Grange hill

[80sChav]

Re: Grange hill

When the series started in 1978, ITV had a similar series called A Bunch of Fives, and I have wondered whether either one had inspired the other or vice versa, so parodying could have even happened when it started in the late 1970s. Also, I remember seeing the opening titles to How online and thought how similar they were to the GH "comic strip" opening titles.

I can't believe that A Bunch Of Fives had a young Jamie Forman in it (of the re-cast fame of Derek Branning) from EasteEnders


I thoiught Jamie's acting in A bUnch Of Fives was a bit iffy - but it certainly proves the old adage of if a character appears different in differing roles etc!!

80sChav

[80sChav]

Re: Grange hill

YOU HAVE A GREAT MEMORY OF REMEMBERING THINGS THAT I CANT.

YEAH 10 YRS SOMEHOW IT SEEMS EVEN LONGER THAN THAT TO ME.

FINAL EPISODE BELOW


https://youtu.be/KRxTR3N38iw

I CANT TELL WHICH MY FAVE SERIES ARE AS I FIND IT HARD REMEMBERING WHAT HAPPENED IN WHICH ONE.
BUT I DO REMEMBER SEEING THE FIRST PUPIL KILLED SURE IT WAS IN THE FIRST 5 SERIES WHEN I THINK HE FELL FROM A GREAT HEIGHT.
MR BRONSON'S DISLIKE FOR A CERTAIN STUDENT IN PARTICULAR.

You know Me, Darren Mate - but I guess we all have m,emories of many things, we can recall

How you add certain "finds" etc on the Forum here amazes me too mate

Argh yer Mr Bronson you mean v Ant anbd Danny yeah!

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

When the series started in 1978, ITV had a similar series called A Bunch of Fives, and I have wondered whether either one had inspired the other or vice versa, so parodying could have even happened when it started in the late 1970s. Also, I remember seeing the opening titles to How online and thought how similar they were to the GH "comic strip" opening titles.

[darren]

Re: Grange hill

YOU HAVE A GREAT MEMORY OF REMEMBERING THINGS THAT I CANT.

YEAH 10 YRS SOMEHOW IT SEEMS EVEN LONGER THAN THAT TO ME.

FINAL EPISODE BELOW


https://youtu.be/KRxTR3N38iw

I CANT TELL WHICH MY FAVE SERIES ARE AS I FIND IT HARD REMEMBERING WHAT HAPPENED IN WHICH ONE.
BUT I DO REMEMBER SEEING THE FIRST PUPIL KILLED SURE IT WAS IN THE FIRST 5 SERIES WHEN I THINK HE FELL FROM A GREAT HEIGHT.
MR BRONSON'S DISLIKE FOR A CERTAIN STUDENT IN PARTICULAR.

I don't know tbh George if GH became a parody until it's last few years!

It had a great comeback of sorts in 1998 with the Judy, Alec, Sean storyline - though I never rated S21 as that good, but by 1999 it was hitting amazinbg standards in the first 5-ish episodes and poor KLaura Sadler RIP played such anamazingly convincing part as Judi - what a tradgedy life immidate Art for poor Laura 4 years later

It was inevitable though that such an amazing run like with a Football Team winning week on week, that it could not carry on at that pace all series (unlike S10) , which is still the best best ever 31 years later - though the 99 Series did get better again by the end - even though imho we hada re-run of Mike and Robbie's Court Case v Derek Aines in 1990 with Khal - I think his name was!!? and Colin and Colin dating Becky (who's Dad was Giles Watling of Oswald from Bread fame) and poor Becky being like Georgina was in 1990 - not being best sure how to support her boyfriend

Then by 200 it had picked up again as well as including Linford Christie's 2nd appearance and Louis Bore Mote making a cameo - tthough by 2001 another "repeat" was happening wih Evelyn being pregnant - again in a 9 year gap from 92 to 01, recreating the Chrissy storyline like the 1990 to 1999 one had a 9 year gap too, but then it got better I think and Evelyn moving to Cambridge with a Cameo in Cambridge (though I totally doubt it was filmed in Cambridge - just as I have it on good knowledge that TYed's Southampton scences in 92 was 95% not filmed in Sooty) when Kelly went to visit her - was like a turning point for the 1994/1995 intake I think

