Chalk - Series 1 Episode 1 - Suzy Arrives - Part 1 of 2

BBC Comedy series from 1997 set in the dysfunctional Galfast High School.
(C) BBC 1996

[@squarky11]

I had never seen or heard of this series until I stumbled across it on u-tube. I love it, and I was a high school teacher for nearly 30 years. Actually the fact that I was a teacher probably made this even more appealing to my sense of humour. Personally I think that this series has stood the test of time and I will be watching it more than once.

[@tatumleonidas1444]

instablaster...

[@Greenwillow]

I used to love this, its still quite enjoyable. Would love to have on DVD. Nicola Walker who plays Suzy was excellent in the recent series River. And David Bamber will always be Mr Collins to me.

[@walrusw]

Without a doubt one of the best sitcoms I've watched in a very very long time,

[@frozenflamesgames1701]

I love the fact the whole exterior of the school is acland burghley

[@ForestKicks]

I really fancied Miss Travis back in the day

[@jillgott6567]

Nicola Walker great actress. And, her mother in this show is Aunt Penny on As Time Goes By. Also a terrific actress.

[@st5800]

No she’s not.

[@jillgott6567]

@@st5800 perhaps you are unfamiliar with the rest of her work LAST TANGO TO HALIFAX is only one of the many programs she has worked on

[@st5800]

I misunderstood your comment, I thought you meant that lady was her mother in real life. I completely agree with you that she’s a terrific actress - NW is amazing.

[@jillgott6567]

@@st5800 I worded the original comment awkwardly but have now corrected it. I love Last Tango in Jalifax such a terrific show

[@st5800]

Last Tango is my favourite. Gillian was a fantastic character and Nicola made her so very real.

[@superfurryfox1]

Thank you so much for uploading these episodes, I remember this program and looked for it recalling it being very funny. Sadly my rose tinted glasses were on...

[@Potionette81]

OMG I so remember this!

[@KaydeyRai]

This looks older than 1997

[@probro9898]

I totally loved this show. It's a shame the stupid critics - and the "how dare you say teachers aren't perfect" teachers' unions - rubbished it so much.

[@johnsherwin9962]

Many people have commented here on how 'Chalk' doesn't stand up to memory, that it doesn't seem to be half as funny as when they first watched it. I do have to agree, in that I too recall it as much, much funnier than the mixed bag on offer here. It isn't dire, that's all I can say; as sitcoms go, it's very watchable.

[@miciastarky4290]

I have the first series and now trying to get series two

[@grahambarker2186]

wow....a ford orion....are any still on the road....

[@mrcockney-nutjob3832]

Yeah really don't see them anymore.

[@sonofatwitch82]

Ford Orion next to An Austin Landcrab

[@kevindinham3175]

chalk was brilliant but wasn't advertised and wasn't on at a good time I want the dvd

[@nickysmalley2353]

@666Mentalist would you be able to provide me Series 1 and the documentary uncut into parts per chance?

[@danielwoodhouse8720]

11:47 What the fuck is music AND GUIDENCE? I did the music a school, don't remember the guidance bit?

[@41divad]

whooda guessed DI Stewart was once a teacher and her first unsolved death!

[@Scripture-Man]

I love Steven Moffat (love Coupling) but never even heard of this programme until today. I've just watched the first episode and thought it was brilliantly funny on the whole. Though sometimes the characters seem too extreme and completely lacking in any sense of reality, for example, Mr Slatt's blatant callousness. It would have been funnier if he were more subtle and nuanced. But I do love this show. Also seems a shame the kids just seem to be extras rather than proper "characters".

[@obijimkenobi2433]

Remember having a thing for nicola Walker as a teen watching this.. Not the best thing she's been in though

[@46metube]

People are laughing? Who are they? And where are they now?

[@jeffstone2136]

Hurriedly ret-conned into an underrated masterpiece the moment Moffat became show-runner of Dr Who...after all, God cannot make mistakes...Chalk is in truth, watched without reverence goggles, pound for pound about as genuinely amusing as the Battle of Stalingrad. Even most of the show's defenders here will only go as far as to say it's not as bad as they thought it was. This is quite true, insofar as *nothing* could be that bad.

[@Scripture-Man]

Your comment is too intelligently-written for me to understand.

[@davimurph]

@superfurryfox1 I read a blog recently where an industry insider quoted a comedy producer who said that this program had the funniest script he had ever read, and the studio audience loved it, but something just didn't work on TV.

[@MedievalFolkDance]

Ahhh. This explains a lot. Stephan Moffat always recycled old ideas while passing them off as original writing. Coolbeans.

[@TheAdrianpritcha72]

Chalk was nowhere near as bad as I remember! Despite the occasional blatant Fawlty Tower rip offs!

[@jfq7223]

True. That guy is basically doing Basil.

[@mrcockney-nutjob3832]

A cross between Rik Mayall and Jonh Cleese.

[@jamesshore2987]

why were the walls so pale and the colours seem a little washed out, was it the technology in the 90s?

[@Poisonator]

LMAO the inside of the building doesn’t match the outside

[@Bertiesghost]

Doesn’t seem as bad as Hardwicke House the earlier ITV counterpart.

[@passiveaggressive6175]

Maybe Steven Moffat (dr Who, Sherlock) and Nicola Walker and work again together 😅

[@MrJchristopher7]

damn! she was so hot.

[@coleen5266]

she still is!

[@gibletto]

Huge crush on Nicola Walker when this aired. It's complete garbage, sorry 14 year old self...

[@baiba.sisene]

well... it's english series and even if they have great sense of humor their film making can be quite pedestrian. americans make more polished versions but on the way of doing so tend to loose the human aspect.. we can't have it all sometimes..

[@paulbradley4933]

who edited out the funny ? maybe i was drinking too much red cordial and thought this boring,inane drivel was funny.

[@Izziar13]

To be fair, I think the script is quite good... There's just something about the way it's played though that doesn't work.

[@MrUndersolo]

Izziar13 It's the pacing.

[@dlk1dlk1]

Is it not actually a rip-off of other sitcoms?

[@terencebarrett2897]

Cmon this is absolutely crap, abysmal rubbish, can you imagine this being a school,and these are teachers, no way,and if so ,i pity the pupils ,poor children

[@MrMichaelBeadle]

Imagine that, a sitcom not being realistic As a teacher, I can tell you that a “realistic” school sitcom would probably not be very entertaining

[@terencebarrett2897]

@@MrMichaelBeadle Michael I can hardly believe I commented these words i can't recall watching this program,,,see a while ago I had strokes,and I have brain diseases, etc dunno if I even watched,this program, but I must of " ha ha I'm bewildered, I'll have to watch it again tomorrow, take care Michael you and your family

[@andrewbeattie6520]

So much stereotyping and bad acting. I gave it 10 minutes, CRAP

[@ItsRainingDonuts]

this isn't as bad as it's often made out to be! bloody awful theme tune though

[@JamesAHirons_]

Moffats comedy is as dire as his Doctor Who era