Astronauts is a British sitcom that aired on ITV in 1981. It was written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, two of The Goodies. Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who wrote Porridge, were script editors. It was made for the ITV network by ATV.

Cast

• Christopher Godwin - Commander Malcolm Mattocks
• Carmen Du Sautoy - Dr. Gentian Foster
• Barrie Rutter - Technical Officer David Ackroyd
• Bruce Boa - Beadle

Plot

In Astronauts, Britain's first three astronauts are sent off into outer space to occupy a 'sky lab' for six months. They take with them a dog, white mice and some insects. The dog, Bimbo, had previously appeared in The Goodies. The astronauts are Malcolm Mattocks, Gentian Foster and David Ackroyd. The astronauts' contact at Mission Control is Beadle, an American. The main humour came from the claustrophobic conditions of the two-room "sky lab", and tension it brought.

Episodes

1. Episode One (26 October 1981)
2. Episode Two (2 November 1981)
3. Episode Three (9 November 1981)
4. "Absence Makes The Heart" (16 November 1981)
5. "We Are Not Alone" (23 November 1981)
6. "One Week To Go" (30 November 1981)
7. "Going Home" (7 December 1981)

American version

On 11 August 1982, CBS showed a pilot for an American adaptation called The Astronauts, but no series developed. It starred Granville Van Dusen as Mattocks, Brianne Leary as Foster, Bruce Davison as Ackroyd and McLean Stevenson as Beadle.

References

• Mark Lewisohn, "Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy", BBC Worldwide Ltd, 2003
• BBC TV Comedy Guide for Astronauts