Old Grange Hills

Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,804
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Does anyone know if the classic Grange Hills are being shown from the seventies and eighties? I know BBC Two repeated them in 1993, but I haven't seen any repeats since.
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  • Chris1964Chris1964 Posts: 19,726
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    I dont know of any current screenings but the first 4 series are available on DVD but as I understood it, no further series will be released.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,804
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    Chris1964 wrote: »
    I dont know of any current screenings but the first 4 series are available on DVD but as I understood it, no further series will be released.

    Hello, Chris, these, of course, will be the classic Tucker and Alan era. However, the series got even better in season 5 when Gripper Stebson emerged as the school bully.
  • Chris1964Chris1964 Posts: 19,726
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    Glenn A wrote: »
    Hello, Chris, these, of course, will be the classic Tucker and Alan era. However, the series got even better in season 5 when Gripper Stebson emerged as the school bully.

    Yes I think so, my era-I bought the first two series DVD. Grange Hill made such an impact when it was first shown and changed childrens tv more than any show has ever done imo. It was the talk of every playground and brought forth scorn from various parts of the establishment. And yet looking at them now, they are very very tame. Its just that it was the first time a childrens show had been so "in ya face" so to speak-and compared to the rest of the very traditional BBC output(Blue Peter, Jackanory etc) it stuck out like a sore thumb. I think 8 or 9 million were tuning in at its peak-parents as well as kids.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,804
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    Chris1964 wrote: »
    Yes I think so, my era-I bought the first two series DVD. Grange Hill made such an impact when it was first shown and changed childrens tv more than any show has ever done imo. It was the talk of every playground and brought forth scorn from various parts of the establishment. And yet looking at them now, they are very very tame. Its just that it was the first time a childrens show had been so "in ya face" so to speak-and compared to the rest of the very traditional BBC output(Blue Peter, Jackanory etc) it stuck out like a sore thumb. I think 8 or 9 million were tuning in at its peak-parents as well as kids.

    Everyone seemed to watch it at school. 9 million viewers wouldn't surprise me as it was so good. I would say the golden years were from 1978 to 1986, with a lull in 1987 and 1988, then a classic season in 1989 with the Kendall and Bronson feud. The only thing that let this season down was it clashed in some regions with Home and Away, which had a Grange Hillish feel and an Aussie Bronson( Fisher), and not as many people saw it.
  • Hound of LoveHound of Love Posts: 79,896
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    Glenn A wrote: »
    Hello, Chris, these, of course, will be the classic Tucker and Alan era. However, the series got even better in season 5 when Gripper Stebson emerged as the school bully.

    Indeed...and not forgetting the legendary Janet ("I only want to be your friend, Row-land"):D
  • grahamcrowdengrahamcrowden Posts: 1,041
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    GH is a mystery.
    It's obviously incredibly popular but has never been repeated on satellite (bar 4 series on BSB) and nothing has been repeated beyond the early to mid 90's seasons.

    The dvd's didn't do well but the filmising of the images aswell as the obligatory cuts for music rights didn't help sales at all .
    Thankfully I recorded GH from 1990 onwards so with a combo of BSB,BBC2 and BBC1 I have all 31 years on dvd although all but 6 of those years were transferred from my VHS recordings .

    Why nobody has stepped up to repeat at least some of it is a mystery.
    Just dug out my dvd with the 1981 and 1985 Xmas specials on .
    The 1985 one seems to have been aired a year too late.
    The content shows it should have appeared before series 10 as Harriet the donkey is in it as is Mr Smart.

    But it aired just before series 11 and Mr Smart was long gone as was Harriet.
    Very odd :confused:
  • steveh31steveh31 Posts: 13,516
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    I have the whole 1989 series on tape will be uploading them to youtube early next year.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,232
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    A lot of the Grange Hill series can be "acquired" from certain services online. Good quality as well.
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    Chris1964 wrote: »
    I dont know of any current screenings but the first 4 series are available on DVD but as I understood it, no further series will be released.

    The DVDs apparently didn't sell well, but then I don't think they were marketed very well.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,804
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    GH is a mystery.
    It's obviously incredibly popular but has never been repeated on satellite (bar 4 series on BSB) and nothing has been repeated beyond the early to mid 90's seasons.

