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Screen One
Genre Drama
Written by Various
Directed by Various
Starring Various
Composer(s)
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 7
No. of episodes 60 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Richard Broke
  • Margaret Matheston et al.
Producer(s)
  • Ruth Caleb
  • Andrée Molyneux et al.
Cinematography John McGlashan et al.
Editor(s) Ken Pearce et al.
Running time 90 minutes (approx.)
Production company(s) BBC Studios
Distributor BBC Worldwide
Release
Original network BBC1
Picture format (576i)
Audio format Stereo
Original release 10 September 1989 (1989-09-10) – 15 February 1998 (1998-02-15)

Screen One is a British television anthology drama series, produced by BBC Studios and distributed by BBC Worldwide. It was shown on BBC1 between 1989 and 1998. Sixty films were made over six series. Some were shown as stand-alone specials.

The BBC's Play for Today ran from 1970 to 1984. After it ended, Kenneth Trodd was asked to make a new series of one-off television dramas. These became Screen Two. They were shown on BBC2 in 1985. Play for Today had often been a studio-based form of theatre on television. Screen Two was shot entirely on film.

In 1989, the series was adapted for more mainstream audiences on BBC1 as Screen One. It followed the lead taken by Channel 4, whose television films had later been released in Cinemas. Screen One had actors familiar to television and film audiences, including Alfred Molina, Sean Bean, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone, Alan Bates, Judi Dench, James Fox, Keith Allen, Bob Peck, Alun Armstrong, Marina Sirtis, David Jason, Brenda Blethyn, James Bolam, Adrian Edmondson, Alison Steadman, Timothy West, Clive Russell and Janet McTeer. Several actors also made their on-screen debuts during the series, including Keira Knightley in the fifth series episode Royal Celebration.

In 1993, the BBC moved away from single dramas to make series and serials. In 1994, Screen One was a six-episode series. This was the last full-length series of Screen One. Eight one-off specials followed. The last one was shown on 15 February 1998.

Transmissions

Series Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 8 (7 + 1 Special) 10 September 1989 (1989-09-10) 27 December 1989 (1989-12-27)
2 10 (8 + 2 Specials) 2 September 1990 (1990-09-02) 1 January 1991 (1991-01-01)
3 10 (8 + 2 Specials) 20 June 1991 (1991-06-20) 1 January 1992 (1992-01-01)
4 9 (8 + 1 Special) 6 September 1992 (1992-09-06) 31 October 1992 (1992-10-31)
5 8 5 September 1993 (1993-09-05) 24 October 1993 (1993-10-24)
6 7 (6 + 1 Special) 6 February 1994 (1994-02-06) 16 October 1994 (1994-10-16)
7 8 (8 Specials) 20 January 1995 (1995-01-20) 15 February 1998 (1998-02-15)

Episodes

Series 1 (1989)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "One Way Out" Mick Ford Robert Young 10 September 1989 (1989-09-10)
Starring Bob Peck, Denis Lawson, Samantha Bond and Enn Reitel
2 "Nineteen 96" G. F. Newman Karl Francis 17 September 1989 (1989-09-17)
Starring Keith Barron, Alun Armstrong, Keith Allen, Dudley Sutton, Roger Brierley, Clyde Pollitt and Roger Nott
3 "The Accountant" Geoffrey Case Les Blair 24 September 1989 (1989-09-24)
Starring Alfred Molina and David Graham
4 "Home Run" Andy Armitage Nicholas Renton 1 October 1989 (1989-10-01)
Starring Michael Kitchen, Tom Georgeson, Keith Barron, Dean Harris, Dominic Jephcott, Christine Kavanagh and Andrew Powell
5 "She's Been Away" Stephen Poliakoff Peter Hall 8 October 1989 (1989-10-08)
Starring Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox, Michael Carter, Rosalie Crutchley, Donald Douglas, David Hargreaves, Geraldine James, Hugh Lloyd, René Zagger and Barnaby Holm
6 "The Mountain and the Molehill" David Reid Moira Armstrong 15 October 1989 (1989-10-15)
Starring Michael Gough, John Carson, Paul Brooke, Roger Brierley, Peter Howell, Ian Thompson and James Appleby
7 "Blore M.P." Robin Chapman Robert Young 22 October 1989 (1989-10-22)
Starring Timothy West, Oscar Quitak, James Warwick, Barry Jackson, Stephen Moore, Ray Winstone, David Jackson, John Baddeley and Clyde Pollitt
8 "Ball-Trap on the Cote Sauvage" Andrew Davies Jack Gold 27 December 1989 (1989-12-27)

Special.

