Mike And Angelo (Full Episodes)
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Mike and Angelo S6E4 (1994) - FULL EPISODE
Model Child. Howard Fogle, Rita's boss at the advertising agency, has landed a major contract, and they need a happy smiling youngster to star in the poster campaign. At Angelo's insistence, Mike goes for it - but soon everyone's wondering what's become of him and his new-found celebrity attitude. This episode was first broadcast on Tuesday, 15th March, 1994. This is a very funny one, but with a serious side. The opening stunt with the (actually, I won't spoil it) and the closing punchline give big laughs, and there are both gags and situations throughout that are highly amusing, but it's also a breath of fresh air to see scenes where actual good advice is being passed on from adult to child - and that happens twice in this. Meanwhile, Michael Benz proves his range by going all bratty on us *and* falling for feminine wiles at his tender age, and Alexandra Milman... Well, the more I see of her, the more I wonder why we haven't seen more of her down the years. Needless to say, Howard is played by John Savident, best known as Fred Elliot in Coronation Street. It's great to see him at his poshest, having previously been a French art critic in T-Bag. And people accuse him of being typecast! Actually, speaking of T-Bag, did anyone else pick up on the "...and I don't mean tomorrow" and "Get it?"/"Got it"/"Good" catchphrases in this one? I'm afraid there's no CITV continuity, but stay listening right until the very finish for that weird edited-on ending that was a feature of this series. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S6E9 (1994) - FULL EPISODE
Pinner PLC. Neighbour Mr Pinner has been called "Baldilocks" by the local yobs once too often, and Angelo takes pity on him. An amazing new hair-restoring tonic soon follows, and when Rita's Accounts Executive Ralph Dimpey shows up, a get-rich-quick opportunity is spotted. But who exactly is the inventor, legally speaking? This episode was originally broadcast on Tuesday, 19th April, 1994. This is John Levitt's penultimate appearance as Cyril Pinner, and it's one of his very best in my opinion. You can feel his constant pain and torment over his state of slapheadedness quite palpably, but we are also reminded of his slimy, conniving side, as he takes advantage of (as basically blackmails) the endearingly well-meaning and still-naive Angelo. Guest star Dave Hill is also fantastic, and it's a pity his character Mr Dimpy was only a one-off. There was a lot of potential there, I think. As for the subject matter itself, well, can you think why the creators of the show might have had one reason or another to come up with it? They really do go to town with the writing, and come up with some great synonyms for baldness - I'd not really though about it, but it's the sort of 'old person' topic that children just find inherently hilarious. Have a close look at the adverts and posters, by the way - some are really quite funny, and may possibly contain a familiar face. Other big laughs came from Angelo basically pulling off a Manuel "I know nothing", and I like how Mike still cares greatly for his friend and can't do enough to help him. Excellent episode all round. Stay tuned right to the very end for another of those unexpected extra little riffs that sometimes finished the theme tune. Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S6E10 (1994) - FULL EPISODE
A Wonderful Wife. Mike's mum and dad are back from their travels thanks to a new job offer - but a misunderstanding leaves Patti wishing that she'd never married Barney in the first place. Meanwhile, Mr Pinner is arrested for armed robbery. This episode, the last in the series, was originally broadcast on Tuesday, 26th April, 1994. You've heard of a game of two halves, but this is very much a story in that mould. Everything starts out happy happy happy, fun fun fun, and you naturally assume that this is just another regular episode - and then out of nowhere we get smashed in the face by the massively heavy theme of divorce, a dystopian future, and a heap of gloomy what-ifs. I'm sure you've worked out from the title that the inspiration is the Frank Capra film It's a Wonderful Life, and as a very nice in-joke for long-time fans of the show, of course Angelo plays the part of a guardian angel, as was part of the original ambiguous premise of the show. Favourite bits: the mis-hearing that you instantly suspect is a mis-hearing, but isn't obvious enough to work out for yourself; Alexandra Milman looking like *that*; and I'm going to have to try to work the "fan yourself with a mackerel" line into everyday conversation. Also, the more I see of Tim Whitnall's performances, the more I'm convinced that he's just a supremely all-round talented bloke. He's ace in this and as always hits the right tone just perfectly. Incidentally, I can't say for certain, but does anyone get the feeling from the nicely-tied-up ending that they weren't exactly certain whether Michael Benz was to return or not? Or, perhaps, that they didn't even know whether they'd get another series at all? Of course, history tells us we were only halfway through the run, but in other ways it was indeed very much the end of an era: this is the last we ever saw of every single character herein with the exception of Mike and Angelo themselves. Yes, Mr Pinner and Mel, Patti and Barney, and even Rita (who'd been there from the start) weren't to come back after this one. No continuity, but listen out for the awkward double ending to the closing theme tune that I think is unique to this series and inexplicably changes slightly every time. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S7E1 (1995) - FULL EPISODE
Mrs Shoutfire. Rita's career has taken off and she's left her brother in the lurch - but he can't look after Mike too much longer. So, naturally, they start auditioning housekeepers. Which, if any, will get the job? This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 5th January, 1995, and it marks the point that the series went full-Sugababes. That is to say, the first Angelo had regenerated, the first Mike had left home, and now sole remaining original lead cast member Rita had moved on to pastures new. And thus began the Katy era: actress Katy Murphy (who you may remember from Spatz) took the role of house matriarch from now until the very end of the run. So, which era of the show is your favourite? Obviously the one you grew up with. But viewing the series with the distance of time now, a very good case can be made for these three being the best line-up of main actors. I'd say that the funniest episodes are in this era, and they strike a good balance of not being too zany. Then again, the earlier character-driven storylines have their charm, too. What do you think? One thing that works against Katy is that it's difficult to shake the feeling that she's the new girl in town. But if IMDB's figures are to be believed, Rita was in 63 episodes while Katy was only three behind on 60 - coincidentally, the same as this Mike, Michael Benz. Only Tim Whitnall as Angelo clocked up more appearances (103). Anyway, there's a recurring guest turn from Ron Berglas as Uncle Bob (also seen in The Tomorrow People and proper films such as Highlander), a scary one from Janet Henfrey (The Singing Detective, and recently in Toast of London and Wolf Hall), and a sickly sweet one from Annette Badland (currently in EastEnders, previously a Slitheen in Doctor Who). There's a tiny bit of CITV continuity at the beginning, but it's from the faceless voiceover-only era. Speaking of Doctor Who: Janet Henfrey played Miss Hardaker in that back in 1989. Here, her character is named Mrs Hardacre. I doubt that's a coincidence. Grateful thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S7E2 (1995) - FULL EPISODE