Though this era between 98 and 02 seemed to blur the lines as a massive difference in the extreme character-wise I think - more so as we met the last 3 great Year-groups - namley Hudson and Ben's and Lisa and the Double Dare Gang starting in 1998 and 1997 respectivley and Kathy and Maddie and martin's in 2001!! Then after 2001 and ray's Savage beating and trashing of his Cafe - the Series hit an all-time high in 2002 - that is one easily in my top 3 (but it varies on any given day)!!

Who'd of thought that Deverill would turn out to be the evil beast he was - after Hudson and co sent him on a wild-goose chase to GH in episode 1!!? 17 Epis later he showed his real colours no doubts

Series 26 was abysmal and on any given day i rate worse than the final one in 2008, but we had a bit of another ressurgance in 2004 Mr Green hit Taylor after Taylor (played by the extremley talented reece Noi) had toutered Green all year - just like Trev and imelda 17 years with "Mr Phil Scott "the Walley"!!

As well in the final dera there was Maddie and Martin doing a "Georgina and Ziggy"" at thheir Year 11 Prom - which was an awesome end for Maddie and it showed she had reedeemed herself of hatred upon packing School in early in the 6th Form of the following Series!!

Honourable mentions of this era must also go to Abel and Andy (who was more talented than we knew I think) with both being way better minus Togger in every scene/epi going!!

The only thing that saved the final Series of 08 was Toggers 1980s "un-offiicial tribute to doing his tie the thin side out-Ziggy way", which I am convinced was a an added thanks for the memories from Lime and Mersey TVs as at that tiome i am certain they had their spy's on the net seeking ideas - even if 50% of the storylines was watered down/re-cycled in their extremes!! Other honourable mentions must go to Tanya played superbly over the last few Years and Baz and Annie , who worked ace with two sibblings and Baz dating Maddie all the time or wanting to "win her back". Both annie and Baz had great leaving story's as well i think and the addition of Miss rawlinson was a great move , that could of been even greater in "steadier climes of the programme" I think where she could easily have become "the Female Mre Hankin" and rose through the ranks at least to Deputy Head-ship status - with Kim Hartson playing her majesticaly

80sChav

[agfagaevart]

Re: Grange hill

I don't know tbh George if GH became a parody until it's last few years!
80sChav

it had become a complete joke. and it no longer reflected the real issues happening in modern schools - like knife crime which was a problem even 10 years ago...

[80sChav]

Re: Grange hill

Yes, it's unbelievable that the final series was now ten years ago, but I have to say that during the latter half of the 1990s onwards the series could have been any parody of an average kids' drama. Waterloo Road was almost a parody of it - and so was that Ackley Bridge series that was shown on Channel 4 last year - I think that what is was called.

But was Grange Hill itself supposed to be a parody or a satire of our own school days? On the forum that I was a member of a few years ago, I heard from members who said that they had strict deputy heads just like Mr Keating, and so on. I can remember in my class a girl and boy pupil that resembled Justine Dean and Terrance Ratcliffe, but I can't imagine them "being together" in the same sense as they were in the series.

I don't know tbh George if GH became a parody until it's last few years!

It had a great comeback of sorts in 1998 with the Judy, Alec, Sean storyline - though I never rated S21 as that good, but by 1999 it was hitting amazinbg standards in the first 5-ish episodes and poor KLaura Sadler RIP played such anamazingly convincing part as Judi - what a tradgedy life immidate Art for poor Laura 4 years later

It was inevitable though that such an amazing run like with a Football Team winning week on week, that it could not carry on at that pace all series (unlike S10) , which is still the best best ever 31 years later - though the 99 Series did get better again by the end - even though imho we hada re-run of Mike and Robbie's Court Case v Derek Aines in 1990 with Khal - I think his name was!!? and Colin and Colin dating Becky (who's Dad was Giles Watling of Oswald from Bread fame) and poor Becky being like Georgina was in 1990 - not being best sure how to support her boyfriend