Starring Jack Shepherd, Zoë Wanamaker, Miranda Richardson and Michael Kitchen

Series 2 (1990—1991)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "News Hounds" Les Blair (uncredited) Les Blair 2 September 1990 (1990-09-02)
Starring Adrian Edmonson, Alison Steadman, Steven Mackintosh, Edwina Currie, Paul Kember and Nigel Pegram
2 "Frankenstein's Baby" Emma Tennant Robert Bierman 9 September 1990 (1990-09-09)
Starring Nigel Planer, Kate Buffery and Elizabeth Carling
3 "The Police" Arthur Ellis Ian Knox 16 September 1990 (1990-09-16)
Starring Oliver Ford Davies, Derek Martin, Arbel Jones and Paul Collins
4 "Sweet Nothing" Vincent O'Connell Tony Smith 23 September 1990 (1990-09-23)
Starring Lee Ross, Charlotte Coleman, Simon Cadell, Victor Maddern and Michael Melia
5 "Can You Hear Me Thinking?" Monty Haltrecht & Beverley Marcus Christopher Morahan 30 September 1990 (1990-09-30)

Starring Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Charmian May, Pik-Sen Lim, Cyril Shaps, Sally Bretton and Christopher Burgess

  • Released on DVD on 5 November 2007 as part of The Judi Dench Collection.
6 "One Last Chance" Andrew Kazamia Gabrielle Beaumont 7 October 1990 (1990-10-07)
Starring Marina Sirtis, Bernard Spear and Eileen Way
7 "Sticky Wickets" Fletcher Watkins Dewi Humphreys 14 October 1990 (1990-10-14)
Starring Alun Armstrong, James Bolam, Gillian Elisa, George Sewell and William Thomas
8 "Survival of the Fittest" Julian Mitchell Martyn Friend 21 October 1990 (1990-10-21)
Starring Timothy West, Jean Anderson, Nerys Hughes and Elizabeth Spriggs
9 "Dark City" David Lan Chris Curling 11 December 1990 (1990-12-11)

Special.

Starring Sello Maake Ka-Ncube, Vusi Dibakwane and Thapelo Mafokeng
10 "Happy Feet" Michael Bradwell Michael Bradwell 1 January 1991 (1991-01-01)

Special.

Starring Phyllis Logan, Jim Broadbent, Derrick O'Connor and Chris Jury

Series 3 (1991—1992)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "Skulduggery" Phil Davis Phil Davis 20 June 1991 (1991-06-20)

Special.

Starring David Thewlis, Robin Weaver, Patsy Palmer, Charlie Creed-Miles, Jake Wood and Robert Pugh
2 "Hancock" William Humble Tony Smith 1 September 1991 (1991-09-01)
Starring Alfred Molina, Frances Barber, Clive Russell, Paul Brooke, Kenneth Gilbert and Nick Burnell
3 "Tell Me That You Love Me" Adrian Hodges Bruce MacDonald 8 September 1991 (1991-09-08)
Starring Judith Scott, Sean Bean, James Wilby, Michael Cochrane and Barbara Ward
4 "Filipina Dreamgirls" Andrew Davies Les Blair 15 September 1991 (1991-09-15)
Starring Bill Maynard, Charlie Drake, David Thewlis, Geoffrey Hutchings and Lee Cornes
5 "Dancin' Thru the Dark" Willy Russell Mike Ockrent 22 September 1991 (1991-09-22)

Linda is out on her hen night, while her fiance is out on his stag night. Linda is having major doubts about getting married. When both groups arrive at a club, they find the band fronted by her ex-boyfriend—and the love of her life—Peter. Linda has to decide: does she stay and settle down, like her friends want her to, or does she chuck it all in and run away with Peter?

Starring Claire Hackett, Con O'Neill, Julia Deakin, Simon O'Brien and Mark Womack

  • Based on the play Stags and Hens. Released on DVD on 26 March 2012.
6 "Ex" William Humble Paul Seed 29 September 1991 (1991-09-29)
Starring Griff Rhys Jones, Geraldine James, Penny Downie, Dermot Crowley, Mary Jo Randle, Bruce Montague and Colin Douglas
7 "Prince" Julie Burchill David Wheatley 6 October 1991 (1991-10-06)
Starring Sean Bean, Janet McTeer, Celia Montague and Jackie McGuire
8 "Alive and Kicking" Al Hunter Ashton Robert Young 13 October 1991 (1991-10-13)
Starring Lenny Henry, Robbie Coltrane, Jane Horrocks, Paul Barber, Annabelle Apsion, Imogen Boorman, Geff Francis, Jillie Meers and Sakuntala Ramanee
9 "A Question of Attribution" Alan Bennett John Schlesinger 20 October 1991 (1991-10-20)

Starring James Fox, Prunella Scales, Geoffrey Palmer, David Calder, John Cater and Edward de Souza

  • Adapted from the Alan Bennett play. Won the 1992 BAFTA Award for Best Single Drama. Prunella Scales was also nominated for Best Actress. Released on DVD on 26 October 2009 as part of Alan Bennett at the BBC.
10 "Adam Bede" Maggie Wadey Giles Foster 1 January 1992 (1992-01-01)

Special.

