The Big Hello
Now running commercially, the Junior Gazette is struggling to meet its targets as Lynda tries to adapt to life as the big
boss and without Spike, who is back living in America with his father. Focusing on a story about the potential illegal
act of Councilman Folkstone granting excessive planning permission to George Coles, a close friend of his
(and the Gazette�s owner Mr. Campbell), means Lynda is walking a tightrope that could cause her to lose her job.
Needing firm evidence, Lynda heads over to the restaurant where Coles and Folkstone are meeting in hopes of getting some,
completely unaware that Spike is also there with his American girlfriend Zoe for a brief visit to England.
Having spent the whole trip avoiding his all friends and due to return back to America that night, Spike decides to try
and phone Lynda at the payphone while Zoe is
occupied with the menu � little realising that Lynda is in the same room. Equally surprised to find Spike back in England,
they�re ensuing argument is put on hold when Lynda overhears Cole leaving an incriminating message on Folkstone�s answer
machine. With Spike in assistance, the two manage to steal Folkstone�s answer machine tape � only to discover that it was the wrong one.
With Matt Kerr furious at Lynda for seeming to have falsely accused Coles and Folkstone, Lynda is about to lose her
job for good - that is until luck intervenes. Having previously exchanged Folkstone�s number in Cole's address book for
the Junior Gazette's number, Kerr and the others are on hand to hear when Cole inadvertently phones the paper and admits
to his dealings with Folkstone - landing the Gazette with a major scope at the same time as saving Lynda's job. Having stuck
round long enough to be of assistance, Spike decides to head off back to America with Zoe despite
Lynda begging him to stay and offering him a job on the paper. Having said his final goodbyes again, Spike heads off into the sunset, but
Lynda is confident she�ll see him again � not least because she�s secretly stolen his passport.
Notes:
The first episode of the series again has a pre-sequence scene before the titles.
The titles have been updated for each actor.
Since the last episode, Spike has returned to America and Sam has left the paper, although no reason is given
as to why she left. Kate is now in charge of the graphics department and has been for the last week.
It's been six months since Spike last talked to Lynda which implies that is the timescale between the end of series 2 and the
start of series 3.
Whereas Spike previously chased Lynda before their relationship, this episode marks the switch in circumstances with
Lynda now pursuing Spike.
Continuity:
Lynda is nervously hiccupping at any mention of Spike's name, a tick that is carried on from At Last A Dragon
and we also see the owner of the Gazette again who we met in the same episode.
Quotes:
Lynda: [to the newsroom after her paper spike is full up] "I need a new Spike!"
Kenny: "I think I'm going to enjoy being grown up."
Lynda: "You were never anything else."
Kenny: "What excuse do I use to Kerr?"
Lynda: "Tell him that I dropped dead just after he phoned and I�ll call him tomorrow."
Kenny: "You won�t call him tomorrow."
Lynda: "It is called lying Kenny. I haven�t dropped dead either."
Kenny: "Well I wasn�t sure - it could take you this long to stop talking."
Lynda: "Why do you always assume I'm incapable of handling anything technical?"
Kenny: "I find it saves time."
Full Cast:
Lynda Day � Julia Sawalha
Spike Thomson � Dexter Fletcher
Kenny Phillips � Lee Ross
Sarah Jackson � Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis � Mmoloki Chrystie
Colin Matthews � Paul Reynolds
Matt Kerr � Clive Wood
Zoe � Toni Barry
Tiddler � Joanna Dukes
Gordon Coles � Paul Williamson
Eric Folkstone � Simon Mattacks
David Campbell � John Benson
Security Man � Beresford Leroy
Waiter � Paul Abbey
Director:
Bob Spiers
Written By:
Steven Moffat
First Transmitted:
7th May 1991
|
Killer On The Line
Having realised Lynda stole his passport, an angry Spike returns to the newsroom that night to turn the place upside
down in search of it. Also at the newsroom are a nonchalant Frazz and a heartbroken Sarah, who has been stood up by her
latest guy and is now waiting for him to call. However instead of an apology, Sarah finds herself receiving calls from
a wrong
number who is looking for guidance from a guy named Rod after having
been blinded by pepper spray and left trapped. Realising that the guy she is talking to is currently
involved in an illegal act, Sarah tries to play along in order to get as much information out of him as possible while
Lynda (who has recently arrived with Colin) calls the police. Further talking reveals that the guy was in the process of
robbing the shop when he was discovered by the owner, leading to an altercation that resulted with the owner being hit
heavily on the head and killed. Despite Sarah telling him he has got the wrong number, the burglar still thinks he�s
being tested since he pressed redial on the phone that Rod used to call home previous to the robbery.
