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Ultraviolet

  • TV Series
  • 1998
  • TV-14
  • 5h
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
3K
YOUR RATING
Jack Davenport, Idris Elba, Susannah Harker, and Philip Quast in Ultraviolet (1998)
Alien InvasionConspiracy ThrillerVampire HorrorHorrorSci-FiThriller

The six-episode series, first aired in 1998, stars Jack Davenport as Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield, who discovers a secret government vampire-hunting unit while investigating the disa... Read allThe six-episode series, first aired in 1998, stars Jack Davenport as Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield, who discovers a secret government vampire-hunting unit while investigating the disappearance of his partner.The six-episode series, first aired in 1998, stars Jack Davenport as Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield, who discovers a secret government vampire-hunting unit while investigating the disappearance of his partner.

  • Stars
    • Jack Davenport
    • Susannah Harker
    • Idris Elba
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Jack Davenport
      • Susannah Harker
      • Idris Elba
    • 58User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes6

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    TopTop-rated1 season1998

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    Top cast62

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    Jack Davenport
    Jack Davenport
    • Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield
    • 1998
    Susannah Harker
    Susannah Harker
    • Dr. Angela March
    • 1998
    Idris Elba
    Idris Elba
    • Vaughan Rice
    • 1998
    Philip Quast
    Philip Quast
    • Father Pearse J. Harman
    • 1998
    Colette Brown
    Colette Brown
    • Kirsty
    • 1998
    Fiona Dolman
    Fiona Dolman
    • Frances
    • 1998
    Thomas Lockyer
    • Jacob
    • 1998
    Sean Cernow
    Sean Cernow
    • Lestat
    • 1998
    Corin Redgrave
    Corin Redgrave
    • Dr. Paul Hoyle…
    • 1998
    Stephen Moyer
    Stephen Moyer
    • Jack…
    • 1998
    Elizabeth Earl
    • Angie's Daughter
    • 1998
    Georgia Goodman
    Georgia Goodman
    • Emilie
    • 1998
    Jane Slavin
    Jane Slavin
    • Danni
    • 1998
    Emer Gillespie
    Emer Gillespie
    • Marion
    • 1998
    T.R. Bowen
    • Gideon
    • 1998
    Rupert Procter
    • Colin
    • 1998
    Ronnie Letham
    • Pollard
    • 1998
    Christopher Villiers
    Christopher Villiers
    • Lester
    • 1998
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews58

    7.82.9K
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    Featured reviews

    10sim4ward

    Dark and Powerful Drama

    The word vampire might encourage the odd yawn from prospective viewers of any fantasy series these days, but fortunately Ultraviolet never uses the word and so we can enjoy it for what it is. My own feeling while watching this excellent series was that it was first and foremost a quality drama series. It has depth, it is thought-provoking, it is gripping and brilliantly conceived. The vampire element, referred to as leeches or Code 5 in the serial, are bound to present-day earth by such topical considerations as biological warfare, AIDS, abortion and other key social issues which, far from being boring or rammed down our throats, serve as a convincing backdrop to what is essentially a battle between authorities and the church, and the parasitic underground of late twentieth century society. The supernatural element, in fact, blends so superbly with the natural that if any viewer were to chance across this series in midstream they would find themselves wondering exactly what they were watching. Six episodes scarcely seems enough to satisfy, but on the other hand, the entire adventure is wrapped up so neatly that, unless some equally clever ideas are forthcoming, this mini-classic should be laid to rest. A high quality cast, scripts and an atmosphere to rival the best of the X Files, all rooted in darkly convincing reality, Ultraviolet is a powerful combination of supernatural thriller and drama with biting social comment. This is so good it hardly seems like fantasy at all. The future of British SF should look to Ultraviolet as its mentor.
    8underpaidlawyer

    A Wonderful Breath of Fresh Air

    This mini-series was a breath of fresh air. I was quite surprised to find it at my local Blockbuster video, which is renound for carrying a lot of copies of main-stream garbage. This series introduced unusual elements and had all of the signatures of a well-created 'universe.'

