1970

S1.E1 ∙ The Skin Game/The Case of Jean-Luc Godard

Thu, Jan 01, 1970

Humphrey Burton presents the first edition of Aquarius, featuring a heated debate over whether ITV should broadcast Godard's "British Sounds". John Wells is also a regular for the early episodes, playing different satirical characters.

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S1.E2 ∙ Christo/Zetterling/Ian McKellen/William Pye

Thu, Jan 15, 1970

The first of just six episodes to be partially missing from the ITV Archives, all that remains of this edition is a sequence with avant-garde artist Christo wrapping a mile of Sydney's coast with polystyrene and rope.

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S1.E3 ∙ "Three Months Gone"/The Thinker/Rodin at the Hayward

Thu, Jan 29, 1970

Diana Dors and Jill Bennett appear in the studio to discuss their new stage play "Three Months Gone", while Henry Moore commentates on a new Rodin exhibition. There's also a new character from John Wells, a hippy director.

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S1.E4 ∙ Marie Lloyd/The Battle of Shrivings/Beethoven Street/Leonard Bernstein/Bertrand Russell

Thu, Feb 12, 1970

A celebration of Marie Lloyd sees her brought to life by Barbara Windsor, while Ned Sherrin and Caryl Brahms recount memories of the singer. There's also a playwright and director confronting critics, and a tribute to Bertrand Russell.

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S1.E5 ∙ Tattooing/Picasso/Madame Tussauds/The Future of the Concert Hall/Sculpture

Thu, Feb 26, 1970

An edition that is partially missing from the ITV Archives, and one that saw the introduction of Charlie Squires to the series with a documentary on tattooing. Charlie was, in Humphrey Burton's words, "a rough diamond of a director".

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S1.E6 ∙ Peter Hall/Leonard Bernstein/Joe Tilson

Thu, Mar 12, 1970

Featuring a profile of Peter Hall, Leonard Bernstein rehearsing Verdi's Requiem, and John Wells as art critic Joe Tilson. This episode is partially missing from the ITV Archives, with just the extract on Peter Hall still existing.

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S1.E7 ∙ The Verdi Requiem

Thu, Mar 26, 1970

A specially-extended version of Aquarius to celebrate Good Friday. This edition is a presentation of Verdi's Requiem conducted by Leonard Bernstein at St. Paul's Cathedral, with featured performers including Plácido Domingo.

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S1.E8 ∙ Rosemary Brown/The Modern Composer/J.B. Priestley on Breugel/Ed Ruscha/Kes/William Wordsworth

Thu, Apr 09, 1970

A varied edition, including a lady who claims to receive spiritual compositions from dead composers, and a look at experimental artist Ed Ruscha. John Wells also essays a new character, "the modern composer".

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S1.E9 ∙ The Wildest Show on Earth: The Circus Hoffman/A Thousand and One Nights/Slag/Lesbos

Thu, Apr 23, 1970

Aquarius presents a look at Charlie Squires' film The Wildest Show on Earth, along with an X-rated Japanese cartoon, A Thousand and One Nights. There's also David Hare's new play, Slag, and Sheila Allen reading Sylvia Plath.

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S1.E10 ∙ Heaney in Limboland/Death, Heaven and the Victorians/Super Mac

Thu, May 07, 1970

Features include how Victorians saw death, how cartoonists saw Harold MacMillan, and a profile of Irish poet Seamus Heaney. This edition is partially missing from the ITV Archives, though many sequences still exist.

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S1.E11 ∙ It's Cannes, Man/Cafe La Mama/Vienna Festival

Thu, May 21, 1970

A partially missing episode, where the only material remaining in the ITV Archives is footage from the Cannes Film Festival. Among those interviewed at Cannes are Kirk Douglas, Liza Minelli and Ringo Starr.

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S1.E12 ∙ Kathakali/Jennie Lee/The Passion/André Previn/Hair

Thu, Jun 25, 1970

Aquarius returns from a five-week break due to the World Cup and election coverage. Subjects include arts MP Jennie Lee, who lost her seat in the elections. One subject not appearing is Ingmar Bergman, who claimed: "I hate interviews."

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S1.E13 ∙ A New Tribe in Israel/'Three Epitaphs'

Thu, Jul 09, 1970

The end of the first series, which was followed by nine compilation specials. Featuring the staging of "Hair" in Israel, this is the last episode to be partially missing from the ITV Archives, though substantial material still exists.

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