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memories of "The Spike"

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  • 26-05-2012 11:17am
    #1
    stabeek
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭


    The Spike was a short-lived RTE series about a school in Dublin. It earned a notorious reputation for its rawness and was quickly axed. The date was something like 1978 (give or take) and I imagine the intent was to key in to the punk scene which was the big thing at the time.

    I won't say I was devoted to it at the time, I only caught half of one episode and had to change station when a sibling or parent came in to the TV room. However, several people at school said they were able to watch it (how cool was that).

    What I'm trying to remember was its match-up to Grange Hill. Was it a reaction to Grange Hill? Or was it a precursor? Was it any good in fact? Was Grange Hill cleverer, because it just watered everything down?

    I was preteen at the time and think I was a bit too young for it ... any memories from anybody?


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    #2
    FishBowel
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 363 ✭✭FishBowel


    Only heard of it - got pulled for some nudity scene.


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    #3
    gyppo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭gyppo


    FishBowel wrote: »
    Only heard of it - got pulled for some nudity scene.

    Spot on - there was a scene where some floozie was in her pelt as a model in an art class.


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    #4
    EchoO
    Closed Accounts Posts: 353 ✭✭EchoO


    gyppo wrote: »
    Spot on - there was a scene where some floozie was in her pelt as a model in an art class.

    It was a bit of let down, if I remember correctly, she was behind frosted glass.


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    #5
    artyeva
    Registered Users Posts: 2,137 ✭✭✭artyeva


    wasn't david kelly in that? did he play the art teacher in that scene?


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    #6
    gammygils
    Registered Users Posts: 17,229 ✭✭✭✭gammygils


    A lot of talk about it at the time.

    We weren't allowed watch it.

    Any chance of a re-run?


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    #7
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,111 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    She was from the waist up, filmed from behind a plant, a good distance away and some League of Decency person had a heart attack at the very thoughts of it.

    I have the book it was based on. Harmless enough compared to what actually goes on in schools today.

    It wasn't comparable to Grange Hill - it was a series for adults.
    AFAIK it's the only programme RTE have said they will never broadcast again.


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    #8
    EchoO
    Closed Accounts Posts: 353 ✭✭EchoO


    artyeva wrote: »
    wasn't david kelly in that? did he play the art teacher in that scene?

    Yeah... http://www.rte.ie/tv/scannal/scannalthespike.html


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    #9
    Aglomerado
    Registered Users Posts: 5,761 ✭✭✭Aglomerado


    spurious wrote: »
    AFAIK it's the only programme RTE have said they will never broadcast again.

    I have the book too, I picked it up in a second hand bookshop in Galway years ago. I'm too young to remember the series though - would love a chance to see it, shame about this!


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    #10
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,294 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    I know I shouldn't find this funny but.......

    "JB Murray, head of the League of Decency and a staunch campaigner against The Spike from the outset, suffered a heart attack while phoning the papers to complain about the nude scene."

    I wonder what he would make of Spartacus : Blood & Sand


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    #11
    stabeek
    Registered Users Posts: 142 ✭✭stabeek


    Hiyez .. OP thanks contributors, cheers.


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    #12
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,964 ✭✭✭lukin


    There's a documentary on RTE 1 now about this very show (Scannal!).Interestingly they showed the clip from the show where the model is nude.It's well before the watershed.Will there be complaints?


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    #13
    darkdubh
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭darkdubh


    I saw that clip on some RTE show years ago.You do see the young lady's rear end,pretty tame enough really.


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    #14
    Hangdogroad
    Registered Users Posts: 4,889 ✭✭✭Hangdogroad


    RTE doc from 2002 about RTE drama in the 60's 70's and 80's with a lot of rare footage, the Burke Enigma, Year Of The French and more. The Spike is featured from 26:24 and the nude scene is included. You see quite a lot actually, more than I was expecting :)


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CDjLFq3Lc8


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