LRTV
LRTV is a Look and Read production, originally broadcast on BBC Two in the summer of 1995. It was the first Look and Read production to be broadcast at that time of the year, and the first with fewer than 10 episodes. Changing from the usual style of a drama production supplemented by educational sequences, it was set in a fictional television station- according to the show's theme, but the logo and format suggested it was probably a three or four-hour show like "This Morning" or "GMTV"- staffed entirely by children. Each episode was a stand-alone story, apart from the last three episodes. It was produced by a company called Double Exposure.
Plot
Unlike all earlier productions, there was no particular plot, with all episodes being self-contained, although the last 3 episodes dealt with LRTV's upcoming anniversary. The station is run by Crystal Clear,known as CC, a former window cleaner, with Frank Earnest and Daisy Hayes as the main presenters. Other characters include Emily Penn and Joe Nas, the writers, Lloyd B Stickler, who hosts the daily quiz segment, and criminal Lester Binliner.
1. Welcome To LRTV
LRTV welcomes a new member of the team, Joe Nas (simply known as Nas) a junior writer. The anchors, Frank Earnest and Daisy Hayes, find themselves in trouble when problems with the autocue mean they have to ad-lib. The first appearance of starstruck criminal Lester Binliner sees him kidnapping Farmer Muckspreader, host of the show's agricultural segment "Garden Gate", and taking his place. Nas' first assignment, writing a weather report, starts off badly, but with the help of co-worker Emily Penn, and the LRTV writers' kit, he soon puts it right. We are also introduced to Lloyd B Stickler, who hosts the daily quiz show "Word Power", which replaced the educational songs usually found in Look and Read, and Cliff Hanger, star of the station's new detective serial. Although it was advertised as a serial, like the main show, each episode was a stand-alone story.
2. LRTV Gets Moving
CC coaches the producers, Alf and Harmony- with Vin and Vern the computer viruses playing along too- through a morning work-out. A news report on a rabbit escaping from the city farm turns out to be more trouble than it's worth. Lester Binliner infiltrates the station again, disguised as a male stripper. This episode introduces the station's graphics designer, Mona, as she draws pictures for Nas' story for the children's segment "Listen With Frank".
3. Kitchen Capers
Nas and Emily go undercover to find a recipe for the show's cookery segment, "Kitchen Capers". Punk collects some things for Lloyd B Stickler's noun game on Word Power, but finds himself on the run from PC Parrot, the main speaker on the bulletin segment "Crime Time". Lester Binliner disguises as the chef, Desmond Cheesegrater, the regular chef having phoned in sick- though Lester probably had something to do with it! Lester gets more than he bargained for when he finds himself making a very strange recipe. He is unmasked by co-host Frank.
4. A Soap Square Sizzler
CC sets the writing unit the task of creating a soap opera, "Soap Square". She then dashes off for a lunch appointment with Hector Spector, a "famous" TV director-whom the rest of the staff have never heard of. He turns out to be Lester Binliner in disguise. CC falls for it, and he comes back to the studio to cast and direct the new soap. After a lot of trouble with the script, he and Frank start a rehearsal but Frank, as usual, realises who he really is.
5. And Action!
Frank has a go at presenting a sport's programme, after reading a fake letter written by himself, saying he should on the opinion segment "Say What You Think". Lester Binliner disguises himself as Scottish story-teller, Uncle Rory, for "Listen With Frank", and stands in- Frank has got a lead role in "Soap Square", and has to go to rehearsals for the next episode. Lester is unable to tell the story when Vin and Vern mess about with the speech marks. He joins the rehearsal but is yet again unmasked by Frank.
6. LRTV gets it together
CC discovers that LRTV's 20th birthday is approaching, and preparations begin. Nas and Emily start researching the station's history, with surprising results. CC decides to invite back some of the station's earlier faces. Lester Binliner sees another opportunity to get on T.V., and disguises himself as Gary Golddust, an Elvis lookalike who once hosted the station's music segment. He almost makes it to the end of the show without being detected, but his wig falls off when he has jelly poured on him at the "sticky ending" of Word Power. Frank is standing in for Lloyd B Stickler- obviously a plot device so that Frank can fulfil his habitual role as the one who unmasks Lester.
