Author: Amanda

Kit Curran, Episode Six: Doctors Can Seriously Damage Your Health

In the final episode of Kit Curran, Pamela finds herself in hospital. This sparks on terrible, terrible idea in Kit: he’s going to open a health clinic. Will this latest scheme finally see him get the comeuppance he deserves?

About

The sixth (and final!) episode of ‘Kit Curran’ aired on the 25th of August 1986 on Channel Four. It is the second series of ‘The Kit Curran Radio Show’, with a different name, one significant cast change, and a modified set up. Produced by Thames Television and created by Andy Hamilton, the second series sees Guy Jenkin join the writing team. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Kit Curran’, Clive Merrison as ‘Damien Appleby’, Paul Brooke as ‘Les Toms’ and Lindsay Duncan as ‘Pamela Scott’.

Availability: Out on Region 2 DVD as of 2018. Also available on UK iTunes, but mislabelled as Series 1, in a confusing manner. The watch quality of the DVD is better than these screencaps suggest—it’s an improvement over the VHS rips of re-runs that were circling before it was released—but you can tell the footage hasn’t been best preserved.

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Kit Curran, Episode Five: Blind Date

Kit’s latest scheme involves running a dating agency. Inbetween attempting to match up various unlikely lonely hearts, Kit turns his attentions to his own romantic desires: attempting to win over Pamela. Maybe he needs a change of approach? Pam’s seen through most of his plans so far—will she see through this one?

About

The fifth episode of ‘Kit Curran’ aired on the 18th of August 1986 on Channel Four. It is the second series of ‘The Kit Curran Radio Show’, with a different name, one significant cast change, and a modified set up. Produced by Thames Television and created by Andy Hamilton, the second series sees Guy Jenkin join the writing team. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Kit Curran’, Clive Merrison as ‘Damien Appleby’, Paul Brooke as ‘Les Toms’ and Lindsay Duncan as ‘Pamela Scott’.

Availability: Out on Region 2 DVD as of 2018. Also available on UK iTunes, but mislabelled as Series 1, in a confusing manner. The watch quality of the DVD is better than these screencaps suggest—it’s an improvement over the VHS rips of re-runs that were circling before it was released—but you can tell the footage hasn’t been best preserved.

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Kit Curran, Episode Four: A Sick Society

Kit, Les and Damien are betting their latest money-making attempt on being double-glazing salesman. But Kit isn’t going to let that mundaneity spoil his attempts at being rich and famous—or the local police discover his pirate radio show. But when a phony phone call to the police to get them off his back has unintended consequences, can Kit get out of this one?

About

The fourth episode of ‘Kit Curran’ aired on the 11th of August 1986 on Channel Four. It is the second series of ‘The Kit Curran Radio Show’, with a different name, one significant cast change, and a modified set up. Produced by Thames Television and created by Andy Hamilton, the second series sees Guy Jenkin join the writing team. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Kit Curran’, Clive Merrison as ‘Damien Appleby’, Paul Brooke as ‘Les Toms’ and Lindsay Duncan as ‘Pamela Scott’. Guest starring is Alex Jennings as ‘P.C. Woods’, in one of his first roles.

Availability: Out on Region 2 DVD as of 2018. Also available on UK iTunes, but mislabelled as Series 1, in a confusing manner. The watch quality of the DVD is better than these screencaps suggest—it’s an improvement over the VHS rips of re-runs that were circling before it was released—but you can tell the footage hasn’t been best preserved.

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Kit Curran, Episode Three: The Street of Shame

A freak incident where an armed robber invades the studio gives Kit an idea for his latest money-making scheme. No, not robbery—though I wouldn’t put it past Kit—but selling increasingly ludicrous stories to the press. As the wretched newspapers of Fleet Street eat up Kit’s content, what is the limit to what they will accept?

