Screen Two


Screen Two was a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC2 from 1985 to 1998.
Following the demise of the BBC's Play for Today, which ran from 1970 to 1984, producer Kenith Trodd was asked to formulate a new series of one-off television dramas. However, while Play For Todays style had been a largely studio-based form of theatre on television, the new series was shot entirely on film. This was an attempt by the BBC to repeat the success of Channel 4's television films, many of which had been released in cinemas.
From 1989 to 1998 a companion series, Screen One, was broadcast on the more mainstream BBC1. After appearing more sporadically in the mid-1990s, Screen Two came to an end as the BBC moved its attentions away from expensive single dramas and concentrated production on series and serials instead. The last programme shown under the Screen Two name was Stephen Poliakoff's The Tribe in June 1998.

Series One

TX DateTitleDirectorWriterMain cast
6 January 1985ContactAlan ClarkeA F N ClarkeSean Chapman, John Blundell
13 January 1985PoppylandJohn MaddenWilliam HumbleIsla Blair, Jonathan Hyde, John Shrapnel, Richard Wilson, Norman Jones, Martin Wyldeck, David Redgrave
20 January 1985Unfair ExchangesGavin MillarKen CampbellJulie Walters, David Rappaport, Ken Campbell, Janet Henfrey, John Abineri, Christopher Ellison, Wolf Kahler, Malcolm Terris, Dave Lee Travis, Arnold Diamond, Henry Stamper, Charles Pemberton
27 January 1985Knockback: Part OnePiers HaggardShirley Cooklin, Brian Phelan, Peter AdamsLeslie Grantham, Pauline Collins, Laurence Harrington, Eric Mason, Paddy Joyce, Stanley McGeagh, Roy Pattison, Hilary Sesta, David Webb
3 February 1985Knockback: Part TwoPiers HaggardShirley Cooklin, Brian Phelan, Peter AdamsLeslie Grantham, Pauline Collins
10 February 1985LentPeter Barber-FlemingMichael WilcoxGraham McGrath, Harry Andrews, Fabia Drake, David Langton, Constance Chapman
17 February 1985The Unknown SoldierMike VardyRaymond HitchcockNicholas Clay, David Neal, James Gaddas
24 February 1985The Burston RebellionNorman StoneElaine MorganEileen Atkins, Bernard Hill, John Shrapnel, Geoffrey Chater, John Abineri, Frank Mills, Peter Benson, Jon Laurimore, Norman Jones, Peter Tuddenham, John Gleeson, Alan Mason
3 March 1985Space Station: Milton KeynesColin Rogers & Leslie StewartLeslie StewartPatricia Garwood, Gian Sammarco, Nigel Lambert
10 March 1985In The Secret StateChristopher MorahanBrian PhelanFrank Finlay, Thorley Walters, Michael Byrne, Ronald Fraser, Ken Campbell, Natasha Richardson, Hilary Minster, Malcolm Terris, Geoffrey Chater, Tony Selby, Roger Brierley, Gorden Kaye, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Ivor Salter, Stephen Churchett, Pip Donaghy, Emma Relph

