Season Two Episode Guide

There tend to be fewer characters in each episode than in the previous season, with more emphasis placed on the residents and certain of their friends. Episode 58 is the first to feature only four characters – Barry, Karen, Petra and Michelle.

Jack Carr becomes the first credited performer to play a second role in the series. Having previously been an Educational Welfare Officer in episode 37, he returns as Andy, one of the rugby players in episode 84.

Among the performers playing the smaller roles, there are two who would feature more prominently later on – Brian Stephens, seen as one of Liverpool’s most cynical policemen, would return as businessman Tom Curzon; and Judith Barker, seen as one of the YTS managers, would return as the ill-fated Audrey Manners.

The credits continue to roll on a blue background throughout this season.

The storylines:

There is not much joy for the residents of the Close in this season – although Paul finally finds new employment, Lucy becomes distracted from her studies and goes to France; Bobby and his mates look increasingly likely to lose their jobs; Samantha is not willing to marry Alan; Petra has a miscarriage, and disappears; and while Heather becomes a qualified chartered accountant, her marriage is over when Roger cheats on her with one of his clients.

Despite their problems, everyone appears to be swearing considerably less than they used to…….and only six characters go to the toilet – Damon in episode 56, Petra in episode 79, Val in episode 86, Barry and Gizzmo in episode 92, and Bobby in episode 93.

The dates:

It is reasonable to suppose that most scenes are set on approximately the dates on which the episodes were originally aired. There are more specific references that it is Friday (episodes 50, 54, 57, 61) / Saturday (51) / Sunday (58, 81) / Monday (82) / Tuesday (94) / 10th May 1983 (55) / Cup Final day (57) / Summer (66) / Saturday 9th July / Wimbledon Final day (71) / 12th July / Orange Day (73) / “the middle of summer” (84) / Saturday 3rd [September] (88 ) / “nearly winter” (94). And, based on references in other episodes, it can also be deduced that it was Saturday in episode 46; it is Thursday in episode 49; it is Monday in episode 52; it is 11th May 1983 in episode 56; it is Saturday in episodes 62, 80 and 93; it is the second week of June in episodes 63 and 64; it is the same Friday in episodes 67 and 68; and it was Wednesday in episode 83. Furthermore, there is an April 1983 calendar on the Huntingtons’ wall in episode 50; the same calendar is showing September 1983 in episodes 91, 92 and 93; and in episode 91, Alan’s computer screen also indicates that it is September 1983. Additionally, episode 56 ends with a photo being taken on-screen, then seen as if in an album, captioned “MUM’S BIRTHDAY 83” – which is presumably the year, rather than Annabelle’s age; a holiday brochure, “Isle of Man ’83”, is seen in episode 64; and the “Liverpool Airport” sign seen in episode 88 also bears the words and numbers “50 YEARS – 1933-1983”. In episode 66, we learn that Paul has been unemployed for a year, which would seem to contradict episode 2, in which he reminded Annabelle that he had only been out of work for eight weeks. Had he miscalculated??

Name-checks:

Sports events and personalities seem to dominate this season, with mentions of snooker players Alex Higgins, Ray Reardon and Steve Davis (episode 48 ); the F.A. Cup Final (56, 57); footballers Jimmy Melia and Jimmy Case (57); Australian football (61); football manager Bob Paisley (62); TT riders Stanley Woods, Geoff Duke (62, 63) Mike Hazelwood (63), Percy Tate, (62) Sammy Miller (62), Joey Dunlop (62) and John Williams (64); ice skater Sonia Henry (67); Wimbledon and tennis player McEnroe (71); The Curtis Cup (Golf) (85); golfer [Seve] Ballasteros (85); and Joe Fagin, in his first season as Liverpool manager (94). But there are still a few political references too – Maggie and Denis Thatcher, and their son (51); Norman Tebbit (55); Margaret Thatcher / Maggie again (63 / 90); President “Ray-Gun” (68 ); Bessie Braddock (70); Arthur Scargill (89); and Shirley [Williams] (90) – as well as a host of other television, film, musical and literature references: Lazarus (47); Shirley Temple (48 ); E.T. (48 ); Billy Smart’s Circus (49); “Wonder Woman” (49); Joan Collins (50); Percy Thrower (51); “Petrocelli” (52); Perry Mason (52); Errol Flynn (55); “Casanova” (56); Sylvester Stallone (57); “Mastermind” (57, 66); “Old King Cole” (57); “Sid Snot” (58 ); Robert Redford (59); “Grandstand” (62); “Dame Edna Everage” (63); Rice and Lloyd Webber, Lennon and McCartney (65); “Kaj” and “Googoo” [“Kajagoogoo”] (65); Bill Norton, a writer whose work Roger has read (65); “I Love Lucy” (66); Einstein (69); “Sleeping Beauty” (71, 93); “The Frog Prince” (71); “The Exorcist” (72); “King Billy” (73); Sir Alfred McAlpine (73); Carey Grant (78 ); “The Lone Ranger” (79); “Old Mother Hubbard” (80); Simon le Bon (80); Rasputin (81); “Fabian Of The Yard” (81); “Songs Of Praise” (82); Alain Delon (84); “Madam Butterfly” (86, 89); “Sale of the Century” (87); David Bailey (89); Genghis Khan (89); Hitler (89); the Queen (91); Tom O’Connor (93); “News at Ten” (94); “The Krypton Factor” (94); and “Kojak” (94).

Locations:

All of the action in this season is set in Liverpool, except that Barry and Petra are briefly seen in New Brighton in episode 58, and several scenes in episodes 63 and 64 take place on the Isle of Man – which Alan and Samantha, and Petra and Barry, visit for T.T. Week.

Births:

None. Petra is 24, she is two and a half months pregnant, and her star sign is Cancer, according to Heather (episode 50); and she is five months pregnant, and five months a widow, according to Samantha (63). But by episode 65 she has had a miscarriage.

In episode 55, Annabelle’s birthday is “tomorrow” (11th May) – and she celebrates it in episode 56. In episode 61, it is Barry’s 24th birthday “tomorrow”; and in episode 62, when it is “the middle of June”, he celebrates it. He is still 24 in episode 63, 81 and 85; and in episode 69, Sheila has been a mother for “nearly 25 years”. In episode 73. Petra’s birthday is two days ago (10th July); and Karen and Gordon’s birthdays fall on the same day in episode 86.

We are also told that Lucy is 16 (episodes 71, 81, 82, 83, 89); Karen is 15 (48, 70); Michelle is now 19 (61); Jonah is “about 26”, according to Gordon (72); his son Jason is 6, nearly 7 (81); Sheila is older than Bobby (84); and Gordon – who unconvincingly claims that he is 19 (57) – is 15 (89). Michelle’s unseen cousin Ronnie is 18 (61), and the equally unseen “Old Man Wallace”, a partner in a firm of solicitors with whom Roger’s firm plans to merge (75), is in his late 60s (76).

Marriages:

None, although throughout the season Alan is attempting to convince Samantha to marry him. He has known her for ten months (episode 56). Bobby implies that he and Sheila have been married for 23 years in episode 48 (drink may have clouded his memory?), but in episode 83 they have been married for nearly 25 years, and in episodes 91 and 93 other members of the family are aware that their Silver Wedding anniversary is soon. In episode 94, it is “this weekend”. Jack and Vera have also been married for 25 years (90), and Sydney has been married for nearly 30 years (94); but there are no indications of how long any of the other couples seen and/or referred to have been married.

Deaths:

None. Unseen and never-to-be-seen characters who are no longer alive but are mentioned are Tillotson, who lived across the road from Marie, and whose widow married his brother (episode 53); Petra, Marie and Michelle’s mother (53, 92); Sheila’s mother (55); Ernie Goddard, a mate of Barry’s, who died while trying to rob a church (64); Diane’s husband (65) / Eddie McAllistair (70, 90), who died shortly after she married him (65); and Paul’s father (75, 76). One of Val’s claims is that her parents died in a car crash when she was 13 – but her expression after Sheila hugs her strongly suggests that this is no more true than her other tales involving croupiers, modelling and monkeys (87).

