Before the First Episode: Emerald Soup

 If you weren't watching the first episode of Doctor Who at 5.16pm on Saturday 23rd November 1963, then you were watching the final episode of Emerald Soup over on ITV. (Or, you were sitting in darkness in the widespread blackout across the country.)

Emerald Soup was a seven-part science fiction serial about a group of children trying to prevent enemy agents to steal samples of a radioactive liquid made from seaweed. It doesn't seem as if any recordings of the series remain - so it's difficult to judge whether the show was actually a strong rival for the Saturday evening audience. It didn't return for a second series.

The best account of Emerald Soup I've found is by Laurence Marcus who says the plot of the programme was:

Three crooks are after the secret that John and Margaret Maxwell (William Dexter and Jessica Spencer) have discovered in experiments with seaweed to produce the cheapest form of radio-isotope ore. Most of the action takes place on beaches and in caves which become the hide-out for the Maxwell's children, Tim (Gregory Phillips) and Jo (Janina Faye), as well as their school friend, Gally (Karl Lanchbury).

And:

In the Maxwell laboratory an exciting new experiment is underway, but unexpected results occur. The children discover that mysterious parties are interested. Can the teenagers stop the Gaunt gang from leaving the country with stolen samples? And is the dear old soul who runs the village shop all that she seems?