Death Watch

Katherine Mortenhoe is diagnosed with an incurable illness, and the news explodes into a media circus as journalists swarm to cover her story. She quickly becomes a public figure, with every development of her condition treated as news. The possibility of turning her last days into a reality show starts to form behind the scenes.

Vincent Ferriman, a top executive at NTV, proposes filming Katherine's last days as a reality show and offers a sizeable payment. The production is backed by a questionable alliance with Katherine's doctor, who provides what they claim to be painkillers but will worsen her illness. Katherine accepts £300,000 in cash, gives the money to her husband, and then goes on the run.

Roddy is a senior NTV cameraman who has undergone an experimental implant of cameras and transmitters behind his eyes, feeding what he sees back to NTV for editing. Everything he witnesses becomes part of the broadcast for the reality show. A side effect is that prolonged darkness can trigger blindness, so he must stay awake with a flashlight.

To avoid recognition, Katherine heads into the countryside with Roddy, intending to reach the home of her first husband, Gerald, so she can see him before she dies. They plan to stay ahead of pursuers while moving toward a personal reckoning with the past. Roddy agrees to guide her and help keep her safe for as long as possible.

Katherine asks Roddy to fetch makeup in a town to help her disguise herself from prying eyes. The disguise is meant to help her avoid recognition by fans and reporters as they travel away from the city. Roddy complies, preparing for the delicate meeting with Gerald that lies ahead.

In the town, Roddy stops at a bar and sees the primetime Death Watch broadcast playing for viewers at home. The encounter underscores the intrusive reach of the show into private moments. He experiences mounting tension as he realizes the consequences of his role.

On the return trip to their hideout, Roddy suffers a painful emotional breakdown and, in a moment of desperation, throws his flashlight into the water. The act increases the risk to his own remaining sight and marks a turning point in his involvement. He battles his fear and the costs of participating in the broadcast.

Katherine eventually locates the missing flashlight, while Roddy confesses who he is and what he has been doing for the show. The stress and the detachment from reality contribute to a rapid decline in his sight, and he begins to go blind. The revelation cements the personal toll of the broadcast on both.

With the feed to NTV cut off, Vincent flies off in a helicopter with a film crew to locate Katherine and Roddy, while the couple uses the countryside to evade capture. The pursuit intensifies as the broadcast's control over their fate becomes a looming climax. The show's producers push onward regardless of personal tragedy.

Katherine and Roddy reach the home of her first husband, Gerald, who is alive and willing to help despite the show’s premise. Gerald's presence offers a human alternative to the manipulative television machinery surrounding their lives. He responds with concern, knowing what the broadcast has demanded of them.

Vincent phones Gerald to demand that Katherine stop taking the experimental medicine and halt filming; Gerald pleads with Katherine to resist letting the show control her choices. The communication exposes the coercive power of the media enterprise over personal fate. Tension mounts as the clock ticks toward the end.

Despite pleas and warnings, Katherine takes all the remaining pills and dies, bringing the televised tragedy to its bleak conclusion. The moment showcases the ultimate price of the reality spectacle and the fragility of life under such scrutiny. Gerald and Roddy face the consequences of their involvement as the show collapses around them.

When Vincent's helicopter arrives at the scene, Roddy's wife is aboard to care for her traumatised husband, who is now blind. The arrival underscores the human cost of the broadcast and the personal toll on families. The camera's reach has turned into a rescue mission, albeit too late for Katherine.

Gerald promises to kill Vincent if the helicopter does not depart immediately, signaling the end of the destructive cycle of exploitation. The promise marks a final act of defiance against the show's producers and their invasive reach. The moment caps the tragedy with a threat born of anger and protectiveness.