Compact was a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads. In contrast to the kitchen sink realism of Coronation Street, Compact was a distinctly middle-class serial, set in the more "sophisticated" arena of magazine publishing. An early "avarice" soap, it took the viewer into the business workplace, and aligned the professional lives of the characters with more personal storylines. The show was scheduled for broadcast on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thus avoiding a clash with ITV's Coronation Street on Mondays and Wednesdays. When Compact began, the editor was a woman, Joanne Minster, yet it was not long before she was replaced by Ian Harmon, the son of the magazine's owner. Despite being largely criticised by reviewers, Compact was popular with the general public, and in 1964 a regular omnibus edition was introduced, broadcast on Sundays. Morris Barry, a some-time actor and BBC director – he directed several Doctor Who stories in the 1960s – took over as producer and was given a brief to spice the series up in view of the criticism it had received from the national press. But the BBC, never comfortable with the concept of soap opera, quietly dropped the series in 1965.
Compact (Season 1)
The First Issue (Episode 1)
Air date: 1962-01-02
Runtime: 30 min
Advice To Readers (Episode 2)
Air date: 1962-01-04
Runtime: 30 min
Efficiency Expert (Episode 3)
Air date: 1962-01-09
Runtime: 30 min
Cover Photograph (Episode 4)
Air date: 1962-01-11
Runtime: 30 min
Tea Break (Episode 5)
Air date: 1962-01-16
Runtime: 30 min
Personal Problem (Episode 6)
Air date: 1962-01-18
Runtime: 30 min
The New Broom (Episode 7)
Air date: 1962-01-23
Runtime: 30 min
Sally Speaks Up (Episode 8)
Air date: 1962-01-25
Runtime: 30 min
Question Of Identity (Episode 9)
Air date: 1962-01-30
Runtime: 30 min
Wedding Grove (Episode 10)
Air date: 1962-02-01
Runtime: 30 min
Suspicion Of Theft (Episode 11)
Air date: 1962-02-06
Runtime: 30 min
Happy Birthday (Episode 12)
Air date: 1962-02-08
Runtime: 30 min
Valentine's Day (Episode 13)
Air date: 1962-02-13
Runtime: 30 min
Testing Time (Episode 14)
Air date: 1962-02-15
Runtime: 30 min
Something To Celebrate (Episode 15)
Air date: 1962-02-20
Runtime: 30 min
Press Reception (Episode 16)
Air date: 1962-02-22
Runtime: 30 min
A True Story (Episode 17)
Air date: 1962-02-27
Runtime: 30 min
Circulation Figures (Episode 18)
Air date: 1962-03-01
Runtime: 30 min
News From New York (Episode 19)
Air date: 1962-03-06
Runtime: 30 min
A Breath Of Air (Episode 20)
Air date: 1962-03-08
Runtime: 30 min
The Party (Episode 21)
Air date: 1962-03-13
Runtime: 30 min
After The Ball (Episode 22)
Air date: 1962-03-15
Runtime: 30 min
Shocks And Bruises (Episode 23)
Air date: 1962-03-20
Runtime: 30 min
Weekend (Episode 24)
Air date: 1962-03-22
Runtime: 30 min
Action Stations (Episode 25)
Air date: 1962-03-27
Runtime: 30 min
The Ideal Husband (Episode 26)
Air date: 1962-03-29
Runtime: 30 min
Future Plans (Episode 27)
Air date: 1962-04-03
Runtime: 30 min
Facing The Facts (Episode 28)
Air date: 1962-04-05
Runtime: 30 min
A Night Out (Episode 29)
Air date: 1962-04-10
Runtime: 30 min
Point Of Departure (Episode 30)
Air date: 1962-04-12
Runtime: 30 min
Surprises By Post (Episode 31)
Air date: 1962-04-17
Runtime: 30 min
A Piece Of Cake (Episode 32)
Air date: 1962-04-19
Runtime: 30 min
Pets Corner (Episode 33)
Air date: 1962-04-24
Runtime: 30 min
The Man For The Job (Episode 34)
Air date: 1962-04-26
Runtime: 30 min
Down The Hatch (Episode 35)
Air date: 1962-05-01
Runtime: 30 min
Stormy Weather (Episode 36)
Air date: 1962-05-03
Runtime: 30 min
Musical Evening (Episode 37)
Air date: 1962-05-08
Runtime: 30 min
Talent Contest (Episode 38)
Air date: 1962-05-10
Runtime: 30 min
Visting Hours (Episode 39)
Air date: 1962-05-15
Runtime: 30 min
Mixed Receptions (Episode 40)
Air date: 1962-05-17
Runtime: 30 min
Home And Away (Episode 41)
Air date: 1962-05-22
Runtime: 30 min
Day Of Frenzy (Episode 42)
Air date: 1962-05-24
Runtime: 30 min
Moment Of Truth (Episode 43)
Air date: 1962-05-29
