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.
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Episode 1 - The First Issue
Release Date: 1962-01-02 -
Episode 2 - Advice To Readers
Release Date: 1962-01-04 -
Episode 3 - Efficiency Expert
Release Date: 1962-01-09 -
Episode 4 - Cover Photograph
Release Date: 1962-01-11 -
Episode 5 - Tea Break
Release Date: 1962-01-16 -
Episode 6 - Personal Problem
Release Date: 1962-01-18 -
Episode 7 - The New Broom
Release Date: 1962-01-23 -
Episode 8 - Sally Speaks Up
Release Date: 1962-01-25 -
Episode 9 - Question Of Identity
Release Date: 1962-01-30 -
Episode 10 - Wedding Grove
Release Date: 1962-02-01 -
Episode 11 - Suspicion Of Theft
Release Date: 1962-02-06 -
Episode 12 - Happy Birthday
Release Date: 1962-02-08 -
Episode 13 - Valentine's Day
Release Date: 1962-02-13 -
Episode 14 - Testing Time
Release Date: 1962-02-15 -
Episode 15 - Something To Celebrate
Release Date: 1962-02-20 -
Episode 16 - Press Reception
Release Date: 1962-02-22 -
Episode 17 - A True Story
Release Date: 1962-02-27 -
Episode 18 - Circulation Figures
Release Date: 1962-03-01 -
Episode 19 - News From New York
Release Date: 1962-03-06 -
Episode 20 - A Breath Of Air
Release Date: 1962-03-08 -
Episode 21 - The Party
Release Date: 1962-03-13 -
Episode 22 - After The Ball
Release Date: 1962-03-15 -
Episode 23 - Shocks And Bruises
Release Date: 1962-03-20 -
Episode 24 - Weekend
Release Date: 1962-03-22 -
Episode 25 - Action Stations
Release Date: 1962-03-27 -
Episode 26 - The Ideal Husband
Release Date: 1962-03-29 -
Episode 27 - Future Plans
Release Date: 1962-04-03 -
Episode 28 - Facing The Facts
Release Date: 1962-04-05 -
Episode 29 - A Night Out
Release Date: 1962-04-10 -
Episode 30 - Point Of Departure
Release Date: 1962-04-12 -
Episode 31 - Surprises By Post
Release Date: 1962-04-17 -
Episode 32 - A Piece Of Cake
Release Date: 1962-04-19 -
Episode 33 - Pets Corner
Release Date: 1962-04-24 -
Episode 34 - The Man For The Job
Release Date: 1962-04-26 -
Episode 35 - Down The Hatch
Release Date: 1962-05-01 -
Episode 36 - Stormy Weather
Release Date: 1962-05-03 -
Episode 37 - Musical Evening
Release Date: 1962-05-08 -
Episode 38 - Talent Contest
Release Date: 1962-05-10 -
Episode 39 - Visting Hours
Release Date: 1962-05-15 -
Episode 40 - Mixed Receptions
Release Date: 1962-05-17 -
Episode 41 - Home And Away
Release Date: 1962-05-22 -
Episode 42 - Day Of Frenzy
Release Date: 1962-05-24 -
Episode 43 - Moment Of Truth
Release Date: 1962-05-29 -
Episode 44 - In A Spin
Release Date: 1962-05-31 -
Episode 45 - The Big Chance
Release Date: 1962-06-05 -
Episode 46 - Garden Party
Release Date: 1962-06-07 -
Episode 47 - Happy Returns
Release Date: 1962-06-12 -
Episode 48 - Man And Wife
Release Date: 1962-06-14 -
Episode 49 - Blackmail
Release Date: 1962-06-19 -
Episode 50 - Take-Over Time
Release Date: 1962-06-21 -
Episode 51 - The Proposal
Release Date: 1962-06-26 -
Episode 52 - Faraway Places
Release Date: 1962-06-28 -
Episode 53 - Barbecue
Release Date: 1962-07-03 -
Episode 54 - A Day Of Problems
Release Date: 1962-07-05 -
Episode 55 - Comings And Goings
Release Date: 1962-07-10 -
Episode 56 - Looking Ahead
Release Date: 1962-07-12 -
Episode 57 - Weekend Plans
Release Date: 1962-07-17 -
Episode 58 - Settlement Day
Release Date: 1962-07-19 -
Episode 59 - Gone Astray
Release Date: 1962-07-24 -
Episode 60 - Evening Date
Release Date: 1962-07-26 -
Episode 61 - A Night Out
Release Date: 1962-07-31 -
Episode 62 - Pay Off
Release Date: 1962-08-02 -
Episode 63 - Moving Up
Release Date: 1962-08-07 -
Episode 64 - Surprise Party
Release Date: 1962-08-09 -
Episode 65 - Riding For A Fall
Release Date: 1962-08-14 -
Episode 66 - Unguarded Moment
Release Date: 1962-08-16 -
Episode 67 - Skin Deep
Release Date: 1962-08-21 -
Episode 68 - The Contest
Release Date: 1962-08-23 -
Episode 69 - Ebb And Flow
Release Date: 1962-08-28 -
Episode 70 - Budget Leak
Release Date: 1962-08-30 -
Episode 71 - Andiamo
Release Date: 1962-09-04 -
Episode 72 - Out For The Count
Release Date: 1962-09-06 -
Episode 73 - Finger Of Suspicion
Release Date: 1962-09-11 -
Episode 74 - Detective Work
Release Date: 1962-09-13 -
Episode 75 - The Elopement
Release Date: 1962-09-18 -
Episode 76 - Heartbeat
Release Date: 1962-09-20 -
Episode 77 - The First Clue
Release Date: 1962-09-25 -
Episode 78 - Trapped
Release Date: 1962-09-27 -
Episode 79 - The Morning After
Release Date: 1962-10-02 -
Episode 80 - Facing The Facts
Release Date: 1962-10-04 -
Episode 81 - Heart To Heart
Release Date: 1962-10-09 -
Episode 82 - Day Of Revolutions
Release Date: 1962-10-11 -
Episode 83 - True To Type
Release Date: 1962-10-16 -
Episode 84 - Where There's Smoke
Release Date: 1962-10-18 -
Episode 85 - Burns And Shock
Release Date: 1962-10-23 -
Episode 86 - Who's Who?
Release Date: 1962-10-25 -
Episode 87 - Horoscope
Release Date: 1962-10-30 -
Episode 88 - Point Of Departure
Release Date: 1962-11-01 -
Episode 89 - The Truth Of The Matter
Release Date: 1962-11-06 -
Episode 90 - A Case Of Identity
Release Date: 1962-11-08 -
Episode 91 - Questions And Answers
Release Date: 1962-11-13 -
Episode 92 - French Leave
Release Date: 1962-11-15 -
Episode 93 - Lost And Found
Release Date: 1962-11-20 -
Episode 94 - Art And Craft
Release Date: 1962-11-22 -
Episode 95 - The Best Laid Plans
Release Date: 1962-11-27 -
Episode 96 - Profit And Loss
Release Date: 1962-11-29 -
Episode 97 - Setting A Trap
Release Date: 1962-12-04 -
Episode 98 - Sparks Flying
Release Date: 1962-12-06 -
Episode 99 - The Bad Penny
Release Date: 1962-12-12 -
Episode 100 - All That Jazz
Release Date: 1962-12-14 -
Episode 101 - Five More Shopping Days
Release Date: 1962-12-18 -
Episode 102 - Christmas Spirit
Release Date: 1962-12-20 -
Episode 103 - Business As Usual
Release Date: 1962-12-27 -
Episode 279 - Many questions
Release Date: 1964-09-07