Maestro Mike Mozart. After falling head-over-heels for a girl he bumped into at the swimming pool, a mix-up presents Mike with the opportunity to actually talk to her. Unfortunately, the classical music CD he notices leaves him thinking she's far too cultured and out of his league - which is when Angelo hatches an ingenious plan to learn about such subjects from their primary source. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 12th January, 1995. Stand by for a heap of great musical puns in this one, plus a catastrophically terrible aardvark joke. Michael Benz deserves a lot of credit for his dual-role performance as both hormonal Mike and young Wolfgang (though why Mozart would have a dead posh English accent is probably something we shouldn't think about too long), and in many ways there are dual storylines on show that would have been strong enough to work separately. The main body is made up by the time-travelling character's adventures in the 20th century, but then there's the whole girlfriend issue, which itself is underpinned by the conflict between being yourself versus trying to be something you're not. It's a good message cleverly played out. Regulars on this channel may notice that the device of the mixed-up bags was recycled into the very last episode of Polterguests four years later (from the same writer, of course): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmcFNpNG4sE One minor technical point: the freeze-frame they end on (around 18:48) isn't actually a freeze-frame at all. How odd. Anyway, this is Katie Pearson's first appearance on the show as Sam, but she would go on to be a recurring character throughout series seven. Does anyone know what became of her? I'd love to know what she was in before this, and, indeed, what Katie did next. Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S7E3 (1995) - FULL EPISODE
Beat It, Kid. Mike's determined to find reasons to spend some time with Samantha, and her band looking for somewhere to rehearse seems to offer the perfect excuse. But is everything really as it seems, or is he getting the wrong kind of attention for all the wrong reasons? This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 19th January, 1995. Katy is excellent in this one, showing that she is responsible, knows what's what, and ultimately really cares - even if she can get hilariously irrationally angry at the drop of a hat. Mike's moments of reflection with Angelo are quite touching, too, and the theme of people being used and how that feels is put across very cleverly. It's funny to see Mike hitting the age at which he just can't say no to a flirtatious girl, while the mere image of someone sawing a dustbin in half is something to behold indeed. All round, a very good episode, with the caveat that the song is nowhere near as bad as it was supposed to be. And by that I mean that in my opinion even the drum-less version has a fair bit of potential, in a raw Britpoppy sort of way. How's that for a bizarre criticism? Of the guest stars, Rebecca Weeks is brilliantly devious as Kelly, while Richard Janes is believably selfish and uncaring. Rebecca seems to have just re-entered the acting profession after taking a decade or so out, but I can't find anything super-recent about her. Perhaps her most impressive credit to date is for The Ghost of Greville Lodge back in 2000. Richard, meanwhile, has mostly turned his hand to producing and directing and boasts a student RTS Award nomination. I'm still hoping someone out there can update us on Katie Pearson (Sam), because I haven't managed to find much at all on her. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S7E6 (1995) - FULL EPISODE
A Dog's Life. Neighbour Daphne Fawkes-Bentley is so impressed with Katy's housekeeping skills that she invites her to come work for her instead. The worse-than-usual behaviour of Mike, Angelo, and a mysterious four-legged friend makes Katy seriously consider the proposition. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 9th February, 1995. I've got to say that this one's an absolute hoot for several reasons, but, first and foremost, this marks the debut of Elizabeth Estensen on the show. Regulars on this channel will no doubt have got a big laugh out of her very first conversation being to ask if she can fill a kettle, and her pained cry of "If I don't get a cup of tea in the next two minutes..." There are numerous other references to said beverage ("Nobody dumps me like an old teabag"), and, speaking of in-jokes, I hope that Mike's "I feel like that kid in Home Alone" wasn't lost on anyone. Another reason I particularly enjoyed this episode was that there are at least three plots that could have been strung out for the whole running time, but are unexpectedly resolved within moments. I mean, obviously Katy's misunderstanding of the boys' apparent insults is the main story, right? Not this time - she soon twigs, laughs about it, and that side of things is back to normal. There's a reward for the dog? Well, now it's going to run off, and they'll have to catch it, and hilarity will... Nope, they returned it and received the money without a hitch. Sneaking Alice around the house, the dress, and a few other things could all have made for full episodes, but instead, we're treated to 20 frantic jam-packed fun-filled minutes that could go in any direction at any time. But I think the clincher for this being just so good is that mad bit towards the end when Angelo uses his powers to do whatever it is he did. The way it plays out is really quite trippy, and more than a little spooky, almost psychedelic. Love it. Throw in a daft conversation about Daphne's old servant and the roof, plus a fit of anger about entering a Mrs Worzel Gummidge lookalike competition, and I just have to say that it's brilliant all round. Obligatory technical notes: (1) We get a rare glimpse inside next door's house; (2) I'm not sure that garden fence we see through the front door is correct; and (3) The music Mike's rocking out to isn't Iron Maiden, but that Crying on the Floor song by his girlfriend's band from three episodes earlier. I still quite like the tune, in a raw mid-90s indie/Britpoppy sort of way. Stay tuned at the end for a little bit of Children's ITV continuity. What's that Databurst thing all about? I remember the Bad Influence Datablast, but not a CITV one... Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S7E10 (1995) - FULL EPISODE