Series Two

TX DateTitleDirectorWriterMain cast
12 January 1986The McGuffinColin BuckseyJohn BowenCharles Dance, Mark Rylance, Ann Todd, Anna Massey, Chris Langham, Francis Matthews, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Brian Glover, Jerry Stiller, Stephen Lewis
19 January 1986The Silent TwinsJon AmielMarjorie WallaceTony Robinson, John Savident, Clyde Pollitt
26 January 1986Time After TimeBill HaysAndrew DaviesJohn Gielgud, Googie Withers, Helen Cherry, Brenda Bruce, Freddie Jones, Fiona Walker, George Baker
2 February 1986Frankie & JohnnieMartin CampbellPaula MilneHywel Bennett, Diana Hardcastle, Amanda Donohoe, Shelagh Fraser, Norman Jones
9 February 1986Honest, Decent and TrueLes BlairLes BlairDerrick O'Connor, Adrian Edmondson, Gary Oldman, Richard E. Grant, Arabella Weir, Owen Brenman
16 February 1986Song of ExperienceStephen FrearsMartin AllenRachel Bell, Nigel Terry
23 February 1986The Insurance ManRichard EyreAlan BennettTrevor Peacock, Alan MacNaughtan, Teddy Turner, Vivian Pickles, Tony Haygarth, Jim Broadbent, Daniel Day-Lewis, Richenda Carey, Geoffrey Palmer, Roger Hammond, Benjamin Whitrow, Oona Kirsch, Richard Kane
2 March 1986Hotel du LacGiles FosterChristopher HamptonAnna Massey, Denholm Elliott, Googie Withers, Julia McKenzie, Patricia Hodge, Irene Handl, Barry Foster, Geoffrey Chater, Jeffry Wickham, Patsy Byrne, Colette Gleeson
9 March 1986The Russian SoldierGavin MillarBrian PhelanWarren Clarke, Alan MacNaughtan, Patrick Malahide, Jerome Flynn, June Page, Iain Rattray, Eileen Helsby, Charles Pemberton
16 March 1986Blood HuntPeter Barber-FlemingNeil M. Gunn Iain Glen, Andrew Keir, Nigel Stock, Michael Carter, Arabella Weir, Jon Croft
23 March 1986Shergar Nigel FinchBill MorrisonStephen Rea, Gary Waldhorn, Ian McElhinney, Dermot Crowley, Peter Caffrey
30 March 1986Hard Travelling Colin GreggHugh StoddartSuzanne Burden, Tom Bell, Jack Shepherd, Michael Gough, Perry Benson, Denis Carey, Colette O'Neil, Gordon Salkilld, Sarah Berger
6 April 1986Double Image Mick JacksonStephen DavisTommy Lee Jones, David Healy

Series Three

TX DateTitleDirectorWriterMain cast
4 January 1987Coast to Coast Sandy JohnsonStan HeyLenny Henry, John Shea, Peter Vaughan, George Baker, Pete Postlethwaite, Cherie Lunghi, Al Matthews, Edward Peel, Neville Smith, Tony Haygarth
11 January 1987Blunt John GlenisterRobin ChapmanAnthony Hopkins, Ian Richardson, Michael Williams, Geoffrey Chater, Albert Welling, Michael McStay
18 January 1987Will You Love Me TomorrowAdrian ShergoldAdrian Shergold, David SnodinJoanne Whalley, Tilly Vosburgh, Phil Daniels, Iain Glen, Beverley Sowden, Richard Ireson
25 January 1987After PilkingtonChristopher MorahanSimon GrayBob Peck, Miranda Richardson, Gary Waldhorn, Barry Foster, Derek Ware, John Gill
1 February 1987East of IpswichTristram PowellMichael PalinEdward Rawle-Hicks, John Nettleton, Pat Heywood, Graham Crowden, Janine Duvitski, Timothy Bateson, Roger Brierley, Tip Tipping, Wayne Michaels, Oona Kirsch
8 February 1987Naming the NamesStuart BurgeAnne DevlinSylvestra Le Touzel, Michael Maloney, Mick Ford, James Ellis, Eileen Way
15 February 1987Northanger AbbeyGiles FosterMaggie WadeyKatharine Schlesinger, Peter Firth, Robert Hardy, Googie Withers, Geoffrey Chater, Elvi Hale, Helen Fraser, Elaine Ives-Cameron
22 February 1987VisitorsPiers HaggardDennis PotterJohn Standing, Michael Brandon, Nicola Pagett, Glynis Barber
1 March 1987Heaven on EarthAllan KroekerMargaret Atwood, Peter PearsonTorquil Campbell, Sarah Polley, Fiona Reid
8 March 1987Inappropriate Behaviour Paul SeedAndrew DaviesCharlotte Coleman, Anne Reid
15 March 1987Going HomeTerence RyanChristopher GreenNicholas Campbell, Milan Cheylov, Albert Schultz, Clyde Pollitt
29 March 1987Quartermaine's TermsBill HaysSimon GrayEleanor Bron, Edward Fox, Clive Francis, John Gielgud, Peter Jeffrey, Tessa Peake-Jones
5 April 1987On the PalmMichael WhyteDave SheasbyPhillip Jackson, Cathy Tyson, James Hazeldine, Peter Martin, Liz Smith
17 April 1987Hedgehog WeddingTim KingElizabeth SpenderSheila Allen, Lynsey Baxter, Frederick Treves, Aimée Delamain, David Blake Kelly
19 April 1987The Children of DynmouthPeter HammondWilliam TrevorSimon Fox, John Bird, Avril Elgar, Peter Jones, Gary Raymond

