Written by Alan Janes. Tx 9th January 1979
This episode (the twelfth in the series) was the first not to be written by Phil Redmond. It was penned by Alan Janes who’d go on to script another eighteen episodes during the next four years or so.
Whereas series one concentrated on one class, in series two the focus often switches between two different classes and this is the first episode not to feature any of the characters who have until now been the main focus of attention (Tucker, Benny, Trisha, etc). Instead, we concentrate on two new arrivals – Antoni Karamanopolis (Vivian Mann) and Andrew Stanton (Mark Eadie).
Antoni is always falling asleep in class and a concerned Miss Summers (Philomena McDonagh) wants to know why. Since he’s Greek it’s maybe not a surprise (in clichéd television terms anyway) that his family own a restaurant and he’s been helping out several times a week. These late nights are clearly taking their toll, so Miss Summers pays his parents a visit.
Mr Karamanopolis (Alexandros Mylonas) is gloriously unrepentant about working his son so hard, but he quickly sees the error of his ways. Indeed, his change of heart does feel rather too rapid and it’s another indication that the series at this point was more comfortable in telling self-contained stories, episode by episode.
Andrew Stanton and Justin Bennett strike up a friendship, based on their love of music, but it’s hard-going at first since Andrew is constantly angry and upset. Eventually he reveals that he believes his parents are on the verge of splitting up – although by the end of the episode that doesn’t seem to be so.
This was a plot-thread that did have some legs – the Stanton’s marital problems are mentioned again in the third series and by series four Andrew’s father has finally left home (taking his younger sister with him) which drives Andrew to drink (literally – as Tucker and his friends have to try and look after the inebriated boy in a memorable episode).
Archive Television Musings 
Quite a notable episode in terms of Series Two’s mild reconfiguration into a longer-running and wider-spanning format – Not only is it the first episode not to be written by Phil Redmond, but even more noticeably, beyond Justin, it revolves around characters (and teachers) not seen in Series One. Series staples such as Tucker and Trisha aren’t seen, and even Mr. Mitchell himself, in some ways the “glue” of the first series, doesn’t appear; Instead, we get to see much more of Miss Sommers – Philomena McDonagh being a Series Two addition, in some ways replacing Series One’s Miss Mather (Carole Nimmons; although teaching a different subject), being two early examples of the long line of “firm but likable” female teachers” that we’ll see over the years. Philomena McDonagh is very likable in the role, and it’s a shame the character never extended beyond this single series.
Speaking of Justin, after the surprise of seeing him back at the start of Series Two after it might have been interpreted that his father had moved him to another school after s1e06, he is a more likable character here, his slightly “I’m too good for this place” attitude in Series One having weakened a little. We get the feeling that he might still be feeling lonely at school though, so eagerly jumps at the opportunity of having a new friend in Andrew.
The Antoni “falling asleep in class” plot isn’t too bad if slightly cliched, although once again we get teachers taking it upon themselves to visit pupils’ homes to try and address issues, as Miss Sommers does here, which if it ever was common in “real life” (it was unheard of during my own school years beginning just a couple of years later), surely is uncommon practice now, on grounds of safety if nothing else in case it “all kicks off” as it does slightly here; Surely a phone call or letter requesting the parents come to the school more standard practice, certainly nowadays.
The scene with Justin and Andrew playing with Andrew’s train set at his home after school (wonderfully innocent times, even then) amuses me for two reasons. Andrew’s mum sends him off to a nearby shop to get some ice cream for tea, in order to sit and talk to “first time I’ve ever met this boy” Justin and give him a full serious info dump about what’s going on at home (first time I saw it I actually got Mrs. Robinson vibes, but that’s just me!!), but even more amusingly . . . Just how flippin’ fast does Andrew run to the supposed shop and back?! Approximately 28 seconds by my count. We don’t even hear the front door go. Andrew is trying out for the school production of Joseph here, but he might be better suited for trying out for the England athletics team!!
Another scene I like for retroactively amusing reasons, is one early on in the episode where, put together by the new class shuffles, Penny and Suzi discuss how as well as going to the same school they only live a few roads apart, and yet have never actually spoken previously … Quite a contrast to just how many pupils we’ll see magically appear over the coming years and how other characters will immediately treat them as if they’re old friends.
