Have been rewatching this recently out of nostalgia. About 10 years ago I got hold of the first 6 series that went from Tucker, Alan, Benny, Tommy and co. To Stewpot, Claire Scott, Pogo, and Gripper, etc. And at that point excitedly relived my youth! I first started watching it in late 1979, series 2 and was like many a kid was hooked throughout the 1980s. I was still watching it in 1988/89 when Michelle Gayle was in it!
Anyway, as a Phil Redmond creation, it (nowadays on refelection) seems like a precursor to Brookside. With real life characterisations, real life settings, indellible characters, clever nicknames, and hard hitting stories. It is noticeable that a few Redmond traits are in this, partcularly the name 'Brookdale' as a school and another one, where some the cast's surnames would be given to some of the characters. If anyone does not get that point think, John McArdle actor, Tommy McArdle character (Brookside) as a case in point. Brookside did that kind of thing a lot and it was something that was done first in Grange Hill. Both shows also had a mememorable to this day story. Zammo's addiction, and the infamous body under the patio.
Back to the main review. Most kids of the 80s have a favourite year that identified with their own age group. For me I thought Tucker was a cool role model but I was a bit young but by series 6 with aforementioned Stewpot, Gripper and the rest it became my and my school friends' favourite. I was, like many a big fan of Jonah Jones and Ziggy Greaves but still think the Gripper era was the best. Grange Hill never had a better villain than him.
Watching it again recently, the third series is excellent, with some highly amusing scenes. It gets better still in series 4 when Tucker and co. Are in their final year at school. The Christmas special that came along later that year is very good with the school's initial villain 'Booger' Benson duffing up Tucker. The silent end credits to that as Tucker lays unconscious is also very Phil Redmond style and I think the method was repeated once in Brookside.
So, for me series 3,4,5 and 6 are my particular era and it is fascinating to watch again knowing the storylines in advance. I always think that when I was a kid I acted like a Grange Hill kid and many years later when I became a high school teacher I acted like a Grange Hill teacher! Mr. Keating's "silence!", is one such line I have often used!
The school that was used for the Gripper era (and probably the most rembered by 80s kids) is on Greyhound Road in Hammersmith, West London. When I was in the area last, I just had to get a photo by the main gates!