Hooray For Hollywood. It's been audition after audition for years, and now Katy's finally on the edge of her big break. But if she gets it, where does that leave Mike and Angelo? Uncle Bob and Mike's girlfriend Sam are on hand to help get what all of them - apart from Katy herself - really want. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 9th March, 1995. This episode is absolutely peppered with very funny quick gags (my favourite being the airport fog one), trademark silliness (the jetpack), plus a well-worked wardrobe malfunction and a fight over a banana, but there's a deeper moral about following your dream - or, more to the point, how to react when your friend is following theirs. The way it all ends makes it look like the show hadn't yet been recommissioned, and/or they weren't certain whether actress Katy Murphy would return for another run. It works as a thank-you-and-goodnight to both, but, of course, history tells us that each would stick around for a further five series. Ron Berglas and Katie Pearson are the recurring guest stars in this one, both making their final appearances on the show. Ron I've mentioned before, but Katie... Well, I haven't a clue, as her IMDB page lists only Mike and Angelo, and Googling hasn't thrown anything else up. Anyone? (Don't get her mixed up with an actress of the same name who was in My Parents Are Aliens.) Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E1 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
Night of the Zombie. Or, the banned episode of Mike and Angelo (sort of). Katy's back with a bang from Hollywood, and is not impressed to find that Mike has developed a penchant for staying up late watching horror films. But how can she wean him off this unhealthy obsession? She and Angelo come up with a fiendish plan - but is everything really as it seems? This spooky episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 4th January, 1996, and if you didn't watch it that day, there's a chance you've never seen it at all. By all accounts, a scheduled repeat was pulled due to a complaint about the apparent scariness, and I'm not certain it ever saw the light of day again - until now. Another way in which this one is a bit of a rarity in that only the three core cast members - Mike, Angelo and Katy - appear, without any guest stars whatsoever. Obviously it's the opening episode of a new series, and I like the way it re-establishes the characters, while also subtly demonstrating that Mike is that little bit older compared to when we last saw him. I love the absolute mess the house is always in whenever the boys are left to their own devices. The Scrabble scene also made me laugh, and the in-the-cupboard shenanigans (trying not to spoil anything) were staged very well in a deadpan kind of way. All in all, a fun curtain-raiser to a very strong series. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E2 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
Private Angelo. An expensive mishap with a window-cleaning machine proves one expensive mishap too many, so Angelo is 'encouraged' to find a job for himself so that he can pay his own way. Unfortunately, he soon finds himself signed up for the army, and hasn't reckoned on Sergeant Sayers when he tries to back out. This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 11th January, 1996. The guest star of this one is Tom Mannion, who was a regular in Emmerdale as Steve Harland and has most recently appeared in Mr Selfridge and Stan Lee's Lucky Man. Looking down his IMDB entry, things like Hustle and Life on Mars are good, but I was most impressed to see Return of the Jedi listed - apparently he was Stardestroyer Captain #2. Topping even that, though, he was a busker in Spatz as well. There's probably a serious point to be made about the forces portraying too exciting and positive an image of themselves and essentially hoodwinking young people of certain backgrounds into joining, but I'm not going to be the one to make it. Instead, I'll just draw attention to Angelo's endearing naivety, Mike's dedication and ingenuity, and an all-round really good episode with a very strong performance from a one-off character. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E4 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
My Pal Puck. Katy sitting down to watch Romeo and Juliet is Angelo's first exposure to the wonders of Shakespeare, and after declaring that he's going to become a writer himself, he decides to research the playwright in closer detail than is strictly normal. But does he have what it takes to pen good television comedy, and how will Katy shake off some unwanted attention? Oh, and Mike's there, too. This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 25th January, 1996, and anyone who criticises children's TV for 'dumbing down' can rest assured that this particular one is above that. Waaaay above that. I picked up on quite a few of the Shakespeare references watching this now, but I wouldn't have back then - and even now I know I failed to fully grasp loads. The final payoff about having accidentally inspired one of Will's classics is remarkably well-crafted, and I'm sure sailed above the heads of younger viewers, but how refreshing to see sophisticated highbrow jokes on CITV (even if it was two full decades ago)! Whenever I watch something that features the process of writing or filming a television show as part of the plot, I immediately wonder just how autobiographical it is. I'm certain there are plenty of in-jokes included - not least shooting a scene in a studio with the actual set of the show in the background - and the lampooning of the business side of things tells its own story. Even funnier with the benefit of hindsight is the fact that Tim Whitnall is actually now a BAFTA-winning writer himself! Meanwhile, according to the excellent Glad You Remember website (which, as I've mentioned before, I'm finding an invaluable resource: http://gladyouremember.webs.com/mikeangelo.htm), this episode "was the all-time favourite of director Neville Green", and it is indeed superb fun. Jasper Britton is right at home playing the great man himself, having appeared in loads of Shakespeare down the years - most recently starring as King Henry IV in the RSC's two adaptations of the plays. Turns out Jasper is the half-brother of TV presenter Fern Britton and her sister Cherry, who is in turn married to the great Brian Cant. Nice little kids' TV connection, there. The other guest actor, Debora Weston, has a number of smaller parts to her credit - including in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Lennon Naked - and was invited back for a later episode as Katy's cousin. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E5 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
Good Morning, Cricklewood. No-one's in the right mood to hold a conversation with Angelo, so he does the only sensible thing he can think of in the circumstances: sets up his own talk radio station. Eventually, an unexpected rivalry develops, leading to a battle of the airwaves. Meanwhile, Mike has a rival of his own to contend with. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 1st February, 1996. I enjoyed this one a lot, mostly because you have no idea where it's going until it gets there. Tim Whitnall is very funny as he cracks out a few of his voices in this one, including an all-purpose Smashie and Nicey type of DJ, plus another impersonation which he probably doesn't do that much any more. Mike's solution to the problem is a very clever one, and didn't go down the more obvious route that suggested itself (doing my best to avoid spoilers). The only three people we actually see on-screen in this episode are Mike, Angelo and Katy, but the callers to the phone-in obviously required guest talent, and that was provided by Brian Shelley and Deborah Grant. Brian has a few minor television credits to his name, such as a vicar in Coupling and Ralph in Black Books, and has done a lot of stage work. Deborah has had recurring roles in the likes of Bread, Bergerac, Peak Practice, and as Tim Vine's mum in Not Going Out. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E6 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