We also get mention of Ann having left Grange Hill due to her dad being posted abroad, seemingly quite suddenly and recently (thus Ann would have technically still been a pupil at GH, off-screen, at the start of Series Two); It is always welcome when we at least get reason why a character is no longer seen, as so many over the years will disappear with on reason given (to this day I always wonder what happened to Hollo).
There’s also a minor continuity blooper a couple of minutes prior to that scene, when Alan is commenting to Justin how, following the class shuffles, it’s just not the same without Tucker or Benny, and he even misses Doyle. Fine, except Alan was never in the same class as them in Series One anyway.
And finally, a visual blooper to look out for is just past the 03:50 mark – as Miss Sommers asks a pupil to hand out the homework, through the window the backdrop cloth showing the corridor and other buildings behind, can clearly be seen swaying around.
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Quite a notable episode in terms of Series Two’s mild reconfiguration into a longer-running and wider-spanning format – Not only is it the first episode not to be written by Phil Redmond, but even more noticeably, beyond Justin, it revolves around characters (and teachers) not seen in Series One. Series staples such as Tucker and Trisha aren’t seen, and even Mr. Mitchell himself, in some ways the “glue” of the first series, doesn’t appear; Instead, we get to see much more of Miss Sommers – Philomena McDonagh being a Series Two addition, in some ways replacing Series One’s Miss Mather (Carole Nimmons; although teaching a different subject), being two early examples of the long line of “firm but likable” female teachers” that we’ll see over the years. Philomena McDonagh is very likable in the role, and it’s a shame the character never extended beyond this single series.
Speaking of Justin, after the surprise of seeing him back at the start of Series Two after it might have been interpreted that his father had moved him to another school after s1e06, he is a more likable character here, his slightly “I’m too good for this place” attitude in Series One having weakened a little. We get the feeling that he might still be feeling lonely at school though, so eagerly jumps at the opportunity of having a new friend in Andrew.
The Antoni “falling asleep in class” plot isn’t too bad if slightly cliched, although once again we get teachers taking it upon themselves to visit pupils’ homes to try and address issues, as Miss Sommers does here, which if it ever was common in “real life” (it was unheard of during my own school years beginning just a couple of years later), surely is uncommon practice now, on grounds of safety if nothing else in case it “all kicks off” as it does slightly here; Surely a phone call or letter requesting the parents come to the school more standard practice, certainly nowadays.
The scene with Justin and Andrew playing with Andrew’s train set at his home after school (wonderfully innocent times, even then) amuses me for two reasons. Andrew’s mum sends him off to a nearby shop to get some ice cream for tea, in order to sit and talk to “first time I’ve ever met this boy” Justin and give him a full serious info dump about what’s going on at home (first time I saw it I actually got Mrs. Robinson vibes, but that’s just me!!), but even more amusingly . . . Just how flippin’ fast does Andrew run to the supposed shop and back?! Approximately 28 seconds by my count. We don’t even hear the front door go. Andrew is trying out for the school production of Joseph here, but he might be better suited for trying out for the England athletics team!!
Another scene I like for retroactively amusing reasons, is one early on in the episode where, put together by the new class shuffles, Penny and Suzi discuss how as well as going to the same school they only live a few roads apart, and yet have never actually spoken previously … Quite a contrast to just how many pupils we’ll see magically appear over the coming years and how other characters will immediately treat them as if they’re old friends.
We also get mention of Ann having left Grange Hill due to her dad being posted abroad, seemingly quite suddenly and recently (thus Ann would have technically still been a pupil at GH, off-screen, at the start of Series Two); It is always welcome when we at least get reason why a character is no longer seen, as so many over the years will disappear with on reason given (to this day I always wonder what happened to Hollo).
There’s also a minor continuity blooper a couple of minutes prior to that scene, when Alan is commenting to Justin how, following the class shuffles, it’s just not the same without Tucker or Benny, and he even misses Doyle. Fine, except Alan was never in the same class as them in Series One anyway.
And finally, a visual blooper to look out for is just past the 03:50 mark – as Miss Sommers asks a pupil to hand out the homework, through the window the backdrop cloth showing the corridor and other buildings behind, can clearly be seen swaying around.
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