The political satire takes place in the years following an anti-capitalist revolution.
As well as creating audio dramas for established series such as Doctor Who and Blake’s 7, and rebooting shows like The Prisoner and V, audio producers Big Finish productions have an established line of original drama productions.
They’ve dabbled in the worlds of horror with Blind Terror, historical drama with Cicero and the thriller genre with Transference. Most recently, their take on vampire lore brought us Vam PD, starring Juliet Landau and Mara Wilson.
OCAS
Now, they’re turning their attention to political satire with a pilot for a new drama series titled OCAS.
In the years following an anti-capitalist revolution, the story follows Leo (Arun Blair-Mangat, star of West End hit & Juliet). He’s documentary maker who seeks to uncover the truth about the new society he lives in.
The cast also Alyth Ross as Leo’s sound recordist friend Jamie and Naana Agyei-Ampadu as Nana, his grandmother. Plus, Dianne Pilkington (Les Misérables) as Jez, the founder of an ethical fashion company.
Greed is a sickness.
In the mid-21st century, the country has changed. Following a populist revolution, which brought down the entire system of government, society now aims to be more compassionate and equitable. Poverty is a distant memory, public services are properly funded, and separation between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ is a thing of the past.
Those responsible for the corruption of the old world – people who abandoned moral principles in pursuit of wealth and power – have been diagnosed with a disorder: Obsessive Capital Accumulation Syndrome (OCAS). They have been removed from society to undergo treatment and rehabilitation, and without them, the nation has flourished.
Making a documentary to commemorate the anniversary of May ’33, Leo interviews those who were at the centre of events twenty years before. But as he scratches the surface of the new regime, he finds that the official history does not tell all. Britain may strive to be better for everyone – but utopia comes at a price.
OCAS comes from creators Theo X, Charles Kirby and Andrew Kevin Fawn, who have written the pilot episode. It also stars Daisy Ashford (Liz Shaw in The Third Doctor Adventures), David O’Mahony and Barry Aird.
Producer Lizzie Worsdell said:
“OCAS is a new and exciting piece for Big Finish and unlike anything we’ve done before. It is a scarily topical portrayal of what could happen in modern society and showcases some great new writing and acting talent. I’m very much looking forward to the Big Finish fans listening and hope that this is the beginning of a successful series.”
Writer Theo X added:
“The inspiration for OCAS came during discussions we had about the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor; this complete contrast between multi-billionaires hoarding their wealth in tax havens while the poorest in society huddled in food banks and warm banks – this was years before the cost of living crisis.
“We started to wonder, what if greed was actually a sickness you could be diagnosed with? So we conceived of OCAS (Obsessive Capital Accumulation Syndrome). We also began to posit what could happen if things got worse and society became totally segregated between the billionaires and those on the breadline. Revolution would be inevitable, wouldn’t it?”
The pilot episode of OCAS is available to pre-order now, for just £3.99 (as a digital download to own). It’s out in April 2025.