Then by 200 it had picked up again as well as including Linford Christie's 2nd appearance and Louis Bore Mote making a cameo - tthough by 2001 another "repeat" was happening wih Evelyn being pregnant - again in a 9 year gap from 92 to 01, recreating the Chrissy storyline like the 1990 to 1999 one had a 9 year gap too, but then it got better I think and Evelyn moving to Cambridge with a Cameo in Cambridge (though I totally doubt it was filmed in Cambridge - just as I have it on good knowledge that TYed's Southampton scences in 92 was 95% not filmed in Sooty) when Kelly went to visit her - was like a turning point for the 1994/1995 intake I think

Though this era between 98 and 02 seemed to blur the lines as a massive difference in the extreme character-wise I think - more so as we met the last 3 great Year-groups - namley Hudson and Ben's and Lisa and the Double Dare Gang starting in 1998 and 1997 respectivley and Kathy and Maddie and martin's in 2001!! Then after 2001 and ray's Savage beating and trashing of his Cafe - the Series hit an all-time high in 2002 - that is one easily in my top 3 (but it varies on any given day)!!

Who'd of thought that Deverill would turn out to be the evil beast he was - after Hudson and co sent him on a wild-goose chase to GH in episode 1!!? 17 Epis later he showed his real colours no doubts

Series 26 was abysmal and on any given day i rate worse than the final one in 2008, but we had a bit of another ressurgance in 2004 Mr Green hit Taylor after Taylor (played by the extremley talented reece Noi) had toutered Green all year - just like Trev and imelda 17 years with "Mr Phil Scott "the Walley"!!

As well in the final dera there was Maddie and Martin doing a "Georgina and Ziggy"" at thheir Year 11 Prom - which was an awesome end for Maddie and it showed she had reedeemed herself of hatred upon packing School in early in the 6th Form of the following Series!!

Honourable mentions of this era must also go to Abel and Andy (who was more talented than we knew I think) with both being way better minus Togger in every scene/epi going!!

The only thing that saved the final Series of 08 was Toggers 1980s "un-offiicial tribute to doing his tie the thin side out-Ziggy way", which I am convinced was a an added thanks for the memories from Lime and Mersey TVs as at that tiome i am certain they had their spy's on the net seeking ideas - even if 50% of the storylines was watered down/re-cycled in their extremes!! Other honourable mentions must go to Tanya played superbly over the last few Years and Baz and Annie , who worked ace with two sibblings and Baz dating Maddie all the time or wanting to "win her back". Both annie and Baz had great leaving story's as well i think and the addition of Miss rawlinson was a great move , that could of been even greater in "steadier climes of the programme" I think where she could easily have become "the Female Mre Hankin" and rose through the ranks at least to Deputy Head-ship status - with Kim Hartson playing her majesticaly

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

Does anyone remember the late 1990s drama Hope & Glory where Lenny Henry played the head of a failing school, which he had been appointed to try to turn it around?

It vaguely rings a bell (and not a school bell when it comes to that!) I can't imagine Lenny Henry playing a headteacher, but anything can be possible. That series reminds me of that Christopher Eccleston drama Hearts and Minds that was on Channel 4 back in 1995 - of course as it was Channel 4 in the mid 1990s. Liverpool was obviously implicated within it, Phil Redmond-style.

[Richard1978]

Re: Grange hill

Does anyone remember the late 1990s drama Hope & Glory where Lenny Henry played the head of a failing school, which he had been appointed to try to turn it around?

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

Yes, it's unbelievable that the final series was now ten years ago, but I have to say that during the latter half of the 1990s onwards the series could have been any parody of an average kids' drama. Waterloo Road was almost a parody of it - and so was that Ackley Bridge series that was shown on Channel 4 last year - I think that what is was called.

But was Grange Hill itself supposed to be a parody or a satire of our own school days? On the forum that I was a member of a few years ago, I heard from members who said that they had strict deputy heads just like Mr Keating, and so on. I can remember in my class a girl and boy pupil that resembled Justine Dean and Terrance Ratcliffe, but I can't imagine them "being together" in the same sense as they were in the series.

