I'm an addict to television, simply put. I have followed more TV series than I can remember, and some of them were actually very good. So trust my authority on this: Press Gang is the best show I have ever seen. I
don't own many TV videotapes, and honestly don't want to, but PG is the one show I would want to own all episodes of. Most of them are
fabulous. Two or three might be a bit off, but still better than
practically anything you can get from any other half-hour show.
The concept is simple: take a bunch of teenagers, put them in a room,
tell them to write a newspaper. Even describing the characters wouldn't explain much. The leads, Spike and Lynda, are one of innumerable
Hepburn/Tracy ripoffs, but unlike practically everybody else, these two nearly exceed the original. The rest of the cast is in no way inferior. A personal favourite of mine is the glamour bitch Sam, only
participating in one season, but impossible to forget.
The plots can be corny, but never unintentionally. "Issue" stories a bit oversentimental sometimes, but that's a breeze compared to how they're handled in American shows.
And oh, the dialogue, with so many good lines it's hard to choose. Since I'm so fond of Sam, let's have one with her and Lynda.
Lynda: A few wrinkles might give your face some character. Sam: You've got enough character for both of our faces. Lynda: Both of ours or just both of yours? ...brilliant...
