Gems (TV series)

Last updated

Gems
Genre Soap opera
Created byTessa Diamond
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes121
Production
Executive producerBrian Walcroft (Series 3)
ProducersBrenda Ennis (Series 1-2)
Peter Tabern (Series 3)
Running time30 minutes
Production company Thames Television
Original release
Network ITV
Release2 January 1985 (1985-01-02) 
1 April 1988 (1988-04-01)

Gems is a British television soap opera produced for the ITV by Thames Television. Three seasons of the programme were transmitted between 1985 and 1988. [1]

Contents

Devised by Tessa Diamond, who had previously created ITV's first television soap, Emergency Ward 10 , Gems was the name of a fictional fashion design company based in Covent Garden and managed by the Stone brothers, Alan and Stephen, whose differences in outlook and temperament meant that the business was often in choppy waters. The professional problems and personal lives of the employees of the company were the focus of the soap's storylines. [2]

Gems was one of a series of ITV soap operas transmitted in afternoon slots during the 1980s produced by various ITV regional companies. The other British ITV "daytime" soaps included: Together (Southern), For Maddie with Love (ATV), Taff Acre (HTV), Miracles Take Longer (Thames) and Take the High Road (Scottish).

Gems was screened thrice weekly during its initial run in 1985, followed by a twice-weekly season in 1986 and returned to a thrice-weekly slot for its third and final run in 1988.

The series directors included: Mervyn Cumming (Series 1-2), Christopher Baker (Series 1-2), Stuart Orme (Series 1), Keith Washington (Series 1), Brian Lighthill (Series 3) and Jane Howell (Series 3).

Scriptwriters included: Guy Meredith, Christopher Russell, Martin Worth (Series 1), Barbara Clegg (Series 1-2), Ben Steed (Series 1), Bill Lyons (Series 1), Valerie Georgeson (Series 1), Jenny McDade (Series 1), Liane Aukin (Series 2), Ted Rhodes (Series 2) and Tony Slattery (Series 3). [3]

Series overview

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
Series 1 56 2 January 198510 May 1985
Series 2 26 8 January 19863 April 1986
Series 3 39 6 January 19881 April 1988

Cast

Home media

The first episode of Gems is available as part of the Soap Box collection DVD set released by Network. The release includes selected episodes from several British soap operas. [4]

Related Research Articles

A soap opera, daytime drama, or soap for short, is typically a long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers. The term was preceded by "horse opera", a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITV (TV network)</span> TV network in the United Kingdom

ITV is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network that is branded as ITV1 in most of the UK except for central and northern Scotland where it is branded as STV. It was launched in 1955 as Independent Television to provide competition and reduce the current monopoly to the then BBC Television. ITV is the oldest commercial network in the UK. Since the passing of the Broadcasting Act 1990, it has been legally known as Channel 3 to distinguish it from the other analogue channels at the time: BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4.

<i>Emmerdale</i> British soap opera

Emmerdale is a British television soap opera that is broadcast on ITV. The show is set in Emmerdale, a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale Farm was first broadcast on 16 October 1972. Interior scenes have been filmed at the Leeds Studios since its inception. Exterior scenes were first filmed in Arncliffe in Littondale, and the series may have taken its name from Amerdale, an ancient name of Littondale. Exterior scenes were later shot at Esholt, but are now shot at a purpose-built set on the Harewood estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITV Central</span> Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands

ITV Central, previously known as Central Independent Television, Carlton Central, ITV1 for Central England and commonly referred to as simply Central, is the Independent Television franchisee for the Midlands. It was created following the restructuring of ATV and began broadcasting on 1 January 1982. The service is owned and operated by ITV plc under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting Limited. Historically Central made a major contribution to the ITV network schedule – especially in entertainment and drama – but today its main responsibility is the regional news service.

<i>General Hospital</i> (British TV series) British daytime soap opera

General Hospital was a British daytime soap opera produced by ATV that ran on ITV from 1972 to 1979. General Hospital was an attempt to replicate the success of one of British television's first major soap operas, Emergency – Ward 10. The original theme music was "Girl in the White Dress" by the Derek Scott Orchestra which was used until 1975, when it was replaced by Johnny Pearson's "Red Alert" for the 60-minute episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thames Television</span> Former ITV weekday service for London

Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broadcast from 9:25 Monday morning to 5:15 Friday afternoon at which time it would hand over to London Weekend Television (LWT).