An Actor's Life for Me. Katy needs cheering up after her acting career hits a new low, so a plan is hatched to bring her to the attention of a top film director casting for his sequel to Gone with the Wind. Meanwhile, one Mervyn Mertz has a vacuum cleaner he wants to sell, and by George (and Mildred), he's persistent. This particular one was first broadcast on Thursday, 8th February, 1996, and there's a nice bit of CITV continuity at the beginning, but I'm afraid the end credits are missing. This is a great episode, helped in no small part by guest star Brian Murphy, who is truly brilliant as he bumbles his way through his sales pitch and ultimately finds himself the victim of an unusual misunderstanding. There are actually a couple of gags I'm surprised they got away with (the model one in particular), plus listen out for the great name of the film and an inside-joke based around the director. And doesn't Angelo look fetching all dressed up as... Well, I won't spoil the surprise, even though the CITV continuity did its best to. I believe I'm right in saying that to this day Mike and Angelo is still Children's ITV's longest-running and most successful sitcom of all time - over 100 episodes made between 1989 and 2000, huge viewing figures, and it even survived the unfortunate messy demise of Thames Television - but I sense that the show finds itself in an unusual position in the history of kids' TV these days. Let me put it this way: ask people of the right age whether or not they enjoyed Mike and Angelo, and the vast majority will say yes. Practically everyone did, and even if they didn't, no-one really hated it. But if you ask the same group of people first to name their favourite kids' show of the era, for some reason you'd be waiting a long time before most would think to mention it. Or am I making that up? It was also notable by its complete absence from the CITV 20th Birthday Bash (also posted on this YouTube channel), though this wrong was righted over the 30th anniversary Old Skool Weekend. I'm not saying that the show has been forgotten - far from it - but it's more like it was part of the furniture that has become under-appreciated with time. Agree or disagree? (Anyone still reading?) Either way, hopefully by bringing a few Mike and Angelos back to the masses we can remind ourselves why we liked it in the first place and start to enjoy them all over again. Many thanks indeed to Lee for providing this recording. I'd also like to take this opportunity to give a big shout out to the website http://gladyouremember.webs.com for being an invaluable resource when it comes to filling in the details regarding the likes of Mike and Angelo and Spatz. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E7 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
The Fugitive. Angelo comes home with a holdall that he found in the street, while Mike's watching a newsflash about a local bank robbery. Is there a possibility that the two events are interconnected? Once Katy returns, she's determined to do the right thing, but then matters begin to get complicated. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 15th February, 1996. There's a good lesson about honesty in this one, plus a tense atmosphere once they find themselves hostages in their own house, but it's all set against a backdrop of the usual madcap antics of the show. I like how both the robber and the CID officer are extremely intimidating in a very kids'-TV sort of way, with it all down to demeanour and not a single weapon on view. (Although, come to think of it, I'm not sure it's properly explained how the police tracked down the accidental accomplice - I suppose the CCTV footage must be what did it, but that was quick work). I also got a good laugh out of Katy and Mike's plan almost succeeding, only to be unwittingly foiled by Angelo himself, plus the further twist of how he'd dug himself even deeper into trouble by that point. I wonder whose idea it was to get Tim Whitnall to do his Groucho impression - it's completely irrelevant to the plot, but it's unnecessary details such as these that really add an extra layer to proceedings. There aren't enough Marx Brothers references in children's television these days. Sebastien Abinieri takes the role of Henry Hanks in this one - he's been in loads of things down the years, but round these parts we know him best for a couple of appearances in T-Bag. (Speaking of which, the classic "Get it?"/"Got it"/"Good" catchphrase gets taken out and dusted down at one point.) He plays the vain, hard-of-thinking, hoist-with-his-own-petard character very well, and Ron Donachie as Archie McDuff is likewise excellent. Ron's IMDB lists plenty of recent work, such as The Loch, River City, and even Game of Thrones, plus - fittingly - parts in Taggart, The Bill, Rebus, and Silent Witness. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S8E9 (1996) - FULL EPISODE
The Big Flap. Mike makes friends with Jodie, the girl who's just moved in next door, and Katy invites her to join them on their planned camping trip. Unfortunately, there's a strict and over-protective father on the scene ready to scupper all the fun. Can he be won round by charm, politeness, and/or blatant trickery? Meanwhile, Angelo's having trouble with his animatronic pterodactyl. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 29th February, 1996. Every so often in kids' television, the moral of the story is aimed at the parents watching, and in many ways that's the case here. That said, it does help to underline that the relationship between a parent and child is two-way, drawing attention to the needs and motives of each - and subtly stresses that neither is inherently evil, even if the other seems objectively wrong to both involved. Or perhaps I'm looking too deeply. What I do know is that it starts with some of the classic madcap action we've come to expect, there are plenty of good gags along the way, all combined with some state-of-the-art 90s video effects that I honestly can't get enough of. The Confucius lines and the bluff about having two dads take on entirely different significances these days, but no harm intended or done (I hope). I love Katy's phone calls, where we somehow instantly know exactly what's said without hearing anything, while the attitude of Jodie's father gets right to that childhood feeling of powerlessness and injustice that I've mentioned here before and I'd better not mention too often again if I don't wan't people to assume I have "issues"! By far my favourite thing about this episode, though, is the casual revelation that the whole street has this particular house down as a bunch of weirdos, to the point that they would send sympathy cards. There I was thinking they'd somehow managed to keep the madness a secret all these years... Unfortunately, at this point, everything is going to take a very depressing turn. The part of Mr Miller is played by William Chubb, who is still acting, but a quick Google brings up a series of sombre pieces about his late wife, the journalist Cassandra Jardine (e.g. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/telegraphchristmasappeal/12043702/Our-new-Christmas-ritual-is-visiting-thecemetery.html). Brace yourself, though, for the pretty devastating news that Vanessa Cavanagh, who plays Jodie, tragically died at the age of 18 in a car accident back in 2002. At the time of her passing, Vanessa was apparently on the brink of big things in the music industry, and earlier that year she'd made it through to the final 50 in the first series of Pop Idol. Very sad indeed. You can read more here: http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/232976.online_pill_service_launched/ I hope this episode can stand as some sort of tribute. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E1 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