Characters not seen yet, but there’s just a chance that they may be coming along later:

Alan’s mother (episodes 47, 51, 81, 87); Robin Tate’s wife, Dorothy/Dot (60, 72); Gordon and Lucy’s gran[dma] (71, 81, 88 ): Marie’s two kids (53, 92) / her son, Gary (82), and her father (53); and Heather’s parents (88 )…….plus the Pope (48 ) and “The Nolans” (68 )!

Gone but not forgotten – those seen previously and still mentioned occasionally, but not reappearing in this season:

Gavin (episodes 49, 50, 53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 70, 73, 74, 75, 77, 79, 83, 85); Victor (48 ), Sister Catherine (50); Kinsella (51); Derek’s wife (54); Matty (56, 74, 78, 81, 84); Stan and Julia (56); Jonathan (68 ); Father Daley (69); Vera (73); Wally (73); Teresa (74, 84); Frank – who has gone to London (77, 78 ); and Annie (78 ).

And those that are also mentioned, but are destined to remain unseen forever (in order of non-appearance):

Gozzy Gillespie, a female teacher of Damon’s (episode 47); Pauline’s auntie (47); Big George Rowan, an 18-stone acquaintance of Bobby and Sheila’s (48 ); Karen and Damon’s Auntie Brenda (48 ); Dave Simpson’s wife (49); Janice’s sister (50); Beverley, a friend of Michelle (50); Jean’s three kids (51); Barbara’s sister (52, 57); Jonah’s parents / family / father (52 / 52 / 67); Ron, Barbara’s new man (52); Mr Sullivan, who Polly works for (53); Janice’s parents, including her father (53); Mrs Tillotson, who lived near Marie, and her second husband, the brother of her first (53); Creeper Crawley, who works at Heather’s office (53, 59); Gilbert, Polly’s divorced admirer, and his little boy who is in hospital (53); Caroline, a new typist at Heather’s office (53); Mr Thomas, one of the partners in Heather’s firm (53, 59); Mr Brownlow, a teacher, and his wife and kids (54); Polly’s father (54, 85); Father Quine, Damon’s RS teacher (55); Sue Marshall, who used to hold dreadful dinner parties on the Wirral (55); Dr Elmbert, Damon’s doctor (56); “Natty” Nora Nolan, who emigrated to Australia when Bobby was 12 (56); Mac [unfortunately, not Ron!!], who runs a mobile shop on the estate (56); Cheryl, who Michelle used to share a flat with (58, 80); Bill Seymour, one of Roger’s clients (59, 60); Bill Whitney, PetroChem production manager (59); Ronnie (61, 62), Michelle’s cousin (61); the late Mr McAllistair’s relatives / his first wife (65 / 76); John, a lad who was once sick over Pauline at a disco (66); Susi’s father (66); Pauline’s father (66, 78 ); Susi’s auntie (66); Susi’s mother (66, 72); Sheila’s aunt Jean (67); Elsa’s mother (67); Dennis / Dennis Fairbright, a skater Elsa knows (67 / 68 ); Gerard (69, 83) and Monique (68, 76) Dubois, friends of the Collinses (68 ); Hortense, the Dubois’ cook (84); Yvette, another member of the family with a kitchen garden (84); Gaston, their peasant gardener (84); Dolly Brown, at school with Sheila but now crippled with kidney trouble (70); Maureen and Sid, members of Pauline’s family (72); Kathleen Harrison, a caught shoplifter, and her father (72); Ducksie’s brother (72, 78 ), and his father, who left “years ago” (72); Old Man Wallace, a partner in a firm of solicitors with whom Roger’s firm plans to merge (75, 76); the “Hall cousins”, other senior partners-to-be (75); Barry’s Auntie May, and Doreen, another relative of Bobby (77); Nigel Deakin / Deakin, a business rival of Alan (77 / 91); Rotary Ronald (77, 78 ), senior to Martin and member of the Rotary Club and Round Table, and his wife (77); Lisa Roberts, a “dog” Mike used to go out with (79); Mike’s mother (79); Micky Spillaney, a mate of Damon’s (80); Gizzmo’s mother (80, 91); Kevin McCormack / Kevin (80 / 84), a workmate of Bobby’s who has a caravan on Anglesey, and his four teenage kids (80); Harry, a van driver summoned by the manageress of Leo’s Superstore (80); Kenny of the Working Men’s Club (81); Shaun Riley, who went to prison after the “Turkey Affair” when Samantha was a go-go dancer in the middle east (81); Mrs Johnston, Trevor’s wife in Billinge (82); Alice, a relative of Marie (82); Janice’s parents (84), including her father; Brian, Maureen Lomax’s coughing husband (85); Mrs O’Rourke, Marie’s medium (85); George’s Uncle Walter, an alcoholic once found in the ladies’ loo in Carlisle (85); Brenda, a friend of Val (86); Christine Foster and her husband Brian (87, mentioned in television broadcast in the background); Val’s mother, father, grandmother and eleven almost certainly invented siblings (87); Miss Cunningham, one of Eileen Salter’s colleagues (89); Skelly’s mother (90); Marie McGovern’s sister (90); Jack’s family (90); Gizzmo’s mother (91); Titch Doyle, a mad midget from Damon’s school (91, 92, 94); Jocko, a contact of Alan’s (91); Debbie, a friend of Michelle (92); and Mark’s parents (93), including his mother.