About

The third episode of ‘Kit Curran’ aired on the 4th of August 1986 on Channel Four. It is the second series of ‘The Kit Curran Radio Show’, with a different name, one significant cast change, and a modified set up. Produced by Thames Television and created by Andy Hamilton, the second series sees Guy Jenkin join the writing team. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Kit Curran’, Clive Merrison as ‘Damien Appleby’, Paul Brooke as ‘Les Toms’ and Lindsay Duncan as ‘Pamela Scott’.

Availability: Out on Region 2 DVD as of 2018. Also available on UK iTunes, but mislabelled as Series 1, in a confusing manner. The watch quality of the DVD is better than these screencaps suggest—it’s an improvement over the VHS rips of re-runs that were circling before it was released—but you can tell the footage hasn’t been best preserved.

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Kit Curran, Episode Two: The Lucky Break

Kit’s managed to convince both Damien and Les to come on board his business venture, but their start up capital will only go so far. Kit’s taste for the finer things in life—as well as his atrociously bad business sense—soon mean they’re out of money and the rent is due. How on earth are they going to pay it?

About

The second episode of ‘Kit Curran’ aired on the 28th of July 1986 on Channel Four. It is the second series of ‘The Kit Curran Radio Show’, with a different name, one significant cast change, and a modified set up. Produced by Thames Television and created by Andy Hamilton, the second series sees Guy Jenkin join the writing team. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Kit Curran’, Clive Merrison as ‘Damien Appleby’, Paul Brooke as ‘Les Toms’ and Lindsay Duncan as ‘Pamela Scott’.

Availability: Out on Region 2 DVD as of 2018. Also available on UK iTunes, but mislabelled as Series 1, in a confusing manner. The watch quality of the DVD is better than these screencaps suggest—it’s an improvement over the VHS rips of re-runs that were circling before it was released—but you can tell the footage hasn’t been best preserved.

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Kit Curran, Episode One: One Door Closes

Remember Kit? Radio DJ, out for fame and to give his boss a nervous breakdown? A second series of the show was made in 1986, moving from ITV to Channel Four, featuring yet more of Kit’s ridiculous antics and blatantly awful get-rich-quick schemes. Finding himself in a new situation, this could be a chance for Kit to reinvent himself—or carry on doing the same things as he was before.

About

The first episode of ‘Kit Curran’ aired on the 21st of July 1986 on Channel Four. It is the second series of ‘The Kit Curran Radio Show’, with a different name, one significant cast change, and a modified set up. Produced by Thames Television and created by Andy Hamilton, the second series sees Guy Jenkin join the writing team. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Kit Curran’, Clive Merrison as ‘Damien Appleby’, Paul Brooke as ‘Les Toms’ and Lindsay Duncan as ‘Pamela Scott’.

Readers of this blog will remember Lindsay Duncan from Dead Head, which also aired in 1986. She and Denis are once again love interests—of a sort—with the adversarial relationship retained, even though their characters are very different.

Availability: Out on Region 2 DVD as of 2018. Also available on UK iTunes, but mislabelled as Series 1, in a confusing manner. The watch quality of the DVD is better than these screencaps suggest—it’s an improvement over the VHS rips of re-runs that were circling before it was released—but you can tell the footage hasn’t been best preserved.

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Dead Head, Episode Four: The Patriot

Eddie struggles to make sense of a world in which even his closest friends have betrayed him. On one final quest for answers, will he ever know what led him into this mess? And if he does learn—will he keep the secret?

About

The fourth episode of Dead Head, ‘The Patriot’, aired on the 5th February 1986 on BBC Two. Made in-house at the BBC by Pebble Mill, it was written by Howard Brenton, directed by Rob Walker, and produced by Robin Midgeley. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Eddie Cass’, Lindsay Duncan as ‘Dana Cass’, George Baker as ‘Eldridge’, Leonie Mellinger as ‘Angela’ and Tim Potter as ‘Teddy’

Availability: Out on DVD in the UK since 2013. Howard Brenton did a commentary for the first two episodes which serves to illuminate how it ended up so bizarre.