Starring Patsy Kensit, Julia McKenzie, Jean Marsh, Freddie Jones, Paul Brooke, Patsy Byrne, Roy Evans, Edward Jewesbury and Michael Robbins

  • Released on Region 1 DVD in 2007.

Series 4 (1992)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "A Very Polish Practice" Andrew Davies David Tucker 6 September 1992 (1992-09-06)
Starring Peter Davison, David Troughton, Joanna Kanska, Alfred Molina and Gertan Klauber
2 "Disaster at Valdez" Michael Baker Paul Seed 13 September 1992 (1992-09-13)
Starring Christopher Lloyd, John Heard, Rip Torn and Paul Guilfoyle
3 "Born Kicking" Barry Hines Mandie Fletcher 20 September 1992 (1992-09-20)
Starring John Abineri, Nicholas Courtney, Norman Bird, Thomas Craig, George Irving, Terry Wogan, David McAlister, Sheila Ruskin, Garfield Morgan, Norman Mitchell and Martin Cochrane
4 "Black and Blue" G. F. Newman David Hayman 27 September 1992 (1992-09-27)
Starring Linus Roache, Martin Shaw, Iain Glen, Ray Winstone, David Morrissey, Don Henderson, David Thewlis, Madhav Sharma and Colin McFarlane
5 "Seconds Out" Lynda La Plante Bruce MacDonald 4 October 1992 (1992-10-04)
Starring Steven Waddington, Tom Bell, Derek Newark, Jack Watson, Nick Brimble, Frank Mills, Thomas Craig, Tim Barlow, Eric Mason and Roy Heather
6 "Running Late" Simon Gray Udayan Prasad 11 October 1992 (1992-10-11)
Starring Peter Bowles, Michael Byrne, James Fleet, Jim McManus, Ian McNeice and Roshan Seth
7 "Losing Track" Roger Eldridge Jim Lee 18 October 1992 (1992-10-18)
Starring Alan Bates, Geraldine James and Michael Culver
8 "Trust Me" Tony Sarchet Tony Dow 25 October 1992 (1992-10-25)
Starring Alfred Molina, Hywel Bennett, Jill Gascoine, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Edna Doré, Harry Towb, Derek Benfield and David Simeon
9 "Ghostwatch" Stephen Volk Lesley Manning 31 October 1992 (1992-10-31)

Special.

Starring Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith and Craig Charles

  • Released on DVD on 25 November 2002.

Series 5 (1993)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "Wide-Eyed and Legless" Deric Longden & Jack Rosenthal Richard Loncraine 5 September 1993 (1993-09-05)

Starring Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Thora Hird and Moya Brady

  • Later released in cinemas. Re-titled The Wedding Gift in America. Released on Region 1 DVD in 2011.
2 "A Foreign Field" Roy Clarke Charles Sturridge 12 September 1993 (1993-09-12)

Starring Alec Guinness, Leo McKern, Geraldine Chaplin, Lauren Bacall, Jeanne Moreau and Dorothy Grumbar

  • Later released in cinemas. Released on DVD on 3 August 2008.
3 "Down Among the Big Boys" Peter McDougall Charles Gormley 19 September 1993 (1993-09-19)

Louie, the Glasgow detective son of a policeman, is about to marry the daughter of the accomplished robbery chief JoJo. Louie is placed in charge of investigating a mystery thief before his wedding. Jojo comes to realize that Louie is looking for him and wrestles with how to handle this.

