Chalk (TV series)
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Chalk was a British comedy written by Steven Moffat set in the fictional comprehensive school of Galfast High. Two seasons (twelve episodes in total) were broadcast on BBC1 in 1997.
The farcical stories were stylistically very similar to Fawlty Towers. It was a satire of school tagets and league tables, incorporating satirical politically incorrect jokes (where such jokes were the joke).
Critics mauled the show, and the second season (commissioned before the first had aired) did not receive a stable broadcast slot.
The theme music was written by Howard Goodall, and the director was Juliet May.
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References to Press Gang
There are many references to Moffat's Press Gang, including:
- The neighbouring school is Norbridge High, run by Mr Sullivan.
- There is a student called David Jefford (the suicide victim in "Monday-Tuesday")
- A student called Donald Cooper (the clown in "The Last Word")
- 'Wellside School (from Wellside Leisure Centre' from "The Big Hello")
- Surname of character: Talwinning (name of srteets in "A Quarter to Midnight" and also Joking Apart)
- Dr Clipstone ("UnXpected")
- The scene where Slatt is being given instructions by wire is taken from the unfilmed PG movie "Dead Line."
Self-referentiality is often found amongst auteurs.
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Main cast
- Eric Slatt − David Bamber
- Janet Slatt − Geraldine Fitzgerald
- Suzie Travis − Nicola Walker
- Amanda Tripperly − Amanda Boxer
- Dan McGill − Martin Bell
- Richard Nixon − John Wells (season 1)
- J.F. Kennedy − Duncan Preston (season 2)
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External links
- Chalk (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118283/) at the Internet Movie Database
- Chalking up another failure (http://www.theshitefantastic.net/sadmag/comedy/chalk.htm) An appreciative article, critically addressing the criticism
- BBCi (http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/c/chalk_1299000564.shtml)
