About this season
Dramarama is the name of a British children's anthology series broadcast on ITV between 1983 and 1989. It tended to feature drama of a science fiction or supernatural bent. The series was created by Anna Home, then head of children's and youth programming at TVS, however production responsibilities were divided amongst most of the regional ITV franchise holders. Thus, each episode was in practice a one-off production with its own cast and crew, up to and including the executive producer. Dramarama was largely a place for new talent to prove themselves and was a launching pad for the likes of Anthony Horowitz, Paul Abbott, Kay Mellor, Janice Hally, Tony Kearney, David Tennant and Ann Marie Di Mambro. It was one of Dennis Spooner's last credits. One of Dramarama's episodes, "Dodger, Bonzo And The Rest", gained so much popularity that it was turned in to its own series the following year. It starred Lee Ross and was based around a large foster home. The episode "Blackbird Singing In The Dead of Night" was developed by Granada into the TV series Children's Ward. It was also repeated for the first time since its original broadcast on 5 January 2013, during CITV's 30th anniversary Old Skool Weekend. The Series 7 episode "Back To Front" – notable for featuring a mirror image of the Yorkshire Television logo card at the end – was repeated on 6 January 2013, again as part of CITV's 30th anniversary Old Skool Weekend.
Episodes (14)
1. The Come-Uppance of Captain Katt
Aired 30 June 1986
Ludo French stars in a sci-fi series, but working with the arrogant, conceited, always dissatisfied man pushes the production to its limits.
2. A Couple of Charlies
Aired 7 July 1986
A play about a neglected boy on a school pet day, this edition was awarded the Special UNICEF Prize at Prix Jeunesse, Munich.
3. Wayfarers
Aired 14 July 1986
4. Play Acting
Aired 21 July 1986
5. Last Days at Black Bert's
Aired 28 July 1986
Things aren't looking good at the run-down hikers' hostel "Black Bert's." A health inspector has been announced, ordering a committee to close the place down. On top of that, everything is about to fall apart-but perhaps the new waitress can help?
6. Maureen Reid, Where Are You?
Aired 4 August 1986
7. Flashback
Aired 11 August 1986
Film material from the Second World War is leaked to two young people. The film stars a schoolboy who obviously doesn't belong there. Who is the boy and when did this happen?
8. Direct Action
Aired 18 August 1986
Young Dawn seems to lack perseverance in her jobs. Things seem to be going better at Helliwell's toy store until the boss orders the same Christmas music to be played for months. Since everyone is dissatisfied, Dawn organizes a staff meeting. But there are still a few lessons waiting for her.
9. Waiting for Elvis
Aired 1 September 1986
In 1960, Elvis Presley returns to the USA from Germany by plane, and there will be a stopover in Scotland. That evening, the paths of six people cross in the waiting lounge, each with a different hope for this event: a journalist, a fan, a beauty queen, her jealous boyfriend, an agent, and his protégé, whom he hopes to make a star.
10. Just a Game
Aired 8 September 1986
A school quiz broadcast on the radio is a huge success until two students from a losing team realize that their teacher is helping the competition. Proving the cheating and convincing their teachers and parents proves difficult. And the station doesn't want to be in the headlines either.
11. Flyaway Friend
Aired 15 September 1986
Jennie is new at school, misses her father and has no friends. But there is her imaginary friend Tom, who has similar concerns. But is he really imaginary?
12. Pig Ignorance
Aired 22 September 1986
Little crook Darryl has to do community service on an inner-city farm. Most of the time he doesn't care about the work, but when the owners have to sell the only pig for lack of money, his attitude changes.
13. Jessie's Place
Aired 25 September 1986
A girl from a snobbish middle class family is desperate to break free, and ends up forging an unlikely friendship with a younger working class boy
14. Frankie's Hat
Aired 30 December 1986
Sonia travels from London to Oxford to make a Birthday visit to her sister Frankie who has moved away and started a family. But Frankie takes the opportunity to make up for her lost youth, much to the younger girl's distaste.