However he soon
realises that the paper shop owner had since phoned the Junior Gazette � with whom he was having publication problems �
and that he has just confessed all to the paper. Calling back, he tries to
pretend that the phone call was a prank, but Sarah works out that truth just in time to have the police sent over to the
shop and catch the murderer.
Notes:
The episode carries on a couple of hours after the end of the last episode.
The whole episode takes place over a few hours in the newsroom, with the only cuts being
to the shop and Kenny's house.
Continuity:
Lynda mentions that the Cole and Folkstone story from The Big Hello has been pulled by Kerr due to legal matters.
Spike mentions having just saved Lynda's job a few hours ago in The Big Hello.
Throughout the episode Lynda keeps encouraging Spike to look in the Rainy Day file as first mentioned in Deadline, which
is where she has hidden his passport.
Quotes:
Spike: [on Lynda] "Do you know what that woman�s done to me?"
Frazz: "Dated you, dumped you, broken your heart, sent you packing back to America, given you a serious complex about all other women because you know that deep down you�re still crazy about her and always will be."
Spike: "Lucky guess."
Lynda: "I really did miss you, you know."
Spike: "What you missed Lynda was a good reporter. You missed what I know, what I could do. Basically you just want me for my mind. You�re so shallow Lynda."
Lynda: [on Colin] "He doesn't really understand anything that you can�t express as money."
Colin: [touched] "Thanks Lynda."
Full Cast:
Lynda Day � Julia Sawalha
Spike Thomson � Dexter Fletcher
Kenny Phillips � Lee Ross
Sarah Jackson � Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis � Mmoloki Chrystie
Colin Matthews � Paul Reynolds
Jack � Jake Woods
David Banks � Richard Charles
Constable � Rasaak Adoti
Shopkeeper � Rick Kennedy
Director:
Lorne Magory
Written By:
Steven Moffat
First Transmitted:
14th May 1991
|
Chance Is A Fine Thing
Judy Wellman, a new member of the Junior Gazette, has all the guys very intrigued. However she�s only interested in one
person � Colin. After a nervous Colin accepts her offer of a date, he turns to Spike for advice. Still convinced he�d be
unable to handle the situation, he gets Spike to secretly come along to prompt him with conversation, but the night proves
to be a disaster with Judy going back to her on-off boyfriend Clark Kent. Determined to give it another try, Colin organises
a romantic dinner for the pair, but the night
proves unsuccessful once again when an angry Clark turns up to warn Colin off. Realising that Judy isn�t quite worth all
the hassle Colin ends the romance between them, becoming the first guy to ever dump Judy Wellman.
Meanwhile Kenny has a crisis of faith when, while doing some DIY, he discovers an old letter addressed to his grandfather that fell beneath the floorboards. The letter turns out to be an answer to his grandfather�s proposal of marriage to a woman in Canada. Despite the woman saying yes, Kenny�s grandfather never received the letter and so presumed her answer to be no � leaving Kenny with the realisation that had that letter never fell under the floorboards, his grandfather would have never later married his grandmother and he would subsequently never have been born. Struggling with the idea of chance and destiny, he begins to question how his life could have turned out had things happened differently, like for instance, had he gotten the phone number of Dublin Girl before the lines were uncrossed. Deciding not to drive himself crazy with what ifs, Kenny is later oblivious to him briefly meeting Dublin Girl herself, when she accidentally comes to his grandfather�s house.
Continuity:
We see the return of Dublin Girl aka Kelly from Love and the Junior Gazette as chance continues
to mess with Kenny.
Colin's scam:
Teddy bears with knifes.
Quotes:
Judy: "You must be thinking that I'm kind of forward."
Colin: "Oh, no, no - you're just the right shape."
Head Waiter: "Are you staying at the hotel?"
Colin: "Err, shouldn�t think so. It�s just a first date. Not expecting too much."