Goofs:

A dog can be heard yapping in the background during several long scenes in episode 48 – which eventually becomes distracting.

In episode 49, in Lucy’s own definition of “C.N.D.”, the words are in the wrong order – “Neutralists, Communists, Defeatists”.

Marie claims to have had three children, rather than just the two, in episode 65.

Whereas some people have been known to “run rings” round others, Annabelle’s opinion of Lucy in episode 71 is that “She can make rings round us”.

A slip by Sheila in episode 73 is bordering on Freudian: “Just because you’ve had her – words with her over the road doesn’t mean we’ve all got to suffer.”.

Trivia:

Annabelle used to go to St Michael’s Church (episode 47), and can type thirty words a minute (60); and Paul, whose pension is worth £65 per week (66), was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the army (68 ). When they were first married, they had a Zodiac (56); and the year before Lucy was born, they had a pillow-fight in Venice when Paul was on leave from Cyprus (92). After turning down a job offer (59) with Universal Fuels Research (55), Paul takes over from Mrs M. Marshall – inheriting her office – as the YTS manager (89). Lucy’s previous school was Ladymount (52, 53, 60, 76, 81, 83, 84, 88 ), and she went vegetarian when she was 13 (60). She passes O-levels in English (B) and Maths (C) in episode 86, but fails others including French, having been due to sit it “on Friday” (66) but attending a demonstration instead (67). Paul gives her a book, “Shoulder To Shoulder” – a history of the Women’s Movement (88 ); there is a “Gone With The Wind” poster on her bedroom wall (88 ); and, during a family holiday in St Andrews, she once accidentally set Annabelle’s hair on fire (72). Gordon orders his “mild beer” in the pub “The Slaughterhouse”, in Fenwick Street, at the back of Castle Street (57), and buys a jacket for £22.99 from a second-hand shop in Hardman Street (75); Mark plans to get his band, “Jugular Vein”, a gig at “Braddington’s”, a new wine-bar on the Wirral (91); Jonah, who is seen going into the “Sefton Arms” (54), was on probation for two years (52), after nicking baseball boots (52, 67) and a Cortina (67); Bob Gossage used to be in the Merchant Navy (65); Robin Tate, who didn’t pass an exam until he was 19 (72), is an architect (71, 72, 75); and Marie McGovern has been doing a typing and office skills course for a week (89).

