About this season
Compact was a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads. In contrast to the kitchen sink realism of Coronation Street, Compact was a distinctly middle-class serial, set in the more "sophisticated" arena of magazine publishing. An early "avarice" soap, it took the viewer into the business workplace, and aligned the professional lives of the characters with more personal storylines. The show was scheduled for broadcast on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thus avoiding a clash with ITV's Coronation Street on Mondays and Wednesdays. When Compact began, the editor was a woman, Joanne Minster, yet it was not long before she was replaced by Ian Harmon, the son of the magazine's owner. Despite being largely criticised by reviewers, Compact was popular with the general public, and in 1964 a regular omnibus edition was introduced, broadcast on Sundays. Morris Barry, a some-time actor and BBC director – he directed several Doctor Who stories in the 1960s – took over as producer and was given a brief to spice the series up in view of the criticism it had received from the national press. But the BBC, never comfortable with the concept of soap opera, quietly dropped the series in 1965.
Episodes (103)
1. Weekend Guest
Aired 2 January 1964 • 30 min
2. A Place Of Your Own
Aired 4 January 1964 • 30 min
3. A Question Of Morals
Aired 6 January 1964 • 30 min
4. The Enquiry
Aired 14 January 1964 • 30 min
5. The Opening
Aired 16 January 1964 • 30 min
6. Hand In Marriage
Aired 21 January 1964 • 30 min
7. The Best Policy
Aired 23 January 1964 • 30 min
8. One Of Us Must Go
Aired 28 January 1964 • 30 min
9. Love You And Leave You
Aired 30 January 1964 • 30 min
10. Battle Of The Sexes
Aired 4 February 1964 • 30 min
11. Unexpected Guests
Aired 6 February 1964 • 30 min
12. Mutual Understanding
Aired 11 February 1964 • 30 min
13. Surprises
Aired 13 February 1964 • 30 min
14. Walls Have Ears
Aired 16 February 1964 • 30 min
15. In The Air
Aired 17 February 1964 • 30 min
16. The Poison Spreads
Aired 25 February 1964 • 30 min
17. The Fatal Call
Aired 27 February 1964 • 30 min
18. An End And A Beginning
Aired 3 March 1964 • 30 min
19. The Night Visitors
Aired 5 March 1964 • 30 min
20. Plots And Plans
Aired 10 March 1964 • 30 min
21. Secrets And Lies
Aired 12 March 1964 • 30 min
22. The Ides Of March
Aired 17 March 1964 • 30 min
23. False Evidence
Aired 19 March 1964 • 30 min
24. A Difficult Assignment
Aired 24 March 1964 • 30 min
25. The Eve Of The Wedding
Aired 26 March 1964 • 30 min
26. Just Married - Good Luck
Aired 31 March 1964 • 30 min
27. Honeymoon And Holidays
Aired 2 April 1964 • 30 min
28. Rush Job
Aired 7 April 1964 • 30 min
29. Moment Of Truth
Aired 9 April 1964 • 30 min
30. Hot And Cold
Aired 14 April 1964 • 30 min
31. Home And Away
Aired 16 April 1964 • 30 min
32. Ian In Danger
Aired 19 April 1964 • 30 min
33. Investigations
Aired 24 April 1964 • 30 min
34. Guilty Conscience
Aired 28 April 1964 • 30 min
35. To Be Delivered By Hand
Aired 30 April 1964 • 30 min
36. Business Not Blackmail
Aired 5 May 1964 • 30 min
37. A Ray Of Hope
Aired 7 May 1964 • 30 min
38. Success Story
Aired 12 May 1964 • 30 min
39. Wine, Women, And Song
Aired 14 May 1964 • 30 min
40. Delicate Negotiations
Aired 19 May 1964 • 30 min
41. Parties And Quarrels
