30 Days of TV meme - Day 6

Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
I'm really having trouble answering the questions in this meme.  I guess that's confirmation that I watch too much TV.

If forced I would have to pick the first episode of the second series of 'Press Gang', the not-very-informatively-titled-if-you-didn't-see-the-first-series 'Breakfast at Czars'.  I've chosen it because it's an episode that packs and awful lot into 25 minutes.  It introduces all the characters and the relationships between them in case any viewers didn't see series one but in an almost effortless way so as not to make it boring for returning fans.  It also introduces a brand new character, Sam, who instantly brings a new dynamic to the story.  The set is great.  As usual it has been dressed in intricate detail.  The episode begins with Lynda returning to a newsroom not yet tidied after a big party.  The room is a total mess and it continues to be so throughout the episode.  It must have been a nightmare for continuity but as a viewer I totally believed it.  The way Sam has crossed through the 'Julie's Room' scribbles on the graphics room door is also a nice touch as it supports the idea that Sam is newish and hasn't had time to redecorate.  The camera work is really quite remarkable for a relatively low budget kids show.  There is one long tracking shot which trails three different conversations around the room with Lynda leaving the shot on one side and then walking back in to a different conversation.  Clever stuff for such a young cast and remember that the big US shows that made this type of shot famous (ER and The West Wing) were still several years off.  Finally, 'Czars' is funny.  The sub-plot with Colin and the escape artist stuck in the box is totally stupid but believable when Colin's involved.  He's so serious in such ridiculous situations.  Lynda's fuming when Spike turns up with rival Charlotte is also brilliant (see my icon for details).  

So much happens in the episode that it's difficult to believe that it originally came up several minutes short and an extra scene had to be slotted in at a later date.  The 'extra' scene is the famous 'nearly kiss' which many people believe to be the most significant part of the episode.  

Steven Moffat admits in the DVD commentary that the scenes with the 'adults' aren't that great and I have to agree that the main 'us against them' plot isn't the greatest but I don't think that's important.  The plot just serves as a backdrop to the character driven stuff and in that respect this episode has everything - simmering sexual tension between Spike and Lynda, Colin being funny, Frazz being confused, and Kenny being lovely.  

Oh and 'Czars' is the cafe frequented by PG characters in series one and two in case you were wondering.  Places like that don't really exist any more.  These days they'd probably go to Starbucks which wouldn't be quite the same. 

It's very hard to single out an episode of 'Press Gang' as a favourite as they are largely quite self contained and each feel quite different.  Series two is particularly strong - I love 'The Week and Pizza', 'Love and the Junior Gazette', 'At Last a Dragon', 'Rock Solid', and 'The Big Finish?'  I would also throw in to the mix 'Deadline', 'A Night In' and 'Shouldn't I be Taller?' from series one, 'The Last Word' parts one and two from series three and 'Love and War' from series four.  Basically, everyone should just watch all of it really!

( The whole list... )