Full Cast:
Lynda Day � Julia Sawalha
Spike Thomson � Dexter Fletcher
Kenny Phillips � Lee Ross
Sarah Jackson � Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis � Mmoloki Chrystie
Colin Matthews � Paul Reynolds
Sean Phillips � Peter Stockbridge
Judy Wellman � Claire Forlani
Kelly � Aisling Flitton
Clark Kent � Tim Dutton
Head Waiter � Nigel Williams
Head Waitress � Samantha Janus
Janey � Lisa Davies
Lucy � Carey Lee
Director:
Bob Spiers
Written By:
Steven Moffat
First Transmitted:
21st May 1991
|
The Last Word - Part One
The media gathers round the Junior Gazette following a shooting in the newsroom that has left one member of the team dead, and the murderer on the run. Outraged at the events, the press start questioning the events that lead to such a tragedy occurring�
Despite appearing like a normal day at the office, the Junior Gazette team soon find that it is anything but, when they come under siege from a clown masked gunman after an article criticising the gun club is published. While Colin sneaks out of the back to get the police, Lynda tries to take charge of the situation despite the nervous gunman almost shooting her. Ordering the newsroom to carry on working as usual, she manages to convince the gunman that it�s not too late to walk away from the situation while no-one knows he�s there. However the plan is ruined when the police surround the building, leaving the gunman trapped and back to his original plan of holding the news staff hostage. Re-entering the room to act as negotiator between the gunman and the police, Colin tries to convince the gunman to let him take some of the hostages out to show the police good faith. The gunman agrees letting the majority of the newsroom leave, but keeping back Lynda, Colin, Kenny, Spike and Sarah for insurance�
Notes:
The episode starts after the siege, giving odd pieces of information about what happened (including the
fact that one of the members of the Gazette died) before travelling back and forth time throughout the rest of the episode
to reveal what happened.
This is third official two-parter in Press Gang.
Quotes:
Spike: "So many women. I can�t exactly remember all their names. I expect I�ve got them tattooed somewhere."
Lynda: "Well knowing you Spike, you better get someone to read them to you."
Spike: "Well that�s a good idea. Find me a blonde who reads with her finger."
Lynda: "Find me a blonde who doesn�t."
Lynda: "You and me Spike, we're held together by a force even stronger than true love."
Spike: "Which is?"
Lynda: "We both want the last word."
Colin: [to gunman] "Do you have to keep pointing at me gun-wise? Erm...It's just that I've got a naturally high fear level. Probably if you were just a bit cross with me, that would do it."
Colin: [to gunman] "Those guys out there haven't quite made up their minds about you. I mean, maybe you're just one of these wacky kids who likes to tease his friends with a loaded firearm. We all know one."
Full Cast:
Lynda Day � Julia Sawalha
Spike Thomson � Dexter Fletcher
Kenny Phillips � Lee Ross
Sarah Jackson � Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis � Mmoloki Chrystie
Colin Matthews � Paul Reynolds
Clown � Christien Anholt
Inspector Hibbert � Hugh Quarshie
Tiddler � Joanna Dukes
Kate � Sophy Newton
Trevor Hambly � Carl Rigg
Male Reporter � MArk Anstee
Female Reporter � Emma Forbes
TV Presentor � Sally McLaren
News Team � Rebecca Bradley
News Team � Victoria Bradley
News Team � Louise Conran
News Team � Isabel Diez
News Team � Rebecca Hamilton
News Team � Maggie Jones
News Team � Justine Prior
News Team � Pamela Virgo
News Team � Hannah Wyn Davies
News Team � Nick Dutton
News Team � Colin Hazeldean
News Team � Robbie Hearne
News Team � Jeremy Hodge
News Team � Mitchell Knight
News Team � Tim Stringer
News Team � Dennis Victory
News Team � Andy Wright
Director:
Lorne Magory
Written By:
Steven Moffat
First Transmitted:
28th May 1991
|
The Last Word - Part Two
While the Junior Gazette team all congregate to bid a sad farewell to one of their colleagues, answers are still being
demanded about what went on behind the doors of the paper that allowed someone to be killed and the gunman to escape�the
answer to which Inspector Hibbet finds himself being handed by Sarah, right before he is due to give a speech at the
funeral�
Trapped inside with the nervous gunman who has already let off a number of shots, Lynda, Sarah, Colin, Kenny and Spike
try to keep their cool despite the gunman slowly losing his. Convinced the game is up for him, the gunman takes off his
mask and reveals his identity as Donald Cooper � making the situation more tricky for the five. However the gang have
assistance in the form of Billy, who uses the computer to transmit information to them about the gun that lets Spike know
that Donald�s gun has only one bullet left and that once they get him to use it their home free. At the same time Frazz
pounces on Donald from his hiding place in the dark room, setting the gun off and using the last bullet. But before the
gang can get too relieved, Donald produces another gun and shoots Colin. Injured but alive, Donald allows Sarah and Frazz
to take Colin out to the paramedics, as well as allowing Kenny and Lynda to leave after agreeing that he only needs one
hostage � Spike. Following the sound of a gun shot, a terrified Lynda quickly runs back in
to find that Spike okay - but that Donald has killed himself. Not wanting Donald�s name to be disgraced, Lynda decides
to tell the police that he was a member of the paper and that the killer escaped. Having been handed the letter with
the truth, Inspector Hibbet decides to give his eulogy without revealing the
truth to the mourners.
