Young Tom Dawes is enthralled by the sight of a fine schooner sailing up the Avon Gorge. But before long, both he and his father have become mixed up in the mystery of a missing girl, a half-recorded message, and sinister intruders at Bristol Docks... Made by HTV West for the ITV Network.

The spaceship Altares, with a photon drive capable of accelerating it to the speed of light, leaves an Earth-orbiting space station. The Altares crew, two families of scientific specialists, journeys at light speed with time-dilation to Alpha Centauri, where they launch several satellites to transmit information on the Centauri star system back to Earth and guide future manned vessels in exploring.

Benedick and Beatrice fight their merry war of words. But when Beatrice's friend, Hero, is humiliatingly jilted by Benedick's best friend, Claudio, Benedick has to choose which side he's on. But unknown to all, Claudio's been tricked by the bastard Don John, and (unfortunately), it's up to Dogberry and Verges to solve the case.