story. An algorithm is a step-by-step method for solving a problem. Rebecca's life is full of them. Trouble is, they tend to solve one problem while creating a new one. Scarlett Thomas was born in 1972. Her work featured in the New Puritans anthology of 2002. Her novel 'The End Of Mr Y' was longlisted for the Orange Broadband Prize For Fiction in 2008. Her new novel 'Our Tragic Universe' will be published in May 2010. Scarlett's previous work for Radio 4 includes 'Why My Grandmother Learned To Play The Flute' (2003) and 'Brother and Sister Foot' (2005). She teaches Creative Writing at The University of Kent. Written by Scarlett Thomas. Read by Siobhan Redmond. Producer - Jeremy Osborne By Scarlet Thomas. An algorithm can sometimes create new problems. |
| 03 | The Companion | 20100520 | Story by Anita Sullivan inspired by Issac Asimov's three laws of robotics, read by Sheila Steafel. Colin - a medically-trained, 'Companion-series' humanoid - watches over Eunice's old age with an unorthodox interpretation of 'The Three Laws of Robotics'. Anita Sullivan lives in Sussex. Her first play for radio, commissioned by Sweet Talk, was runner up in the Richard Imison Awards. Recent work includes Homesick and Torchwood: Asylum in 2009 and The Beacon (a five-part adaptation of Susan Hill's novel) in March 2010. She has also written for theatre companies as diverse as the Royal Shakespeare Company, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Pop-Up children's theatre, Eastern Angles and Borderline. The Companion is Anita's second short story for Sweet Talk, following The Phantom Cosmonaut, part of the 'Sputnik' series, in 2007. Written by Anita Sullivan Producer - Jeremy Osborne By Anita Sullivan. Colin, a medically-trained humanoid, watches over Eunice's old age. |