Compact (1962)
Compact was a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads. In contrast to the kitchen sink realism of Coronation Street, Compact was a distinctly middle-class serial, set in the more "sophisticated" arena of magazine publishing. An early "avarice" soap, it took the viewer into the business workplace, and aligned the professional lives of the characters with more personal storylines. The show was scheduled for broadcast on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thus avoiding a clash with ITV's Coronation Street on Mondays and Wednesdays. When Compact began, the editor was a woman, Joanne Minster, yet it was not long before she was replaced by Ian Harmon, the son of the magazine's owner. Despite being largely criticised by reviewers, Compact was popular with the general public, and in 1964 a regular omnibus edition was introduced, broadcast on Sundays. Morris Barry, a some-time actor and BBC director – he directed several Doctor Who stories in the 1960s – took over as producer and was given a brief to spice the series up in view of the criticism it had received from the national press. But the BBC, never comfortable with the concept of soap opera, quietly dropped the series in 1965.
-
Episode 1 - Ring In The New
Release Date: 1965-01-01 -
Episode 2 - Day Of Deliverance
Release Date: 1965-01-05 -
Episode 3 - Fare Thee Well, For I Must Leave Thee
Release Date: 1965-01-08 -
Episode 4 - Discoveries Of The Day
Release Date: 1965-01-12 -
Episode 5 - Togetherness
Release Date: 1965-01-15 -
Episode 6 - Troublemaker
Release Date: 1965-01-19 -
Episode 7 - The Last Straw
Release Date: 1965-01-22 -
Episode 8 - Heart To Heart
Release Date: 1965-01-26 -
Episode 9 - Late Call
Release Date: 1965-01-29 -
Episode 10 - A Marriage Has Been Arranged…
Release Date: 1965-02-02 -
Episode 11 - Many A Slip
Release Date: 1965-02-05 -
Episode 12 - Thunder On The Left
Release Date: 1965-02-09 -
Episode 13 - Tell It Not In Faith
Release Date: 1965-02-12 -
Episode 14 - A Family Affair
Release Date: 1965-02-16 -
Episode 15 - Change Of Plan
Release Date: 1965-02-19 -
Episode 16 - Kidnapped
Release Date: 1965-02-23 -
Episode 17 - It Happens To Other People
Release Date: 1965-02-26 -
Episode 18 - Where There's Smoke
Release Date: 1965-03-02 -
Episode 19 - Patience On A Monument
Release Date: 1965-03-05 -
Episode 20 - Blow Hot, Blow Cold
Release Date: 1965-03-09 -
Episode 21 - Change Of Heart
Release Date: 1965-03-12 -
Episode 22 - Food For Thought
Release Date: 1965-03-16 -
Episode 23 - The End Of A Song
Release Date: 1965-03-19 -
Episode 24 - The Man From Paris
Release Date: 1965-03-23 -
Episode 25 - The Wrong Set
Release Date: 1965-03-26 -
Episode 26 - The Egnet Sings
Release Date: 1965-03-30 -
Episode 27 - A Cigarette That Bears A Lipstick's Trace
Release Date: 1965-04-02 -
Episode 28 - The Last Act
Release Date: 1965-04-06 -
Episode 29 - A Tangled Web
Release Date: 1965-04-09 -
Episode 30 - Who's Who?
Release Date: 1965-04-13 -
Episode 31 - Never Trust A Woman
Release Date: 1965-04-16 -
Episode 32 - Travellers Return
Release Date: 1965-04-20 -
Episode 33 - Gone Away
Release Date: 1965-04-23 -
Episode 34 - Publish And Be Damned
Release Date: 1965-04-27 -
Episode 35 - Action For Libel
Release Date: 1965-04-30 -
Episode 36 - Testing Time
Release Date: 1965-05-04 -
Episode 37 - Plots, Plans, And A Party
Release Date: 1965-05-07 -
Episode 38 - True Or False?
Release Date: 1965-05-11 -
Episode 39 - Hide And Seek
Release Date: 1965-05-14 -
Episode 40 - Wild Goose Chase
Release Date: 1965-05-18 -
Episode 41 - High Court, Low Court
Release Date: 1965-05-21 -
Episode 42 - Best Laid Schemes
Release Date: 1965-05-28 -
Episode 43 - Trouble Brewing
Release Date: 1965-06-01 -
Episode 44 - Any Other Business?
Release Date: 1965-06-04 -
Episode 45 - Time Flies
Release Date: 1965-06-08 -
Episode 46 - Friends And Enemies
Release Date: 1965-06-11 -
Episode 47 - Day Of Decision
Release Date: 1965-06-15 -
Episode 48 - Hidden Depths
Release Date: 1965-06-18 -
Episode 49 - Appearances Can Be Deceptive
Release Date: 1965-06-22 -
Episode 50 - The Truth Will Out
Release Date: 1965-06-25 -
Episode 51 - The Off-White Elephant
Release Date: 1965-06-29 -
Episode 52 - Winners And Losers
Release Date: 1965-07-02 -
Episode 53 - Engagements At Sea
Release Date: 1965-07-06 -
Episode 54 - Storm Warning
Release Date: 1965-07-09 -
Episode 55 - Change Of Plans
Release Date: 1965-07-13 -
Episode 56 - Trouble Across The Water
Release Date: 1965-07-16 -
Episode 57 - Destination - Paris
Release Date: 1965-07-20 -
Episode 58 - Paris Is For Lovers
Release Date: 1965-07-23 -
Episode 59 - If The Shoe Fits…
Release Date: 1965-07-27 -
Episode 60 - Journey's End
Release Date: 1965-07-30