<i>The Young Doctors</i> Australian medical soap opera television series (1976–1983)

The Young Doctors is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday 8 November 1976 until Wednesday 30 March 1983. The series is primarily set in the fictional Albert Memorial Hospital, as well as the restaurant/nightclub Bunny's Place, and is fundamentally concerned with the romances and relations between younger members of the hospital staff, rather than typical medical issues and procedures.

<i>Take the High Road</i> Television series

Take the High Road was a Scottish soap opera produced by Scottish Television, which started in February 1980 as an ITV daytime programme, and was broadcast until 2003. It was set in the fictional village of Glendarroch, and exteriors were filmed in the real-life village of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond.

<i>Crossroads</i> (British TV series) British soap opera

Crossroads is a British television soap opera that ran on ITV over two periods – the original 1964 to 1988 run, followed by a short revival from 2001 to 2003. Set in a fictional motel in the Midlands, Crossroads became a byword for low production values, particularly in the 1970s and early 1980s. Despite this, the series regularly attracted huge audiences during this time, with ratings as high as 15 million viewers.

<i>A Country Practice</i> Australian television series

A Country Practice is an Australian television soap opera/serial which was broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 22 November 1993, and subsequently on Network Ten from 13 April 1994 to 5 November 1994. Altogether, 14 seasons and 1,088 episodes were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITC Entertainment</span> UK-based TV and movie production and distribution company

The Incorporated Television Company (ITC), or ITC Entertainment as it was referred to in the United States, was a British company involved in production and distribution of television programmes.

<i>Emergency Ward 10</i> British television series

Emergency Ward 10 is a British medical soap opera series shown on ITV between 1957 and 1967. Like The Grove Family, a series shown by the BBC between 1954 and 1957, Emergency Ward 10 is considered to be one of British television's first major soap operas.

<i>Dramarama</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Dramarama is a British children's anthology series broadcast on ITV between 1983 and 1989. The series tended to feature single dramas with a science fiction, supernatural and occasionally satirical theme. It was created by Anna Home, then head of children's and youth programming at TVS; however, the dramas themselves were produced by a total of twelve ITV regional companies. Thus, each episode was in practice a one-off production with its own cast and crew, up to and including the executive producer.

Richmond Hill is an Australian television soap opera made in 1988 by the Reg Grundy Organisation for the Ten Network. It was devised by Reg Watson who also created Neighbours. It debuted on 27 January 1988 in a two-hour episode on Network 10 at 7.30pm. The series was only moderately successful and was cancelled on 22 June 1988. A total of 91 episodes were produced. As of March 2021, there has been no DVD Release of Richmond Hill.

<i>The Adventures of Sir Lancelot</i> British television series

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot is a British television series first broadcast in 1956, produced by Sapphire Films for ITC Entertainment and screened on the ITV network. The series starred William Russell as the eponymous Sir Lancelot, a Knight of the Round Table in the time of King Arthur at Camelot.

Mr Palfrey of Westminster is a British television drama produced by Thames Television for ITV which ran between 18 April 1984 and 11 June 1985.

<i>The Morecambe & Wise Show</i> (1968 TV series) British television comedy sketch series (1968–1977)

The Morecambe & Wise Show is a comedy sketch show originally broadcast by BBC television and the third TV series by English comedy double-act Morecambe and Wise. It began airing in 1968 on BBC2, specifically because it was then the only channel broadcasting in colour, following the duo's move to the BBC from ATV, where they had made Two of a Kind since 1961.

References

  1. Kingsley, Hilary (1988). Soap Box. London: Papermac. pp. 321–322. ISBN   0333469496.
  2. "Forgotten Regional Soaps". ATV Today. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  3. "Gems - credits". BFI Collections Database. British Film Institute. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  4. "Soap Box - Volume 1 DVD release". Network DVD. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2017.