Down in the Dumps. A leaky roof leads to Katy applying to the council for a grant to fix things up a bit, but matters soon escalate to the point of the entire house being condemned. Quite a way to open a brand new series! (In a strange way, it feels more like a finale in places.) How will they dig themselves out of this mess? This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 9th January, 1997. There are plenty of laughs to be had at small one-liners ("Genius with a capital J" got me), medium jokes (the opening invention), unintentional contemporary references (the accidental mannequin challenge two minutes in), and absolutely ginormous visual gags - and by that I mean (without spoiling too much) when things go *very* wrong. You know that it's going to be bad, but the reveal once the door opens doesn't disappoint in the slightest. What an absolute wreck! Top marks to the set designers for making it look so brilliantly catastrophic. To be honest, this is one of those episodes where it looks like they've written themselves into a bit of a hole, and you wonder how in the world they're going to work their way out again. I certainly had no idea how the story was going to resolve itself! But thanks to Angelo's resourcefulness, everything turns out just fine against all the odds. And that, in a nutshell, is one of many reasons why I could never be a television writer. The guest star in this one in Philip Pope. If you know him from anything, it's likely to be as the singer with the Elmer Fudd speech impediment that Del Boy signs up in Only Fools and Horses, resulting in him belting out Roy Orbison's "Cwying" on stage with Raquel. (Speaking of excellent comedy reveals, as we were.) Or maybe KYTV and its forerunner Radio Active, for which Philip also provided the songs. Oh yes, our Phil is a very talented musician whose credits include the theme tune to Whose Line Is It Anyway? and A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and musical director on The Fast Show (amongst others). None of that is doing him justice - look him up some time if you get the chance. Personally, I wish Graham Grimsdale had got his own spin-off series... Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E3 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
The Boomers. The gang get some new next-door neighbours: a nice fun-loving Australian couple with a penchant for barbecues and music. What could possibly go wrong? Katy for one is determined that the boys are understanding and give them every chance. To begin with. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 23rd January, 1997, and it's only fair to mention that in the unlikely event of the series ever being repeated, this episode certainly wouldn't be thanks to Tim Whitnall's (admittedly brilliant) impression of a certain Aussie artist. Plenty of silliness here to get you laughing, including the practical jokes, the strained polite reactions of the regulars in front of their new friends, the crazy schemes, and the kangaroo. Oh, and don't miss the 'thumb' visual gag within the first minute. This is another one that had me scratching my head as to how they were going to hit the big reset button that gets pushed at the close of every sitcom episode, but Angelo cooks up an unlikely plan, and we're treated to an ending that's rather bizarre yet nevertheless doesn't feel too out of place. Brilliant stuff, and you can never accuse the show of being too predictable. The guest stars playing the over-the-top dual stereotypes (Australians and neighbours from hell) in this one are Moya O'Shea and Brad Hall. Moya doesn't do a great deal of live-action acting these days, but instead has focused that side of her career on being a voice artist. More impressive than that, though, she's gone on to become a very successful screen and radio writer too. Brad, on the other hand... well, his IMDB doesn't list anything at all other than this episode of Mike and Angelo. Can anyone reading this shed any light at all on what became of Baz Boomer? Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E4 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
Skin Deep. Angelo discovers the world of video dating, and decides that this is the perfect way to improve the tragic state of Katy's love life. But can a "Scots thistle" ever pass for an "English rose"? Meanwhile, an enterprising Mike has set up a dog-walking service in order to supplement his pocket money. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 30th January, 1997. Without spoiling too much, amongst the standard fun and silliness, there's actually quite a deep message to this, which I hope didn't fly over the heads of the young viewers back then. I suppose what *may* fly over the heads of young people these days is the concept of pre-internet dating agencies, but there you go. I've obviously got Rik Mayall in my mind somehow, as all that viewing and making of the vids reminds me of a certain episode of Bottom, while Katy as Petronella is for some reason reminiscent of Alan B'Stard's wife. Well, her and Debbie McGee. I don't know what all that says about me and my subconscious. Anyway, I really like how they present the relatively controversial subject (by kids' TV standards) and give all conflicting opinions - Is it just a bit of fun? Is it the solution to love? Is it tacky and thus should be avoided at all costs? - before doing what they do without really passing any sort of judgement. There are some very funny moments, but none more than Katy having to bear increasingly worse opinions of herself through gritted teeth. Also, keep watching after the main plot is resolved, as something relatively minor happens which actually causes a fundamental shift in the entire show's story arc and character development. Guest starring as Jean-Pierre is James Vaughan, who has an extensive IMDB listing that includes the likes of Great Expectations, Dalziel and Pascoe, Spooks, The Grimleys, and Chucklevision. He's also done plenty of stage and radio work, and is excellent as the French "hunk-and-a-half" here. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E5 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
Antics Roadshow. A spate of burglaries have taken their toll on the area, and things really come to a head when neighbour Daphne Fawkes-Bentley has her unbelievably valuable Ming vase stolen. Ever willing and determined to fight injustice, Angelo resolves to be the detective who gets to the bottom of the mystery. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 6th February, 1997. I'm sure I've no need to tell you that Daphne is of course played by T-Bag herself, Elizabeth Estensen - and wonderfully engaging she is, too (especially in the early scene). Her tangle with the security device plays against her posh and proper character brilliantly, the anecdote about the vase is sold perfectly, and the "No, Barry Manilow" line is eye-rollingly funny. But I think it's fair to say that Angelo's stint and the private eye also adds weight to the episode, and I got a good chuckle out of his "Basildon" line, for some reason. Maybe it's just me, but I found it amazing just how tense everything feels when the vase eventually turns up. You just know with 100% certainty that it's going to be smashed (I don't think I'm spoiling anything when I tell you that), and all the near-misses and teases absolutely tied me in knots. The solution and eventual pay-off is wonderfully silly and very cleverly worked out, though. Stay tuned for a microscopic clip of Children's ITV continuity at the end. Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E6 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