Runtime: 30 min
In A Spin (Episode 44)
Air date: 1962-05-31
Runtime: 30 min
The Big Chance (Episode 45)
Air date: 1962-06-05
Runtime: 30 min
Garden Party (Episode 46)
Air date: 1962-06-07
Runtime: 30 min
Happy Returns (Episode 47)
Air date: 1962-06-12
Runtime: 30 min
Man And Wife (Episode 48)
Air date: 1962-06-14
Runtime: 30 min
Blackmail (Episode 49)
Air date: 1962-06-19
Runtime: 30 min
Take-Over Time (Episode 50)
Air date: 1962-06-21
Runtime: 30 min
The Proposal (Episode 51)
Air date: 1962-06-26
Runtime: 30 min
Faraway Places (Episode 52)
Air date: 1962-06-28
Runtime: 30 min
Barbecue (Episode 53)
Air date: 1962-07-03
Runtime: 30 min
A Day Of Problems (Episode 54)
Air date: 1962-07-05
Runtime: 30 min
Comings And Goings (Episode 55)
Air date: 1962-07-10
Runtime: 30 min
Looking Ahead (Episode 56)
Air date: 1962-07-12
Runtime: 30 min
Weekend Plans (Episode 57)
Air date: 1962-07-17
Runtime: 30 min
Settlement Day (Episode 58)
Air date: 1962-07-19
Runtime: 30 min
Gone Astray (Episode 59)
Air date: 1962-07-24
Runtime: 30 min
Evening Date (Episode 60)
Air date: 1962-07-26
Runtime: 30 min
A Night Out (Episode 61)
Air date: 1962-07-31
Runtime: 30 min
Pay Off (Episode 62)
Air date: 1962-08-02
Runtime: 30 min
Moving Up (Episode 63)
Air date: 1962-08-07
Runtime: 30 min
Surprise Party (Episode 64)
Air date: 1962-08-09
Runtime: 30 min
Riding For A Fall (Episode 65)
Air date: 1962-08-14
Runtime: 30 min
Unguarded Moment (Episode 66)
Air date: 1962-08-16
Runtime: 30 min
Skin Deep (Episode 67)
Air date: 1962-08-21
Runtime: 30 min
The Contest (Episode 68)
Air date: 1962-08-23
Runtime: 30 min
Ebb And Flow (Episode 69)
Air date: 1962-08-28
Runtime: 30 min
Budget Leak (Episode 70)
Air date: 1962-08-30
Runtime: 30 min
Andiamo (Episode 71)
Air date: 1962-09-04
Runtime: 30 min
Out For The Count (Episode 72)
Air date: 1962-09-06
Runtime: 30 min
Finger Of Suspicion (Episode 73)
Air date: 1962-09-11
Runtime: 30 min
Detective Work (Episode 74)
Air date: 1962-09-13
Runtime: 30 min
The Elopement (Episode 75)
Air date: 1962-09-18
Runtime: 30 min
Heartbeat (Episode 76)
Air date: 1962-09-20
Runtime: 30 min
The First Clue (Episode 77)
Air date: 1962-09-25
Runtime: 30 min
Trapped (Episode 78)
Air date: 1962-09-27
Runtime: 30 min
The Morning After (Episode 79)
Air date: 1962-10-02
Runtime: 30 min
Facing The Facts (Episode 80)
Air date: 1962-10-04
Runtime: 30 min
Heart To Heart (Episode 81)
Air date: 1962-10-09
Runtime: 30 min
Day Of Revolutions (Episode 82)
Air date: 1962-10-11
Runtime: 30 min
True To Type (Episode 83)
Air date: 1962-10-16
Runtime: 30 min
Where There's Smoke (Episode 84)
Air date: 1962-10-18
Runtime: 30 min
Burns And Shock (Episode 85)
Air date: 1962-10-23
Runtime: 30 min
Who's Who? (Episode 86)
Air date: 1962-10-25
Runtime: 30 min
Horoscope (Episode 87)
Air date: 1962-10-30
Runtime: 30 min
Point Of Departure (Episode 88)
Air date: 1962-11-01
Runtime: 30 min
The Truth Of The Matter (Episode 89)
Air date: 1962-11-06
Runtime: 30 min
A Case Of Identity (Episode 90)
Air date: 1962-11-08
Runtime: 30 min
Questions And Answers (Episode 91)
Air date: 1962-11-13
Runtime: 30 min
French Leave (Episode 92)
Air date: 1962-11-15
Runtime: 30 min
Lost And Found (Episode 93)
Air date: 1962-11-20
Runtime: 30 min
Art And Craft (Episode 94)
Air date: 1962-11-22
Runtime: 30 min
The Best Laid Plans (Episode 95)
Air date: 1962-11-27
Runtime: 30 min
Profit And Loss (Episode 96)
Air date: 1962-11-29
Runtime: 30 min
Setting A Trap (Episode 97)
Air date: 1962-12-04
Runtime: 30 min
Sparks Flying (Episode 98)
Air date: 1962-12-06
Runtime: 30 min
The Bad Penny (Episode 99)
Air date: 1962-12-12
Runtime: 30 min
All That Jazz (Episode 100)
Air date: 1962-12-14
Runtime: 30 min
Five More Shopping Days (Episode 101)
Air date: 1962-12-18
Runtime: 30 min
Christmas Spirit (Episode 102)
Air date: 1962-12-20
Runtime: 30 min
Business As Usual (Episode 103)
Air date: 1962-12-27
Runtime: 30 min
Unofficial Strike (Episode 104)
Air date: 1963-02-28
Many questions (Episode 105)
Air date: 1964-09-07
Seasons
Episodes 105
Episodes 105
Episodes 103
Episodes 61