    The dvd's didn't do well but the filmising of the images aswell as the obligatory cuts for music rights didn't help sales at all .
    Thankfully I recorded GH from 1990 onwards so with a combo of BSB,BBC2 and BBC1 I have all 31 years on dvd although all but 6 of those years were transferred from my VHS recordings .

    Why nobody has stepped up to repeat at least some of it is a mystery.
    Just dug out my dvd with the 1981 and 1985 Xmas specials on .
    The 1985 one seems to have been aired a year too late.
    The content shows it should have appeared before series 10 as Harriet the donkey is in it as is Mr Smart.

    But it aired just before series 11 and Mr Smart was long gone as was Harriet.
    Very odd :confused:

    The whole Harriet the Donkey saga got tedious. However, I suppose after Zammo's heroin addiction and Gripper's attempt to set up a National Front in the school, I suppose the BBC decided to tame The Hill a bit. However, the 1989 series was the last great series, even if Home and Away stole a lot of viewers in some regions.
  • grahamcrowdengrahamcrowden Posts: 1,041
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    Glenn A wrote: »
    The whole Harriet the Donkey saga got tedious. However, I suppose after Zammo's heroin addiction and Gripper's attempt to set up a National Front in the school, I suppose the BBC decided to tame The Hill a bit. However, the 1989 series was the last great series, even if Home and Away stole a lot of viewers in some regions.

    I agree that the Harriet storyline was really tiresome .
    After the preceding series with Zammo it was one hell of a letdown.


    The special was shown at the end of series 8 in December 1985 yet the content would place it 1 year later before the 1987 series .

    By the time Harriet appeared again a whole year had passed.
    It's almost as if they decided to keep series 10 on ice and then make the Zammo/drugs series instead and continue where the special left off a year later.:confused:
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,804
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    I agree that the Harriet storyline was really tiresome .
    After the preceding series with Zammo it was one hell of a letdown.


    The special was shown at the end of series 8 in December 1985 yet the content would place it 1 year later before the 1987 series .

    By the time Harriet appeared again a whole year had passed.
    It's almost as if they decided to keep series 10 on ice and then make the Zammo/drugs series instead and continue where the special left off a year later.:confused:

    It seemed to be a big flop and then we had the whole saga of Mauler and his gang, he was just like a weak version of Gripper with an American football hang up. Yet the 1989 series was a classic, if you discount the silly saga with the stray dog, as Bronson was at his worst and then by the end, mellowed totally and turned into a decent person.
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    Indeed...and not forgetting the legendary Janet ("I only want to be your friend, Row-land"):D


    'Ro-land, Ro-land! I only want to help you, Ro-laaand!'

    'Oi, Gripper! I'll arrange to be where you can get me and take my money, every day of this week-if you'll just get rid of her!"

    And the occasion when Roland met her in the street, and dived into a phone box...

    "Hello? National Front? Listen, I'm not a racist, but there's a problem I could do with help for...!'
  • Robbedin73Robbedin73 Posts: 7,859
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    If anybody wants Tuckers luck on Dvd
    pm me for details
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    Robbedin73 wrote: »
    If anybody wants Tuckers luck on Dvd
    pm me for details

    I remember Tucker's Luck! That was shown in 1983, and followed Tucker and his mates, just after they left school. Tucker was seeing the sister of a violent skinhead, called Passmore, who didn't like Tucker. It ended up with Tucker and his friends meeting up with Passmore and his friends for a fight-and Tucker and co. getting a good kicking. However, didn't the gang then get in trouble with the law, and Tucker kept the girl? Can't quite recall how it all ended.
  • stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    Tuckers Luck is very dated.
  • Robbedin73Robbedin73 Posts: 7,859
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    I remember Tucker's Luck! That was shown in 1983, and followed Tucker and his mates, just after they left school. Tucker was seeing the sister of a violent skinhead, called Passmore, who didn't like Tucker. It ended up with Tucker and his friends meeting up with Passmore and his friends for a fight-and Tucker and co. getting a good kicking. However, didn't the gang then get in trouble with the law, and Tucker kept the girl? Can't quite recall how it all ended.

