Let's Watch Long Term Memory

One of Patrick Troughton's final performances

Way back, long before the Substack, and in the middle of the pandemic, I started the Curious British Telly fanzine. Harking back to the good old days of do-it-yourself fanzines, it was a print only affair and ran for several issues. And in the very first issue, I covered Long Term Memory - one of Patrick Troughton’s final performances.

Airing in 1985, Long Term Memory centred on the plight of Gerald Hobbs Austen (Patrick Troughton), a solicitor’s clerk who disappeared 21 years earlier. Although he was presumed dead, Gerald had been living under false identities after developing stress-induced amnesia. Now, his memory is rapidly fading and he knows it’s time to stop running from his past. But will his family accept him back into the fold?

For those of you who are paid subscribers to the Curious British Telly Substack, I’ve got good news for you: not only can you read my original fanzine article on Long Term Memory below, but I’ve also included the episode to watch.