Sapphire and Steel, The Children of the Stones, and Nobody's House provide a feast of youthful 1970s TV chills for Hannah and Pete this time. Are your elements prepared for battle at night and your days unsettlingly happy in the village of character actors? 

Terrifying Children?

Una McCormack parachutes in to compare three thrilling episodes of British TV from the cathode ray era. Leonard Rossiter wants to retire but... Death Is A Good Living (1966), Never Turn Your Back on a Friend in an electrifying episode of Espionage (1963), and the powerful debut of The Sandbaggers (1978-1980) rounds off our menu.

Plotters, Pen Pushers and Pensions

A Very Peculiar Practice, The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin, and Goodnight Sweetheart are on the specials board this time. Hannah and Pete just want to get away from it all and start all over again. Escape with us, to Cathode Ray's.

My Strange New Life

A for Andromeda, The Tripods, and Out of the Unknown: The Machine Stops are on the menu, as Conrad Westmaas joins Hannah and Pete at the café. This time we explore how TV in the cathode ray era dealt with hostile intelligences, overpowering technologies, and the human quest for freedom. You’re free to drop in any time at Cathode Ray's.

Rage Against the Machine

Join Hannah and Pete as we get our kicks chatting about teenagers on TV, covering Grange Hill, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾, and Press Gang.  You'll find us at Ray's café. New customers always welcome.

Episodes covered:

Grange HillBBC, 1978-2008
- S3 E03, 15/1/1980, written by Phil Redmond, directed by Jackie Willows
- S4 E17, 24/2/1981, written by Jane Hollowood & Alan James, directed by Graham Theakson

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾
Thames, 1985 (also its sequel The Growing Pains… in 1987)
Written by Trevor Waite & Oscar Webb (from Sue Townsend), directed by Peter Sasdy
- E1 (Pilot episode), 16 /9/1985
- E3 (Charles and Diana’s wedding), 30/9/1985

Press GangCentral, 1989-1993
- S1 E9 ‘Both Sides of the Paper’, 13/3/1989, written by Stephen Moffat, directed by Bob Spiers
- S4 E2 ‘UnXpected’, 14/1/1992, written by Stephen Moffat, directed by Lorne Magory

Teenage Kicks

Meet the hosts of Cathode Ray's, Hannah and Pete, as we chat about what you can expect when you join us at Ray's café.

We're both looking forward to sharing more telly with more people.

Cathode Ray's Trailer

Welcome to the café where the CRT telly in the corner is always on.

Join Hannah, Pete and guests as we delve into a smorgasbord of British television history. Every episode we pick a new theme and settle into Ray's café to chat about 3 different episodes of CRT-era television programmes.

Whether you've seen these TV shows or not, join us at Ray's and we'll give you plenty of reasons to enjoy more TV. We love nothing more than sharing great/interesting/baffling shows with other people. 

Ready to become a regular at Ray's? You'll find us sitting in the corner with a cuppa - new customers always welcome.

Get in touch: https://cathoderays.co.uk/

Find us on Bsky: cathoderays.bsky.social

Logo artwork by Mammoth Creative Works

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