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.

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.

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.

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 Hill
BBC, 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 Gang
Central, 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

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.