Starring Douglas Henshall, Billy Connolly, John Murtagh, Ewan Stewart, Maggie Bell and Ashley Jensen

  • Released on DVD on 25 September 2006.
4 "Royal Celebration" William Humble Ferdinand Fairfax 26 September 1993 (1993-09-26)
Starring Kenneth Cranham, Minnie Driver, Rupert Graves, Leslie Phillips, Keira Knightley and Gordon Salkilld. This was Knightley's first screen appearance.
5 "Tender Loving Care" Lucy Gannon Dewi Humphreys 3 October 1993 (1993-10-03)
Starring Dawn French, Rosemary Leach, Joan Sims, Peter Jones and Llewellyn Rees
6 "Money for Nothing" Tim Firth Mike Ockrent 10 October 1993 (1993-10-10)
Starring Julian Glover, Martin Short, Christien Anholt, Paul Reynolds, Tim Preece, Wolf Kahler and Sean Baker
7 "Wall of Silence" Maurice Gran & Laurence Marks Philip Saville 17 October 1993 (1993-10-17)
Starring Bill Paterson, Warren Mitchell, Timothy Busfield, John Bowe and Brigitte Kahn
8 "The Bullion Boys" Jim Hitchmough Christopher Morahan 24 October 1993 (1993-10-24)

The true story of how Britain's gold reserve was secretly transferred to Liverpool at the start of the Second World War.

Starring David Jason, Tim Pigott-Smith, Gorden Kaye, Brenda Blethyn, Geoffrey Hutchings and Paul Angelis

  • Won the 1994 International Emmy Award for Drama.

Series 6 (1994)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "Bambino Mio" Colin Welland Edward Bennett 6 February 1994 (1994-02-06)

Special.

Starring Julie Walters, Georges Corraface, John McArdle and Orlando Urdaneta

  • Released on VHS on 24 January 2000.
2 "A Breed of Heroes" Charles Wood Diarmuid Lawrence 4 September 1994 (1994-09-04)
Starring Samuel West, Robert Bathurst, Alexander Armstrong, Daniel Flynn, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Jonathan Firth, Richard Griffiths and Shaun Dingwall
3 "Pat and Margaret" Victoria Wood Gavin Millar 11 September 1994 (1994-09-11)

Starring Victoria Wood, Julie Walters, Celia Imrie, Don Henderson, Duncan Preston, Thora Hird, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Shirley Stelfox, Roger Brierley, Tenniel Evans and Charles Pemberton

  • Released on DVD on 21 May 2007.
4 "Two Golden Balls" Maureen Chadwick Anya Camilleri 18 September 1994 (1994-09-18)
Starring Kim Cattrall, Claire Skinner, Christopher Ellison, Rowena King and Leslie Phillips
5 "Meat" Danny Boyle John Madden 25 September 1994 (1994-09-25)
Starring Jonny Lee Miller, Sarah-Jane Potts, Peter Wight and John Simm
6 "Murder in Mind" Jenny Diski Robert Bierman 2 October 1994 (1994-10-02)
Starring Cathryn Harrison, Trevor Eve, Anna Massey, Steven Mackintosh, Bruce Alexander and Christopher Owen
7 "Doggin' Around" Alan Plater Desmond Davis 16 October 1994 (1994-10-16)
Starring Elliott Gould, Geraldine James, Alun Armstrong, Ewan McGregor, Liz Smith, Ronnie Scott, Stephen Marcus, Jamie Foreman, Larry Lamb, Judy Flynn and Tony Caunter

Specials (1995—1998)

Episode Title Written by Directed by Original airdate
1 "The Plant" Jonathan Lewis Jonathan Lewis 20 January 1995 (1995-01-20)
Starring Joanna Roth, Valentine Pelka, Eoin McCarthy, Sally Dexter and Ian Burfield
2 "Trip Trap" Lucy Gannon Danny Hiller 9 March 1996 (1996-03-09)
Starring Kevin Whately, Stella Gonet, Sue Roderick and Helen Griffin
3 "Killing Me Softly" Rebecca Frayn Stephen Whittaker 7 July 1996 (1996-07-07)
Starring Maggie O'Neill, Peter Howitt, Julian Kerridge and Annabelle Apsion
4 "Truth or Dare" TBA John Madden 31 August 1996 (1996-08-31)
Starring John Hannah, Helen Baxendale, Susan Lynch, Ben Daniels, John Fraser and John Michie
5 "Gobble" Ian Hislop & Nick Newman Jimmy Mulville 21 December 1996 (1996-12-21)
Starring Kevin Whately, Keith Barron, Jack Dee and Peter Egan
6 "Deacon Brodie" Simon Donald Philip Saville 8 March 1997 (1997-03-08)
Starring Billy Connolly, Patrick Malahide, Catherine McCormack, Lorcan Cranitch and Siobhan Redmond
7 "Hostile Waters" Troy Kennedy-Martin David Drury 26 July 1997 (1997-07-26)

Starring Rutger Hauer, Martin Sheen, Max von Sydow, Colm Feore and Michael Attwell

  • Released on VHS in 1998
8 "Our Boy" Tony Grounds David Evans 15 February 1998 (1998-02-15)
Starring Ray Winstone, Pauline Quirke, Neil Dudgeon and Philip Jackson
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