About this season
If... is a series of BBC drama-documentaries broadcast on BBC Two from March to April 2004 and December 2004 to January 2005, each of which considers the potentially catastrophic political or social consequences that might arise from current trends in the United Kingdom. Using a drama with interviews from experts, then a discussion of the programme with a panel of experts from both sides of an argument. During the show a televote of opinion is cast.
Episodes (6)
1. If... Cloning Could Cure Us
Aired 16 December 2004 • 60 min
2014: a climbing accident has left 28-year-old Andrew Holland paralysed from the waist down. Dr Alex Douglas aims to regenerate Andrew's spinal cord with stem cells from a cloned embryo - an illegal procedure for which she soon finds herself standing trial. As the trial unfolds, the issues are explored through interviews with real proponents on both sides of the debate, and viewers can phone in their trial verdicts.
2. If... We Could Stop the Violence
Aired 22 December 2004 • 60 min
3. If... Drugs Were Legal
Aired 12 January 2005 • 60 min
In a Britain of the future, clubs and bars are licensed to sell drugs such as ecstasy. But when two girls die, the regulatory body Ofdrug sends an agent to investigate.
4. If... TV Goes Down the Tube
Aired 21 March 2005 • 60 min
A mother struggling to cope with the death of her daughter on a reality TV show uncovers a sinister plot.
5. If... The Toxic Timebomb Goes Off
Aired 31 March 2005 • 60 min
In 2015, a freighter docked at Dover loses its cargo of toxic waste; subsequently a scientist's body is found in an incinerator. In the search for the killer, DC Temple and Di Macguire infiltrate the underworld of organised crime. The latest edition of the hypothetical drama-documentary series is based on new research into one of Europe's fastest growing crimes - waste traffic.
6. If... We Stopped Giving Aid to Africa
Aired 26 June 2005 • 60 min
Aid worker Ben Swale commits his life to providing humanitarian aid in Africa but finds his work often causing more harm than good. This thought-provoking docu-drama follows his journey through an increasingly morally complex world.