    This is a must-see, esp. for Vampire (did I use the 'v'-word?) fans.
    foole-2

    Simply the best

    vampire series or movie that I have ever seen. In fact, I'm hard pressed to think of any science fiction series or film that does it better. It takes one absurd premise (that vampires are real, and that, while still apparently composed of atoms and reflecting light, they nevertheless cannot be seen in mirrors, filmed, recorded, or detected by any indirect process) and then follows it with rigorous logic. The vampires (or leeches, as they are referred to) do not age or die, and they have had centuries to form a shadowy international conspiracy. Their goals and plans are murky, although their general motive is simple--ensure their food supply. Our heroes (or perhaps 'heroes') are a beleaguered team of humans trying to uncover the truth and break the undead cabal. In this respect, Ultraviolet resembles the X-Files, with some happy improvements. The vampire conspiracy is not essentially infallible. It is not so all-encompassing that our heroes survive only at the whim of their adversaries. And, the conspiracy doesn't enjoy that great advantage of most screen villains: the writer makes sure that they get away when the plot calls for it.

    A really good show. Get it on DVD and watch it.
    Dethcharm

    They Are Among Us...

    You might go into ULTRAVIOLET expecting something like THE X-FILES. Well, it's not exactly like that. UV has more in common with the best British cop shows. Some of the darker elements of shows like FROST, REBUS, or WIRE IN THE BLOOD are evident throughout this mini-series.

    This is a smart, bleak story about two warring factions: Humans vs. Leeches. It's a battle for species supremacy. Filled with social commentary, UV twists the vampire legend into a tale of survival and desperation.

    The characters are intelligent and strong, the pacing is perfect, and the plot never falters. Jack Davenport is Det. Sgt. Michael Colefield, the latest recruit in the war. Suzannah Harker is Dr. Angela March. Idris Elba is Vaughan Rice.

    The leeches (aka: Code V's) remain mostly unseen, adding to the mystery and growing tension.

    Since this isn't a big Hollywood production, there are only a few explosions, absolutely no karate vampire fights, and not one person in a black leather outfit. This mini-series is smarter than that, requiring a bit more than just a heartbeat from its audience.

    The only complaint is that it only had six episodes, and that no more were ever made...
    10djambruso

    The only thing wrong with this show is that it ended too soon!

    Ultra Violet is a gritty British crime drama set in modern day London. Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield's best friend disappears on the eve of his wedding to, Kirsty, the girl Colefield secretly loves. Colefield's search to find the missing bridegroom leads him to disturbing discoveries about his friend and unearths a secret enforcement agency operating within Colefield's own police force and their mission – to obliterate the hidden society of once human creatures, human blood sucking creatures.

    Leeches as they are called, look like us, act like us, and want many of the same things we do, which makes sense - they used to be us. Although the word Vampire is never applied to the heavies in this series, refreshingly, the classic tenets of vampire lore are maintained, (They can't eat food, they cast no reflection and have a perilous allergy to sunlight.) Updated to the 21st century, our secret agency uses ultra-modern day science to track, destroy and not quite dispose of these creatures.

    Ultra Violet is an excellently well made combination Brit TV, Police drama and Vampire chase. If you appreciate any one of these genres, I suggest that you check out this series, but be warned, It does not seem to be available for rental in the US as yet. I took a chance and purchased the 2 disc set sight-unseen from AMAZON.com for $26.99. I loved it, and while the story arc of the series does reach a reasonable conclusion, it's clear there were years of story left to this show. I must reiterate, my only regret in Ultra Violet is that it didn't have a longer run. If this has got you at all interested – check the more detailed reviews on AMAZON.COM.

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    Related interests

    Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in Men in Black (1997)
    Alien Invasion
    Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
    Conspiracy Thriller
    Tom Cruise and Indra Ové in Interview with the Vampire (1994)
    Vampire Horror
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Creator Joe Ahearne never intended to write and direct all six episodes. While the producers commissioned scripts from other writers, they ultimately felt that no other writers or directors understood Ahearn's vision as well as he. The result was that Ahearn's time was consumed with the development of the first series, and he was never able to outline a second arc. Ahearn also admits that he believes high-concept series are best kept short, so that they don't run out of steam and have to be re-invented.
    • Quotes

      Father Pearse J. Harman: Our free range days are over.

    • Connections
      Remade as Ultraviolet (2000)

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    FAQ17

    • How many seasons does Ultraviolet have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 31, 2000 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Crossing the Line
    • Filming locations
      • Southwark Bridge, Southwark, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • World Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 5h(300 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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