Angelo and Cleopatra. Katy's landed a lead role as the Queen of ancient Egypt, so is determined to learn all she can about her - enter the ever-helpful Angelo with a source of primary research. Mike, meanwhile, has somehow stumbled into having a date arranged with Zoe, which of course carries with it all the angst and trepidation that any other teenager would experience. At least he can learn some lessons on how to treat members of the opposite sex from all that surrounds him... This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 13th February, 1997, and is amazingly good fun. As I'm re-watching all the Mike and Angelos, I'm gradually picking up on the general trends as the series wore on, and it's possibly around this point that they hit the perfect blend. My opinion on that keeps wavering, admittedly, as the early ones had a more defined story arc and the pathos that went with it, plus Rita was very good as the matriarch, but Angelo was less zany; here, in the Michael Benz/Tim Whitnall/Katy Murphy years, the balance has shifted and they commit 100% to the pure, unadulterated, almost cartoon-like silliness (which is absolutely not a criticism), but still manage to inject the right level of emotion through whatever it is the characters are going through - in this case, Mike and Zoe's relationship. In fact, they managed to pack a *lot* into only 20 minutes, and it's superbly tight. This is the sort of episode I'd show an adult sceptical of children's comedy. It doesn't have to be crude or controversial to be funny. But enough of my waffling: how about a quick quiz? Jennifer Calvert completes the Pressman-Cathro 'Big Three' by guesting in this episode of Mike and Angelo, having already appeared in Spatz and T-Bag. How many other actors and actresses can you think of who managed the same feat? Tricky, but then again, only the real fans read this far! Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E7 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
Jitterbugs. Mike's happily heading off to his swimming training, until Zoe turns up at the house - as arranged, but subsequently forgotten. Can he possibly be in two places at once, thanks to Angelo's latest invention? Meanwhile, Katy's parents arrive for a visit ahead of the final of their dance competition, and they find themselves having a bit of a domestic. Who's going to end up partnering whom in the final? This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 27th February, 1997 (which actually means a week was skipped, but I've no idea why). I've said it before, but I like the fact that the show grew up with the character, giving Mike the usual teenage 'complications' - if it's fair to call Zoe that - rather than pretending he was 10 years old or making him get excited about Playmobil or something equally ridiculous. Having him trying to keep a young lady sweet added so much, but it was never overplayed and just treated as part of a natural progression. Something else I like is that the zaniness never descends _so_ far into farce as to lose all relationship with reality. Take Mike's belt in this one, for instance: I can think of lesser shows that would have run that gag into the ground and kept the deception up way beyond what's funny, and then have a massive argument at the end as the lazy pay-off. Instead, though, (without spoiling anything) the daft idea turns out to be its own punishment, and Mike learns his lesson accordingly - much cleaner, and nobody loses the audience's sympathy. Katy's parents are played by June Watson (whose impressively long IMDB entry lists the likes of Z Cars and Angels, plus Dickens and Sherlock Holmes, and I gather she's still working) and James Ellis (sadly no longer with us, but also in Z Cars - 627 episodes as Bert Lynch, in fact - plus regular appearances in Nightingales and In Sickness and in Health, amongst so many other things). While we're busy singing the praises of all and sundry, these two are both excellent: June as the angry mum (and boy do the creators of the show do a good line in angry women!) is excellent, but James as the melancholy dad who just accepts his lot in life and carries on despite obviously being very upset really steals the show in an understated way, if that's not a contradiction. I'm pleased that it was all done in a non-patronising, non-signposted way, rather than stating aloud everyone's emotions. Again, I can think of lesser shows that would have spelled everything out in great detail for the hard-of-thinking, rather than treating the young audience with the respect it deserves. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S9E10 (1997) - FULL EPISODE
A Turn Up for the Books. A mysterious scary bloke from another galaxy gatecrashes through the wardrobe, stating in no uncertain terms that he "has business with Angelo" - which is all Mike needs, as he's just about to head off to his debate contest. Who exactly is this Darth Vader wannabe, and how deep is the trouble in which Angelo finds himself? This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 20th March, 1997. This one is an absolute cracker, and that's thanks in no small part to the two guest actors. The more I see of Matt Zimmerman, the more I wonder why he isn't more of a household name - he notched up a number of appearances in Mike and Angelo, Spatz, and a fair few T-Bags, and was always terrific value. He was the original voice of Alan Tracy in Thunderbirds, too. Gareth Marks, meanwhile, is another of those guest actors who you can immediately tell absolutely 'gets it'. He's a familiar face and has lots of small parts to his credit (you may recognise him from the honeymoon hotel front desk in Bottom), but by far his most notorious role is also his least famous: that of Adolf's downtrodden long-suffering Jewish neighbour in the cancelled-after-one-episode sitcom, Heil Honey I'm Home. I still live in hope of getting hold of recordings of the unaired editions of that one, but that would be like finding the Holy Grail within the Fountain of Youth. In Atlantis. (Seriously, though, collectors everywhere are looking for those, and I know there are copies out there - if you can help, please feel free to get in touch.) Anyway, children's comedy for me is all about being silly and fun, without being simplistic or patronising - and this fits the bill perfectly. The situation progressively keeps hitting new levels of ridiculousness, and the guest stars playing their characters in an almost pantomime style only improves matters further. On top of that, there's a level of sophistication (e.g. the legal case) that means it's not just a farcical romp, but a properly thought-through storyline. What better way to round off series nine of Mike and Angelo? Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E1 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Oh Give Me a Gnome. Zoe's on her way round to visit, but Angelo still thinks now is a good time to test out his new patent-pending plutonium-powered matter transporter on Mike. Needless to say, the molecules soon get in a bit of a muddle, and suddenly the question of what clothes to wear to impress ceases to be the main priority. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 8th January, 1998. It's easy to see why this was chosen as the opener for the new series: just the three main characters plus recurring girlfriend, a zany Angelo invention which goes wrong, and a straightforward premise which quickly gets out of hand. Textbook stuff. But that's not to say that this is simply Mike and Angelo by numbers - on the contrary, it gets us right into the swing of things with a minimum of fuss, and the way the farce builds and then continues to grow beyond what's expected is extremely funny. Throw in the emotion and the woman-to-girl talk about the male "silly cell", and we've got one of my favourites from the later years of the show. It's fairly obvious that there seems to be an element of The Fly influencing things, and I'm also pretty sure that the brief "Eureka-ka-ka-ka" exclamation is a Shooting Stars reference. Amongst the daftness, we're exposed to the sort of teenage anxieties most of us have done our best to forget, and there's probably a vague moral somewhere about not worrying unduly about your looks or feeling insecure and paranoid in a relationship. Full marks to the make-up and costume departments, and increasingly so as the episode wears on, and also to the props people for that surprise gnome near the end. (I wonder where that ended up!) This is also the point where new credit sequences were introduced. All round excellent stuff. Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E2 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Room with a View. Angelo's latest invention helpfully 'recycles' Katy's £20 notes into a toilet roll, so he and Mike turn the house into a holiday hotel in order to replace the cash before they're discovered. They only need one client, and a hapless businessman fits the bill perfectly - until Katy returns home unexpectedly. Will they get away with it? This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 15th January, 1998. I've spotted a few little nods to Fawlty Towers dotted around many of these writers' shows, but this particular episode crosses brilliantly into full-on tribute territory as they pay homage to John Cleese and Connie Booth's all-time classic. Seriously, if you're a fan of the show, you'll pick out loads of little references in this one - some obvious, some relatively obscure, but all natural and never shoe-horned in. I think special praise is due for Tim Whitnall, who is excellent as the Basil-esque manager, and somehow manages to inhabit both that character and Angelo simultaneously. A real tour de force. The hapless punter who just wants a good night's sleep is played by Colin Farrell - not that one - who has credits in Oh! What a Lovely War, Dramarama, Henry's Leg, The Bill, Heartbeat, EastEnders, Last of the Summer Wine, A Touch of Frost, and even I'm Alan Partridge (a worker at Pear Tree Productions) to his name, among so many other things. I have to admit I was caught completely off-guard with the police inspector section, which he acted out very well indeed. Made me laugh, anyway. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E3 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Out of the Wardrobe. Angelo's been getting increasingly frustrated by the way aliens are always portrayed so negatively in films, so decides the best course of action is to come out publicly as an extra-terrestrial to the local newspaper. Mike and Katy fear for his safety - will the reporter be happy enough to tell the truth, or will he just make trouble for the inhabitants of Larkswood Lane? This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 22nd January, 1998. The guest role of journalist Brad Schnauzer is played brilliantly by Christopher Ryan, who manages to muster up just the right amount of scumminess throughout, without completely giving away whether he's ultimately going to prove to be a goodie or a baddie. I've always been intrigued that Mr Ryan somehow went from playing the cool university student on The Young Ones to a sad, middle-aged down-and-out in Bottom within about six years. As for the subject matter of the episode, although it's ostensibly about aliens, I think it's obvious that there's something a little more allegorical going on. It's possible that this was in relation to something specific and topical at the time, but I'm not going to play that guessing game, and will rather just say that it's handled very well and is maybe even more pertinent today. A deep message, but plenty of laughs accompanying throughout - the perfect way to do it! Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E4 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Upstairs, Downstairs. Katy's fed up with the temporal blips she's experiencing, so tries to get Angelo to switch off his time machine once and for all. Unfortunately, the shutdown doesn't quite go according to plan, and they and Mike suddenly find themselves hurled back a hundred years to 1898, when the house was owned by a certain Albert Squeers and his chimney sweep nephew Charlie. How will the gang return to the present day? This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 29th January, 1998, and in all honesty, it's a strange one. It starts out in normal enough fashion (with some extra crazy editing for comic effect), but once the time travelling has taken place, the tone changes quite a bit. Suddenly there's a vulnerability there, and more at stake than if a neighbour catches Angelo doing something weird. The tension is created by needing to be in a certain place at a certain time, and then ratcheted up a notch by failure meaning the end of the universe. But the real plot doesn't really start until about halfway through, when we find out about Albert's nasty side and his dreadful treatment of Charlie. Needless to say, the themes from A Christmas Carol fit the Victorian England setting perfectly, even if Dickens would never have resorted to such a method of resolution! (You'll see what I mean.) The character stuff is very funny in places, and I have to admit that at the beginning I had no idea what was going on with the blips. I enjoyed Katy frantically blagging it to get to stay in the house, and there are some good subtle reactions from Mike, too. The cynic in me sees the contradiction of Angelo being desperate not to create a paradox versus deliberately changing the fundamental relationship between two people living in that very house, but I doubt CITV got any letters of complaint about that. All in all, not quite as much emphasis on the comedy side and big gags as usual, but a fascinating and enjoyable episode. Young Charlie is played by Eric Graves in this one - and I can't find out much about him besides a handful of one-off appearances from him on the likes of Casualty, Holby City, and Murder in Mind between 1997 and 2003. I hope he's doing all right for himself, because he's very good in this. John Grillo, meanwhile, has a long list of TV, film, and stage credits to his name, including some proper Dickens and Shakespeare, plus recurring parts in Brideshead Revisited, Crown Court, Three Up Two Down, and many others. He also guested in both Spatz and B&B, plus had an earlier foray into the world of Mike and Angelo in series five as Herr Klugman. Other children's television includes Chocky, Watt on Earth, and Danny the Champion of the World, and you may recognise him as the doctor who prescribes Blackadder a course of leeches. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E5 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Double Whammy. Neighbour Daphne Fawkes-Bentley is due to go to the Badminton Club's annual dinner and dance with her nephew, when disaster strikes. Can anyone take Freddy's place without her noticing? He *does* bear a striking resemblance to Angelo... This episode, which was originally broadcast on Thursday, 5th February, 1998, sees Tim Whitnall in dual roles and hamming it up brilliantly as a posh slimeball short on cash and charm. The difficulties of the stories arise as a direct result of Mike jumping to conclusions over a series of valuables going missing, while Daphne's opinions of Angelo are ultimately demonstrated to be nothing but pure prejudice - all good subtle lessons for the young viewers. It's also another example of why I could never be a writer: what seems like the main plot is pretty much set aside halfway through, and a new, bigger issue emerges. Great fun, though. I got quite a laugh out of the opening scene - Elizabeth Estensen being irrationally angry is never not funny - and the spoof TV show names discussed later are wonderfully cynical (e.g. "Brucie's Pro-Celebrity Sumo Blind Date Bonanza"). On a technical note, there's a fair bit of rare handheld camera work around the burglar trap scene, but unless I wasn't watching closely enough, I think the shots requiring two lots of Mr Whitnall were achieved mostly using stand-ins and clever angles, rather than special effects. Please let me know in the comments if I missed something there. Stay tuned at the end for a tiny bit of CITV continuity. Many thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E6 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Space Invaders. Angelo needs to clear out some of his crazy inventions, so decides to hold a sort of intergalactic car boot sale. Unfortunately, the advertising signal is received by a poor-tempered blob named Warnek, and Katy catches a bad case of Personality Relocation Syndrome from him. Can the boys rescue her, and can they convince their customer not to destroy the planet? This episode was first broadcast on Thursday, 12th February, 1998. One thing when it comes to aliens is that it's very hard for us to comprehend life in non-human terms. For that reason, most sci-fi tends to depict beings from another planet with two arms and two legs, walking upright and breathing oxygen. But not here. Oh, no. Apart from Angelo, that is. But that's beside the point - what I'm getting at is that our visitor in this one doesn't have a usable body, doesn't have a concept of the sense of smell, can't understand humour or laughter... I'm not saying it's massively groundbreaking or anything, just a bit of a head-spinner for 4.20pm on a Thursday. Or possibly partly done for budgetary reasons - take your pick. Back to the issue at hand, and I really enjoyed this one. It's a slightly slower episode than usual with no guest stars and only a single plot point (even if it's one major enough to mean the end of the world), making it feel almost like a play. Michael Benz proves his knack for nuance with some great expressions as he tries to explain his Rice Krispies joke and finds himself talking to a singing toe. Katy Murphy essentially has two roles, sometimes simultaneously, but is as believable as could be hoped. And Tim Whitnall? We take him for granted because he *always* delivers, but he really does keep the story moving very well. Something to ponder: how to you think that spaceship visual effect was done? I'm pretty sure I know, but I'd be interested to hear other theories. Clue: it's not state-of-the-art CGI. Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E7 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Stars in His Eyes. Angelo's curry-powered rocket crash lands on its maiden test flight, inconveniently causing more than a little damage to that which stood below - so he and Mike find themselves well and truly grounded. How to pay for the damage and make amends? Obviously, Angelo disguises himself as singing cowboy Hank Sinatra and goes on a TV talent show to try to win the cash prize, of course. This episode, first broadcast on Thursday, 19th February, 1998, features the irrepressible Christopher Biggins in the role of the tacky television presenter Chubby Cheese. I don't think there's any children's programme in the world that can't be improved by the presence of Biggins. But all round this is a great zany edition that definitely had me laughing, and I urge you to listen carefully to the lyrics of Angelo's song - there are some very funny lines in there. The character of Hank Sinatra would return in the last ever episode of the show a couple of years later, while this particular Mike only made it to the end of this series before leaving and being replaced. Incidentally, I'm racking my brains to try to think of just which TV talent shows were big back in 1998 and therefore ripe for parody (besides Stars in Their Eyes, after which the episode is named, of course.). This is after the heyday of New Faces and Opportunity Knocks, but well before X Factor and Britain's Got Talent started dominating Saturday evenings. Anyone? Grateful thanks to Lee for providing this recording. (This is a transfer from an old videotape, so please don't expect full HD quality. To the best of my knowledge, this material is not available commercially anywhere in the world, and has been uploaded for its historic interest. That said, if you are a copyright holder and object, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
Mike and Angelo S10E8 (1998) - FULL EPISODE
Ike and Angelo. Zoe shows up at the house in a bad mood, and as Angelo's attempts to cover for his mate spiral out of control, Mike soon finds himself all dressed up and pretending to be his own fictitious cousin. Meanwhile, Angelo has landed a job as a singing telegram, which ultimately turns out to be bad news for Katy. This episode was originally broadcast on Thursday, 26th February, 1998. It's not a criticism in the slightest when I say that this one quickly descends into farce, before getting even sillier. It's a nice touch for Mike to have for some reason an unconvincing accent when being his cousin, and Katy's sheer obliviousness to the issues at hand only make it all the more funny. Same goes for the costumes. Nevertheless, there's also some emotion involved, as the insecurities of teenage relationships rear their ugly head, and I think it's all handled very well. Candace Hallinan is as excellent as always as Zoe, with her knowing looks and girl-power attitude (this is 1998, remember). Unfortunately, though, this is the last we would see of her on the show, mostly because her boyfriend Mike only had another couple of episodes to go himself. I can't remember if I've mentioned Candace before, but she was previously Becky in the Nickelodeon series Ghostwriter and Sarah in The Demon Headmaster. Besides a handful of one-off appearances in the likes of The Worst Witch, Holby City, and The Bill, her IMDB entry is sadly relatively bare, and I gather she's no longer working in show business (though I'll be glad to be corrected on that). If you're out there, Candace, I hope you're doing well and looking back on these Mike and Angelos with fondness! Many thanks to Grant for providing this recording. (To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)