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Dead Head, Episode Three: The War Room

Eddie. once again alone and fending for himself, flees to Birmingham. Whilst there, he manages to find his way back to possibly the last friend he has in the world. But the truth is never that simple, and Eddie may find that there is no one in England—absolutely no one—he can trust.

About

The third episode of Dead Head, ‘The War Room’, aired on the 29th January 1986 on BBC Two. Made in-house at the BBC by Pebble Mill, it was written by Howard Brenton, directed by Rob Walker, and produced by Robin Midgeley. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Eddie Cass’, Norman Beaton as ‘Caractacus’, Susannah Bunyan as ‘Jill’ and Larrington Walker as ‘Stoker’.

Availability: Out on DVD in the UK since 2013. Howard Brenton did a commentary for the first two episodes which serves to illuminate just how it ended up so bizarre.

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Dead Head, Episode Two: Anything For England

Eddie flees out of London to the countryside. On his way he encounters Hugo, a disenchanted spook who helped pin the crime on Eddie but has questions about the entire affair. Looking for answers, Eddie finds himself tangled up in the affairs of the English ruling class—but are any of them what they seem?

About

The second episode of Dead Head, ‘Anything For England’, aired on the 22nd January 1986 on BBC Two. Made in-house at the BBC by Pebble Mill, it was written by Howard Brenton, directed by Rob Walker, and produced by Robin Midgeley. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Eddie Cass’, Lindsay Duncan as ‘Dana Cass’, Simon Callow as ‘Hugo Silver’, George Baker as ‘Eldridge’, James Warwick as ‘Lord Clive Ludlow’ and Tacy Kneale as ‘Sandra’.

Availability: Out on DVD in the UK since 2013. Howard Brenton did a commentary for the first two episodes which serves to illuminate just how it ended up so bizarre.

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Dead Head, Episode One: Why Me?

Dead Head is a slightly infamous four episode mini-series that aired on the BBC in 1986. It was rather controversial at the time (likely for a number of reasons, including the confusing plot, the full frontal male and female nudity, the torture scenes, and well everything else) and aired only once before its release on DVD in 2013. It’s well known amongst Lawson fans as the source of several thirst gifs, including the ones of him in the bath tub and in the fourties’ bomber jacket.

It has a tendency to turn up on people’s recommendation lists for Lawson stuff because of said thirst reasons, as well as it being a show that features him heavily (he’s in every scene), but I warn you: the plot makes no sense. This is largely intentional.

Content warning: look, they give this thing a 15, but that doesn’t really describe quite what the hell is going on here. Violence, sex, and just. There’s a lot okay.

About

The first episode of Dead Head, ‘Why Me?’, aired on the 15th January 1986 on BBC Two. Made in-house at the BBC by Pebble Mill, it was written by Howard Brenton, directed by Rob Walker, and produced by Robin Midgeley. This episode stars Denis Lawson as ‘Eddie Cass’, Lindsay Duncan as ‘Dana Cass’, Simon Callow as ‘Hugo Silver’, George Baker as ‘Eldridge’ and Norman Beaton as ‘Caractacus’.

This is the first of two things Lawson and Duncan were in in 1986; they’d later star together in the second season of the Kit Curran show, where they still play love interests—of a kind—but the dynamic is very different.

Availability: Out on DVD in the UK since 2013. Howard Brenton did a commentary for the first two episodes which serves to illuminate just how it ended up so bizarre.

Both Howard Brenton and Rob Walker are primarily known for their theatre work—in fact, Rob Walker directed Lawson in Pal Joey (1980)—and actually, this entire series makes more sense if you start to consider it less as a TV series and more as four mini interlinked plays. They set out to do something different, show that television could be made a different way. Whatever your feelings on this series are, it was not a popular take. Walker never did any TV work again, and it was 16 years before Brenton wrote on another TV serial. The entire series was written in about ten days mid-1985, which explains some of the less than well thought out plot—Brenton has admitted he would rewrite elements of the show now.

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