Series Four

TX DateTitleDirectorWriterMain cast
10 January 1988The VisionNorman StoneWilliam NicholsonEileen Atkins, Dirk Bogarde, Helena Bonham Carter, Lynda Bellingham, Alan Curtis, Bruce Boa, Bruce Montague, Lee Remick, Paul Maxwell
17 January 1988Dead LuckyBarbara RennieRuth Rendell, Barbara RenniePhil Davis, Nicholas Farrell, William Gaminara, Donald Douglas
24 January 1988Sweet as You AreAngela PopeWilliam NicholsonLiam Neeson, Miranda Richardson, Philip Bird, Philip McGough
31 January 1988Stanley SpencerAnna Benson GylesElaine MorganLesley Dunlop, David Horovitch, Juliet Stevenson, Anton Lesser, Sarah Berger
7 February 1988BorderMisha WilliamsTim Rose PriceEdita Brychta, Daniel Hill, Norman Jones, Catherine Schell, Lynn Farleigh, Roy Evans, Hana Maria Pravda, Paul Humpoletz, Gordon Faith, Richard Ireson, Roy Pattison
14 February 1988Follow the Yellow Brick RoadNick HornbyDennis PotterAndrée Bernard
6 March 1988Love BirdsStephen WhittakerBarry CollinsStephen Bent, Linda Henry, Shaheen Khan, Paul Bhattacharjee, Lloyd McGuire, Tracey Wilkinson
13 March 1988Shadow on the EarthChris BernardDavid KaneBilly Hartman
27 March 1988Reasonable ForceJim GoddardPatrick MalahideJohn Hannah, Warren Clarke, Adrian Dunbar, Michael Melia
3 April 1988The Temptation of Eileen HughesTristram PowellBrian MooreAngharad Rees, Birdy Sweeney
17 April 1988Lucky SunilMichael Caton-JonesAndrew DaviesKulvinder Ghir, Michelle Collins, Hugh Cornwell, Niamh Cusack, Richenda Carey, Albert Moses, Benjamin Whitrow, Ahmed Khalil, Tariq Yunus
24 April 1988Run for the LifeboatDouglas LivingstoneDouglas LivingstoneStacey Tendeter, Jeff Rawle, Tenniel Evans, David Garfield, Sion Tudor Owen, Stephen Thorne

Series Five

TX DateTitleDirectorWriterMain cast
8 January 1989Death of a SonRoss DevenishTony MarchantLynn Redgrave, Jay Simpson, Oliver Ford Davies, Frederick Treves, Jerome Willis, Richard Moore, Derek Ware, Roy Evans, Glyn Pritchard
15 January 1989Angel VoicesMichael DarlowStephen WakelamMichael Williams, Alan Rothwell, Lee Woods
22 January 1989Flying in the BranchesEva KolouchovaAnna FodorovaRalph Bates, Edita Brychta, Susan Fleetwood, Ian McNeice, Donald Gee
29 January 1989Words of LoveColin NutleyPhilip NormanCharlie Creed-Miles, Tom Bell, Liz Smith
5 February 1989LeavingSandy JohnsonDaniel BoyleMaggie Bell, Paul Young, Hugh Martin
12 February 1989VirtuosoTony SmithWilliam HumbleAlfred Molina, Alison Steadman, Philip Locke, Mark Wing-Davey, Bruce Boa
19 February 1989The PicnicPaul SeedLesley BruceBillie Whitelaw, Iain Glen, Brenda Fricker, Ross Kemp, Phil Smeeton
26 February 1989The FirmAlan ClarkeAl Hunter AshtonGary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Philip Davis, Steve McFadden, Roderick Smith, Mark Monero, Phillip Joseph
5 March 1989Here is the NewsUdayan PrasadG. F. NewmanRichard E. Grant, Jim Carter, Heathcote Williams, Michael Melia, Simon Rouse, Max Harvey, Christopher Burgess, Alan MacNaughtan
12 March 1989Ice DanceAlan DossorStephen LoweWarren Clarke
19 March 1989Sitting Targets Jenny WilkesPeter RansleyGina Bellman, Jonathan Hyde, Phyllis Logan, John Bowe, Leslee Udwin
26 March 1989Defrosting the FridgeSandy JohnsonRay ConnollyJoe Don Baker, Phyllis Logan, Togo Igawa, Victor Maddern, Russell Floyd, William Ilkley, Michael Crane, David Redgrave