[80sChav]

Re: Grange hill

Well here we are - all you mega GH Fans like Me, Darren, George studAl etc - 10 years is nearly up (or will be next month) since we mourned the loss (though abliet not totaly) as by the time the BBC had finished it was running into mid-Summer nearly Autumn that Series 31 finished and Grange Hill closed forever!!

For the first few years I did harbour extremley deep hopes that it'd return and a mega mistake had occured and it'd return ..... but not now I can sadly!! I guess I will just have to put it down to my youth and me and Grange hill shared 30 of our lives (as it was born a year after me)! that this was so I will forever be grateful to it for and of course Phil Redmond for creating such great characters (which as I described in the "Refusing To Go To School Thread" provided a "recluse/escape route" for my love/hate relationship with School from 78 to 92 or rather Secondary more so (from 88 to 93/94) - so I have to thank Grange Hill for this no doubts!!

It is too hard to describe it's impact in a true way - all I can say really is growing up with it was like our Grandparents growing up with Vera Lynn, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Connie Francis etc ande all the 1930s/40s great singers - that the only way to appreciate it was to live in that time!

Admnitted waterloo rd made more than a faira ttempt to cover Grange Hill's demise - at leaszt until two Series' or so into the "Glasgow era" and that made semi-sense in a way compared to Grange hill's move to an "un-named city" as it was feasable with the accident at Gretna and going to visit a new School set up by a rich person who wanted to help. Even after Grange Hill "died" I held out hope until 2011 and Waterloo9 Roads' move to Scotland I had tried to hold out hope and the same on Waterloo's "death" too in 2015

though what is done now sadly is and we just have to let get go - as much as it hurts like crazy - but here is to Grange Hill's 2nd date of importance after it ending (after 5 in 2013) and it's memories it gave us over 30 years and 31 Series' and to that we can but dream what the last 10 years might have brought (and of course it's Big Big 40th ) as would have been this year!

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

Gosh you do have a good memory! I don't remember any of that. Do you remember if Trisha went shoplifting?

Actually, the episodes are on YouTube, so having a good memory is not relevant to that!

I think that she did go shoplifting with Madeline Tanner in series 2 - it was the episode when there was a staff meeting or strike and the pupils had the rest of the day off.

I loved the series one episode where the Irish Art teacher Miss Mather gave Trisha three hours detention for wearing coloured socks.

"You wear them" said Trisha to Mather. "I am a member of staff" Mather said.

As a young boy back then, I was glad that Trisha had to wear white socks anyway - it looked fitting to see a girl get told off for something like that.

[Danniella]

Re: Grange hill

Ann Wilson? Or Cathy Hargreaves?

I love it how we get to see Trisha's handwriting in a series 2 episode when she writes "the modern dance speeds up" on a piece of wood in the "Simon Shaw's dyslexia" episode - I could imagine her writing her real name "Michelle" in that handwriting. My sister used to write like that when she was a teenager as well.

Gosh you do have a good memory! I don't remember any of that. Do you remember if Trisha went shoplifting?

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

Can you remember what Trishas female friend was called?

Ann Wilson? Or Cathy Hargreaves?

I love it how we get to see Trisha's handwriting in a series 2 episode when she writes "the modern dance speeds up" on a piece of wood in the "Simon Shaw's dyslexia" episode - I could imagine her writing her real name "Michelle" in that handwriting. My sister used to write like that when she was a teenager as well.

[Danniella]

Re: Grange hill

Yes, she was so great during the "Mr Mitchell" era of the first couple of series, especially when she was Simon Shaw's friend.

Can you remember what Trishas female friend was called?

[George 1978]

Re: Grange hill

I used to enjoy watching the early episodes of Grange Hill when the bbc re-ran it, i didn't like the more recent version of it, i remember a character called Trisha from the early episodes.

Yes, she was so great during the "Mr Mitchell" era of the first couple of series, especially when she was Simon Shaw's friend.