Aired 21 May 1964 • 30 min
42. Who Is Eddie Pritchard?
Aired 26 May 1964 • 30 min
43. Crossed Swords
Aired 28 May 1964 • 30 min
44. A Question Of Loyalties
Aired 2 June 1964 • 30 min
45. Picture Clue
Aired 4 June 1964 • 30 min
46. To Catch A Thief
Aired 9 June 1964 • 30 min
47. Play On Crime
Aired 11 June 1964 • 30 min
48. The Unexpected
Aired 16 June 1964 • 30 min
49. Encounter
Aired 18 June 1964 • 30 min
50. The Verdict Was Guilty
Aired 23 June 1964 • 30 min
51. Emergency Call
Aired 25 June 1964 • 30 min
52. The Kiss Of Life
Aired 30 June 1964 • 30 min
53. Have You Anything To Say?
Aired 2 July 1964 • 30 min
54. Hide And Seek
Aired 7 July 1964 • 30 min
55. Find The Lady
Aired 9 July 1964 • 30 min
56. Responsibilities
Aired 14 July 1964 • 30 min
57. Time Of Trial
Aired 16 July 1964 • 30 min
58. A Boy Comes Home
Aired 21 July 1964 • 30 min
59. Old Friends And Familiar Faces
Aired 23 July 1964 • 30 min
60. The Offer
Aired 28 July 1964 • 30 min
61. The Dilemma
Aired 30 July 1964 • 30 min
62. The Bowler Hat Trick
Aired 4 August 1964 • 30 min
63. A Game Of Consequences
Aired 6 August 1964 • 30 min
64. Model Mystery
Aired 11 August 1964 • 30 min
65. Unexpected Temperament
Aired 17 August 1964 • 30 min
66. Paradise - My Island Home
Aired 20 August 1964 • 30 min
67. Departures
Aired 24 August 1964 • 30 min
68. Backfire
Aired 27 August 1964 • 30 min
69. Business With Pleasure
Aired 31 August 1964 • 30 min
70. Treasure Hunt
Aired 3 September 1964 • 30 min
71. Many Questions
Aired 7 September 1964 • 30 min
72. Blow The Wind - Westerly
Aired 9 September 1964 • 30 min
73. Dear Mister Bruce
Aired 14 September 1964 • 30 min
74. Unconditional Surrender
Aired 17 September 1964 • 30 min
75. Best Laid Plans
Aired 22 September 1964 • 30 min
76. Credit Where Credit's Due
Aired 25 September 1964 • 30 min
77. The Warning
Aired 29 September 1964 • 30 min
78. Departure And Return
Aired 2 October 1964 • 30 min
79. Friends And Relations
Aired 6 October 1964 • 30 min
80. Goodbye Forever
Aired 9 October 1964 • 30 min
81. The Shadow Of Danger
Aired 13 October 1964 • 30 min
82. Between Life And Death
Aired 16 October 1964 • 30 min
83. A Spy In The Camp
Aired 20 October 1964 • 30 min
84. Smugglers Gold
Aired 23 October 1964 • 30 min
85. Kooky Christening
Aired 27 October 1964 • 30 min
86. Moving On
Aired 30 October 1964 • 30 min
87. To The Rescue
Aired 3 November 1964 • 30 min
88. Over The Wall
Aired 6 November 1964 • 30 min
89. Mistaken Identity
Aired 10 November 1964 • 30 min
90. Home And Dry
Aired 13 November 1964 • 30 min
91. Maiden Voyage
Aired 17 November 1964 • 30 min
92. Tangled Web
Aired 20 November 1964 • 30 min
93. Secrets All Round
Aired 24 November 1964 • 30 min
94. Lost Property
Aired 27 November 1964 • 30 min
95. The Truth Will Out
Aired 1 December 1964 • 30 min
96. Weekend Plans
Aired 3 December 1964 • 30 min
97. Accident - Presumed Drowned
Aired 8 December 1964 • 30 min
98. On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner And Blitzen!
Aired 11 December 1964 • 30 min
99. Seven More Shopping Days
Aired 15 December 1964 • 30 min
100. Change Partners
Aired 18 December 1964 • 30 min
101. Do Me A Favour!
Aired 22 December 1964 • 30 min
102. A Surprise For Christmas
Aired 25 December 1964 • 30 min
103. A Partridge In A Pear Tree
Aired 29 December 1964 • 30 min