Bobby and Sheila honeymooned at Robin Hood Camp, Rhyl (episode 56), and buy stretch covers costing £2 per week for 38 weeks (74). Bobby, who spends £2.20 a week on the pools (61), has worked at Fairbanks for 25 years (90); and Sheila is reading a book called “The Dark Pasture” by Jessica Stirling (53). Barry once appeared in juvenile court (51), and was placed under a supervision order nearly ten years ago for thieving (52). He meets Terry, who is working on a truck bearing the name “BANKON BUILDING SUPPLY CO.”, in the pub “The Crown” (57). Karen, who has been on the Pill for four months (48 ), gets grade 1s in her CSEs (70 – at the end of June, which seems rather early?) and passes O-levels in English (A), Maths (A), RS (C) and Art (C) (86). Her friends Susi and Pauline, with whom she visits the shop “Recessions”, 126a Bold Street, 1st Floor, Liverpool 1, whose telephone number is 051-208-8594, are both Catholics (72); and her boyfriend Mike has a strawberry birthmark on his belly (71). Damon plays “Space Invaders” with Elsa, whose father is his milkman (48 ). She has skated since she was about 10 (67). Alan’s work includes the “McCormack program” and work for Read Engineering Ltd (47). He has a video called “The Bog Dweller’s Revenge” (77, 78 ); he used to have a Volvo (67); he discusses with Paul the very latest technical innovation…….car phones (91); and he suggests that Samantha, whose clients include the Sangsters (47), parks in Paradise Street (77). Alan and Samantha stay at the “Villiers Hotel” on the Isle of Man (63, 64), as do Barry and Petra – who had an abortion at the age of 14 (53), and shops at “Leo’s Superstore” (80).

Heather, who buys a new table in Seal Street (episode 71), is studying for her PE2 exam, and could be sacked by September if she is among the 70% who will fail it, in a couple of months (50). By episode 60, her exams are “weeks away”, and in episode 69 they will be over “on Friday” (69); but in episode 71, which is set on the Saturday after that, she still has an exam on Monday; and she sits her first exam in episode 72. In episode 91 her exam results are due “tomorrow”; and in episode 92 she learns, from a notification bearing the name E. J. D. Warne, Secretary [of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales] that she has passed all five papers – “Financial Accounting II”, “Auditing”, “Financial Management”, “Management Accounting” and “Advanced Taxation”. She eats at “Lau’s” (59) with Polly, who used to caddy for her father (85); and has lunch with Mr Johnson (82) and a quick drink with Derek (83) at the “Corn Market” – whereas Roger wants to dine at “El Moranto’s” (70). His firm is to merge with Hall Cousins to become Wallace Hall & Hobbs from September (75), and his clients still include the “Smallwood Empire” (53, 66), which now has offices in Birmingham (83, 86) instead of, or as well as, the previously mentioned Wolverhampton. His client Diane McAllistair’s late husband’s previous wife’s solicitors are Jacobson and Price (90), and she settles out-of-court for £50,000 (92). Sydney’s juggernaut bears the name “Walter Hales Ltd”, the phone number 051-207-2011 and the telex number 627134 (93, 94). Petra (49, 50, 57, 63), Heather (50, 60, 69, 82, 86), Gordon (52, 91), Bobby (52, 61, 82), Annabelle (59), Paul (60, 89), Sheila (61, 74), Roger (65), David Halpin (66), Susi (66, 72), WPC Evans (68 ), and Michelle (80) are all right-handed, whereas Barry (61) and Lucy (67) are left-handed.

The first in-joke in “Brookside”:

In episode 81, when Samantha’s suspicious-looking visitor claims (truthfully) to be a detective, she sarcastically tells him “I’m Miss United Kingdom”. Dinah May, who played Samantha, had actually won such a contest in 1977!!

The first “flashback” to an earlier episode:

Episode 73 repeats a short sequence from episode 27 of Petra smashing the glass door, after arguing with Gavin the night before he died. Gavin does not, however, appear in the clip.

“Blink-and-you-miss-it” moments:

Right at the beginning of episode 60, there is a slightly noticeable picture jump as parts of two different takes of the same scene appear to be not-quite-seamlessly edited together.

In episode 71, Annabelle inexplicably takes her breakfast into the bathroom with her.

In episode 82, just moments after getting out of his car in the “rough” area of Liverpool in which Jonah lives, to which he has given Annabelle a lift, Robin is suddenly hit by a football.

The end-of-season cliffhanger:

Heather’s suspicions are confirmed as she catches Roger on the telephone to Diane, telling her he loves her. She slaps him across the face and throws him, his clothes and briefcase out of the house, as some of their neighbours look on from across the Close. He walks away, and she cries…….