The Investigations of the Para-Usual

We ask how long, but indeed how wide is a piece of string? Professor Breville O'Singh is a radical thinker, permanently close to solving the remainder of life's mysteries. Desperate to achieve, he's duped into taking somebody else's job at a jeopardised Government department, The Investigations of the Para-Usual (IPU). He's turned away by the department's Head, Dr Pratt. This is a time of energy crisis. The Energy Minister's stepdaughter is kidnapped at the same time, suspiciously, that the leader of a major environmental organisation goes missing. O'Singh convinces the Minister, Mohammed Cohen, that his daughter's release might be secured on favourable terms via a hire-purchase arrangement.

Cohen reconceives The IPU as his thinktank with O'Singh on board. The professor believes he's finally found his research platform. Pratt and O'Singh form a formidable investigative team, discovering things potentially useful to the Government. But Vladimir Woo, installed as their overseer, is covetous of the IPU operatives' glories. He contrives to have Pratt replaced by Cohen's freshly released daughter, media-obsessed Persil Bland. Woo funnels IPU funds into his own lame thinktank concept. The IPU folds.

Persil fronts a TV documentary series, 'Everything About Everything', with O'Singh airing his discoveries to the world. In a portrayal of Alphabetti Spaghetti, O'Singh's asked to change the story at every turn. He delivers. But then discovers that the show's mega-national corporation sponsor only wants 'infovertisements' - episodes promoting their products. Integrity at stake, O'Singh quits. All is lost. But then he twigs how he can accelerate his discovery process. Cohen rewards the prof's findings; instating him as Head of a freshly financed IPU. He's back on track. Except... O'Singh's findings reveal how to source unlimited supplies of fossil fuels. Cohen senses a deal with the sponsor's 'trainee magnate', prof