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  #11  
Old 7th July 2011, 10:33 PM
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Hi,

Central television didn't really make a fuss over the final episode, it was the fans that made the fuss. We all had a demo outside central televisions studios in birmingham on the december 16th 1991 (the day of the final episode) demanding that Central re-run the entire series. Val Lehman and Judy McBurney turned up and handed the execs at Central a 15,000 name petition.

Around 100 fans turned up (me included) even though I lived in South Wales) and we even made the local news with central news doing a feature on us in their news report! The fan club organised a party at the 'The Institute' night club where we all watched prisoner clips on a big screen, Val lehman, Judy McBurney and Fiona Spence were there, there was a prisoner memorabilia auction, a fancy dress comp and Val made many phone calls to various Pris actresses including Glenda Linscott (Rita), Lois Collinder (Lurch), Pepe Trevor (Lexie) and a few video messages were played from other actresses including Gerda Nicholson (Ann) and Ernie Bourne (Mervin) and we all watched the final episode of Prisoner screened live on the big screen!

The first Prisoner event I had ever been to and probably the best so far!





***sorry dunno wot happened*** The above is a reply to this post................

The first episode I saw was the one which ended with Sandy Edwards pelting down the corridor towards a terrified Saint Meg, as the end-of-season riot kicked off.

Hooked instantly. How could anyone not be?

I loved watching the show in the Central region because they showed it three times a week. We were therefore far in front of the rest of the country. My aunt lived in a different TV region, and was also a Blocky addict. She often recorded episodes for me so I could find out some of the characters' back stories. It was particularly thrilling when she captured 116 for me, as Sharon's death had been mentioned quite a few times, what with Jock reappearing in the show not long after I started watching.

I seem to recall Central making a big fuss of the final episode, too, even though they messed around with the scheduling of the last few. Can't remember what they did, exactly, but they certainly made it feel like an Event.

When Blocky had finished, they ran Dangerous Women in its place. I lasted about three episodes into that one before deciding it was crap and switching off. You can't imitate PCBH.

They re-ran the early episodes a few years later (I still have one of the Pat O'Connell ones on tape somewhere from its second Central showing). It was fascinating to see the *really* early ones. I don't remember how far they got before they stopped, though.

Happy Days.

Of course, I've since seen the whole show again on C5, and am enjoying it once more on DVD. Can't wait until they get to Sandy's arrival - those are the episodes that *really* bring back the memories...[/QUOTE]
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  #12  
Old 16th May 2012, 11:29 AM
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I was lucky enough to watch PCBH right from the start in Central. I watched the first ep by chance in April 1987 and like so many others was instantly hooked.

In Feb 1988 Central reduced the number of episodes from 3 to 2, by stopping the saturday screenings. There was a massive uproar and so many complaints that they brought it back to 3 episodes in April 1988. They actually listened to us viewers!

Central used to take PCBH off for a couple of weeks at Xmas and new year but in Jan 1989, they made up for it by having 'an 8 day PCBH special' - an episode a day for 8 consecutive days. That was just brilliant! They did the same in Jan 1990 but with only 6 consecutive episodes.

We got it on saturdays, sundays and mondays to begin with. Then fridays, sundays and mondays.
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  #13  
Old 16th May 2012, 04:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cap1010 View Post
Central used to take PCBH off for a couple of weeks at Xmas and new year but in Jan 1989, they made up for it by having 'an 8 day PCBH special' - an episode a day for 8 consecutive days. That was just brilliant! They did the same in Jan 1990 but with only 6 consecutive episodes.

We got it on saturdays, sundays and mondays to begin with. Then fridays, sundays and mondays.
my goodness, what a good memory you have. i watched in the Central region too and had totally forgotten about this!

it's slowly coming back now.. i remember there was some hoopla on Central and the final episode.. i recall James Whale having something to do with it. didn't he have a PCBH themed special on ???

i was sad when it ended.. i did miss it for awhile but only for a few days or so. it was always on so late so i was glad to go to bed at an earlier time.

i wish i knew the exact episode i started watching from.. i think it was sometime in 1989 and so i must have missed more than the first 250 episodes .. and even after that i used to catch it sporadically.. it's funny though because while i was playing ketchup! with the dvd's the earliest recollection i had was of Jim Fletcher and Michelle Parks training at the running track around 209-213 but that could have been something i glimpsed one night tuning in on the terrible fuzzy Anglia reception ??

i do remember i saw Bea for quite some time before she left in 400.

Last edited by waldo; 16th May 2012 at 04:59 PM.
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  #14  
Old 25th October 2012, 11:30 PM
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Another ITV Central viewer here.

At school in the midlands around 1987, I was about 11, a friend told me to watch 'Prisoner: Cell Block H' so I did and I became a big fan. I probably watched 100 episodes, usually recording them on VHS to watch the next day as they were shown late at night. I remember seeing the final episodes on Central but I don't remember a lot from Central, just vague memories, such as Lizzy (on the outside) having a gentleman friend (Sid?), Myra Desmond's sad final appearance, Bea in a cell talking to a man in the corridor who was trying to defuse a bomb, Meg's son Marty as an officer, Dennis Crukshank (spelling?) with his Yorkshire Puddings.

I also watched 'Prisoner' on Granada at boarding school, I had my own portable TV, it was late at night so I used to get into trouble and thrown into the pound (not really!).

On holiday in North Wales, I watched 'Prisoner' a few times on HTV. I remember seeing an escape tunnel being dug, during a panto?

I also saw the first ever eps on VHS when they were released in the UK and some Channel 5 showings.

I've never (yet) watched every episode, just selected eps, sometimes odd episodes, sometimes groups of episodes. Now I'm watching every ep on DVD, from the beginning, my next ep is 129.
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  #15  
Old 26th October 2012, 12:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trev View Post

I've never (yet) watched every episode, just selected eps, sometimes odd episodes, sometimes groups of episodes. Now I'm watching every ep on DVD, from the beginning, my next ep is 129.
that's the same for me Trev.. i missed so many episodes when it was on TV..

it's been FAN-tastic to watch them all from the beginning on dvd!

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  #16  
Old 24th November 2012, 01:20 PM
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We had Grampian TV up here but I was too young to remember anything about show times etc. I remember at about 7 years old I was slightly obsessed with Bea Smith, lol.....

But my first real memory of the show was year later when I saw the episode where Nola drowns Paddy...it was the memory that stayed with me until I finally started watching on DVD....the first time I have ever been able to watch it through. I have never looked back....heehee.
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