4. Grange Hill
On the BBC for 30 years, Grange Hill was, in its hey day, one of the most important programmes on TV thanks to the wit and wisdom from Paul Redmond's pen. The Drama was focused in Grange Hill - a London Comprehensive school. It follows the school kids as they progress through the years. From the start, Grange Hill had a gritty and realistic tone that was shocking to some people who all thought children were little angels. Its golden years were the mid to late 1980s and stories which made a huge impact include Zammo McGuire's descent into heroin addiction. The whole cast made a song called 'Just Say No' - an anti-drugs tune which tickled the fancy of Nancy (Reagan). Yet again another 'children's' programme that also engages the adult viewer, this is down to good writing and honesty on behalf of the team behind Grange Hill. It was the spawning ground of a heck of a lot of British talent and its golden era was definitely 1978-1989. They cancelled it in 2008, but I didn't really notice. Old Skool Grange Hill tackled shocking things like drug abuse, bullying, divorce, peer pressure etc. It was ahead of its time. But by the time the 1990s came around, kids were not as naive anymore and Grange Hill lost a lot of its grittiness and ability to shock. Old Skool Grange Hill is intensely compulsive and enjoyable if you get a chance to watch it.