Prospects (TV series)
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Prospects is a British television comedy-drama series written by Alan Janes and originally released on Channel 4 in 1986. Created by Euston Films, who had a pedigree of producing successful, gritty dramas such as The Sweeney and Minder, it followed the exploits of two East End 'geezer' characters, Jimmy 'Pincy' Pince and Billy 'Bill' Pearson, played by Gary Olsen and Brian Bovell, respectively, and depicts their trials and tribulations of making a living in London's Isle of Dogs.
Comprising 12 episodes, Prospects was delivered with a comic slant and dealt with many of the major issues affecting British society at the height of the "Thatcherite" '80s including unemployment, crime, poverty, regeneration, social change, and racism.
The shows featured many actors, such as well-known actors like Ken Jones who played 'Horrible Ives' in Porridge, and some unknown actors who went on to find fame elsewhere. These include Billy Hartman 'Terry Woods' in Emmerdale.
Prospects gained a cult following and rating-wise it performed well above expectations for Channel 4. At that time Channel 4 received a large subsidy from the rival commercial network ITV in exchange for the right to sell airtime; this gave ITV significant input into the management of the station. The success of Prospects and the fact that it was produced by a subsidiary of the ITV network's largest station Thames Television meant it was moved to a 9 pm prime-time repeat slot on ITV in the Spring/Summer of 1987. This fuelled rumours that the network wanted to develop Prospects into a long-running comedy-drama series. However, ITV declined the opportunity to develop it beyond the original first 12-episode series.
Cast
- Gary Olsen as Pincy
- Brian Bovell as Billy
- Peter Lovstrom as Mickey Smith
- Chrissie Cotterill as Mona
- Ben Howard as Halforth
- Mike Savage as Del
- Treva Etienne as Horace
- Eddie Tagoe as Stretch
- Nigel Davenport as The Governor
- John Benfield as Kev
- Peter Bayliss as Mr Frobisher
- Eve Bland as Maude
- John Forgeham as Jock
- Billy Hartman as Mr Innes
- John Hallam as Tubby Rawlinson
- Tony Haygarth as Alf
- Bernard Hepton as Hymie Peters
- Hazel O'Connor as Bev Reid
- Malcolm Tierney as Ralph Finchley
- Kate Williams as Bess
- Ken Jones as Mr Lambert
- Glen Murphy as Ron
- Ken Campbell as George
- Paul Mari as Slimey Keith
Episodes
The 12 episodes of Prospects followed Billy and Pincy's exploits as follows:
- Episode 1 The P to S Day - Billy and Pincy set up a dating agency and burglar alarm company but as always, they seem to spend their time getting out of scrapes.
- Episode 2 Partners in Brine - Pincy has big dreams of setting up a marina and theme park in the Isle of Dogs - not bad when your only collateral is your weekly 'dole' cheque.
- Episode 3 Uncle Harry's System - Pincy, despite Billy's cynicism, believes he's discovered a guaranteed greyhound betting system. However, they end up in very hot water both with 'Uncle Harry's' system and losing £500 they were minding for local villain 'Stretch'.
- Episode 4 Dirty Weekend - Billy, Pincy and their girlfriends embark on an ill-fated camping holiday.
- Episode 5 Rodent Engineers - Billy and Pincy set up a pest control business and claim to eliminate an epidemic of 'hyper mice' that have infested the Isle of Dogs.
- Episode 6 Standing on Your Own One Foot - Billy and Pincy move to a new flat. However, it proves an unhappy move after they have a run-in with the area's racist local councillor and his cronies.
- Episode 7 Subterranean Pig Sick Blues - Pincy thinks he can pull off the 'perfect' bank robbery, whilst also launching a scam involving dirty magazines. However, things don't quite go as planned.
- Episode 8 Frying Tonight - Billy and Pincy get a job at their local chip shop. However, things spiral out of control when they give marriage guidance advice to the owner George.
- Episode 9 Four Men in a Boat - Billy and Pincy get hired to work as waiters on a wedding boat.
- Episode 10 Follow the Yellow Brick Lane - Billy falls in love with Bev (Hazel O'Connor) a headstrong singer dreaming of becoming a pop star.
- Episode 11 Running all the Way Part One - A police 'fit up' sees Billy and Pincy get sent to prison for a crime they didn't commit, disliking the prison life, they escape!
- Episode 12 Running all the Way Part Two - Billy and Pincy find life hard on the run and start work for 'Tubby' a local gangster who has a feud with 'Stretch' another gangster who was last seen in episode 3. They realize that serving time in prison may have been idea than a choosing a life on the run.
DVD release
All 12 episodes were given an official Region 2, DVD release by Network in March 2013.