Notes:
The date of the siege is cited as the 24th April 1990.
Continuity:
When talking to Spike in code, Billy refers to his 'mystery writer' identity from Interface.
Colin tells Lynda not to "throw the ashtray" when dealing with Donald, referring to a comment he made about her
negotiating skills in The Last Word - Part One.
Lynda apologises to Spike for stealing his passport in The Big Hello, while Spike informs Lynda that
he isn't engaged to Zoe as she was led to believe in Killer On The Line.
Quotes:
Colin: "Can I just interject at this point?"
Donald: [pointing the gun] "Just shut up, okay."
Colin: "Fine. That's valid."
Lynda: "Kenny, just do as I tell you."
Kenny: "That is the nature of our friendship."
Full Cast:
Lynda Day � Julia Sawalha
Spike Thomson � Dexter Fletcher
Kenny Phillips � Lee Ross
Sarah Jackson � Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis � Mmoloki Chrystie
Colin Matthews � Paul Reynolds
Julie Craig � Lucy Benjamin
Donald Cooper � Christien Anholt
Inspector Hibbet � Hugh Quashie
Tiddler � Joanna Dukes
Billy Homer � Andy Crowe
Director:
Lorne Magory
Written By:
Steven Moffat
First Transmitted:
4th June 1991
|
Holding On
While Spike is having a nightmare about his and Lynda�s future, Colin has a new story for the Junior Gazette about a
joker stage hypnotist named Mr. Maringo, who's sense of humour has left Colin stuck with his finger on his nose and a
guidance councillor shouting �divorce the bitch!� every time someone uses the word 'problem'. In order to catch the
hypnotist in the act, Lynda and Spike are sent in to expose his pranks, but Spike is more interested in talking to
Lynda about their relationship since Zoe has just turned up in England to get Spike to return to America.
Declaring his love to Lynda, Spike's moment is spoiled when it turns out Lynda was wired as part of the sting on Maringo
and that the rest of the gang were listening and recording the conversation. A frustrated Spike is forced to continue on
with the sting operation on the hypnotist, but soon finds matters taking a turn for the worse when the hypnotist's next trick is to
leave Lynda and Spike stuck holding hands together. Unable to tear apart from one another, Spike is forced to drag Lynda
with him over to meet Zoe who is demanding
Spike turn up or she�ll leave him for good. Not pleased to see Spike hand in hand
with his ex, an angry Zoe demands to know who Spike chooses - her or Lynda?
Meanwhile Sarah soon cottons on to the fact that Mr. Maringo�s �power� was faked as part of one of Colin�s scam and that
Spike and Lynda being stuck together is more psychological then actual. After the pair finally let go of one another,
Spike begins to realise that nothing is keeping him in England anymore and
decides to go back to America with Zoe once Lynda returns his passport. But Lynda still hasn�t given up
on her and Spike yet, leaving a little tape featuring Spike�s declaration of love for her in Zoe�s walkman�
Continuity:
There are several mentions of Spike's passport being stolen by Lynda in The Big Hello throughout the episode.
Colin refers to being shot in The Last Word - Part Two in order to gain sympathy.
Colin's Scam:
Hypnotist scam.
Quotes:
Frazz: [on Spike and Lynda] "It's just not your average romance, is it?"
Full Cast:
Lynda Day � Julia Sawalha
Spike Thomson � Dexter Fletcher
Kenny Phillips � Lee Ross
Sarah Jackson � Kelda Holmes
Frazz Davis � Mmoloki Chrystie
Colin Matthews � Paul Reynolds
Zoe � Toni Barry
Maringo � Steve O'Donnell
Alec Connell � Paul Mark Elliott
Moira Connell � Rebecca Stevens
Tiddler � Joanna Dukes
Shoe Man � Louis Hillyer
Director:
Bob Spiers
Written By:
Steven Moffat
First Transmitted:
11th June 1991
|