    Alan Tuckers m8 from School was the one they wouldnt cross they could get Tucker if he wasnt around , but if Alan was there they wouldnt come anywhere near him , but Alan was very shy with Girls , wasnt Trisha Yates(Susan tully) in it
  • DavetheScotDavetheScot Posts: 16,623
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    Robbedin73 wrote: »
    Alan Tuckers m8 from School was the one they wouldnt cross they could get Tucker if he wasnt around , but if Alan was there they wouldnt come anywhere near him , but Alan was very shy with Girls , wasnt Trisha Yates(Susan tully) in it

    Michelle Herbert played Trisha Yates, but yes, she did appear in Tucker's Luck (at the end, I think)
  • GulftasticGulftastic Posts: 127,201
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    Tuckers Luck is very dated.

    If you go on youtube, Tucker's showdown with Passmore is on there. It's cracking stuff.

    But yes, I agree. Because the Luck was about one real issue i.e. trying to get a job in Thatcher's Britain, it is very dated, certainly compared to imperial phase Grange Hill.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 629
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    The DVDs apparently didn't sell well, but then I don't think they were marketed very well.

    I agree...I had high hopes that they would release all the series on DVD after the first two, but they seemed to disappear into thin air :(

    Yes, they are a bit dated now, especially in the way people are treated. When I bought the DVDs I noticed a sign on them saying about sexist/racist terms etc being used but didn't think much of it until I started watching it and Justin called Benny a "golliwog" etc! :eek: It also shows you just how much things have changed over the years (and not always for the better) with teachers definitely having authority back then and in every scene he is in, Mr Baxter always seems to be clipping one of the boy's ears! :)

    I absolutely loved Grange Hill. For me the best era has to be from the early to mid 80s (when I left school and so stopped watching it) with the whole Zammo drugs thing and one of the teachers causing a scandal by being a single parent. Not to mention Gripper, the original school bully of course.

    Shocking as some of these storylines were, I think the one that shocked me the most was when one of the boys drowned in the pool during a swimming lesson. He was in Fay/Annette/Zammo's year and I think they were about 12 or 13 when it happened. I can't remember his name, but I think he was a cousin of Jonah's and he wasn't very well liked. Anybody else remember this? :confused:
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    Gulftastic wrote: »
    If you go on youtube, Tucker's showdown with Passmore is on there. It's cracking stuff.

    But yes, I agree. Because the Luck was about one real issue i.e. trying to get a job in Thatcher's Britain, it is very dated, certainly compared to imperial phase Grange Hill.

    'Imperial phase' Grange Hill? Ah yes, of course, that time when they relocated the school to the tropics and prior to 1960s decolonisation, and had them all sitting around in bars where big fans like helicoptor propellors rotated on the ceiling, wearing white shorts, short sleeved shirts, pith helmets and monocles, sipping gin and tonics, talking in upper class accents, and ordering darkies about. How could I have forgotten that!:D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,328
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    I love the early Grange hills with Tucker,Roland,Zammo,Danny,Trish etc. Got some dvds with early episodes a couple of christmasses ago:):cool:
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    Gripper, the original school bully of course.

    Before him, they had Doyle, the skinny blond lad. Only, he was too weedy to be a bully as such, although he was a nasty bit of work. While none of the original male pupils were really intimidating, though, I recall they had some really nasty female characters in the early days. Madeline Tanner, for one.

    I think it was the third series when they introduced a really formidable male bully in the form of Booga Benson. He was even more nasty than Gripper, if anything. If you recall, he ended up getting a custodial sentence after beating Tucker unconscious after a school disco, because Gripper had got him expelled.
  • GulftasticGulftastic Posts: 127,201
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    If you recall, he ended up getting a custodial sentence after beating Tucker unconscious after a school disco, because Gripper had got him expelled.

    Scariest episode ever! The chase through the school was terrifying.
  • angustayangustay Posts: 2,141
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    I remember a lot of the early episodes with Todd Carty but the era I watched the most was the Drug storyline with Zammo and Roland trying to help him as his friends had given up on him. I used to have a crush on the character Fay Lucas until she threw her bangle into a swimming pool resulting in the death of another character after that I went right off her. The last story I saw (I admit I was a bit old for Grange hill by this stage) was Bronson and Danny's hatred for one another and Bronson hitting him with his car to me that was the last great story with great characters.

    I seem to remember the stories but the actors and characters some I have forgotten. I also watched Tuckers Luck it was strange to see all the characters grown up. Does anyone remember the name of the art teacher I think it was Scruffy but I am not sure.
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