Why won't RTÉ broadcast The Spike?

political analyst

In 1978, RTÉ broadcast half of the school drama series The Spike.

The other half was never broadcast because of the reaction to the appearance of an actress in the nude as a model for an art class.

I remember watching an episode of Scannal about the series.

Given that Irish society is more liberal about sex these days (e.g. Normal People), why won't RTÉ repeat the episodes that were shown and broadcast the remaining episodes? Surely, those members of the cast who are still alive would be delighted to see it brought back, wouldn't they?

1 sheep2

Interesting, I didn't know about that. But there seem to be other reasons, besides, not to broadcast it. From wikipedia: "critics took issue with the poor script, bad acting and the clumsy thematic treatment."

Collie D

If RTE aired a 42 year old program After Hours would blow up and a fatwa declared on Ryan Tubridy.

EDIT: Oops, could have sworn I was in AH. Sorry if I’ve broken any rules.

Exiled1

I vividly remember the hoopla etc. leading up to 'The Spike' in 1978.... on a par with Bernard and Marty etc. and promises of a sensational drama series.
What we got was, without doubt the very worst heap of schyte that RTE have managed to foist on us in a long and heavy history of foisting schyte on the gullible public.
Improbable storylines, appalling 'acting', directionless.... neither comic, dramatic nor any other label could be found to describe the farrago.
By the third episode it had become quite unwatchable even in one channel land.
It was pulled after the fifth episode when there was an outcry (reminiscent of 'normal people' on Joe Duffy) over a harmless scene when Anna Manahan? posed as a nude model in an adult education class. Even the normally excellent David Kelly was lamentable.

political analyst

Exiled1 wrote: »

I vividly remember the hoopla etc. leading up to 'The Spike' in 1978.... on a par with Bernard and Marty etc. and promises of a sensational drama series.
What we got was, without doubt the very worst heap of schyte that RTE have managed to foist on us in a long and heavy history of foisting schyte on the gullible public.
Improbable storylines, appalling 'acting', directionless.... neither comic, dramatic nor any other label could be found to describe the farrago.
By the third episode it had become quite unwatchable even in one channel land.
It was pulled after the fifth episode when there was an outcry (reminiscent of 'normal people' on Joe Duffy) over a harmless scene when Anna Manahan? posed as a nude model in an adult education class. Even the normally excellent David Kelly was lamentable.

It was Madelyn Erskine.

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/television-review-official-ireland-has-always-been-burying-the-good-stuff-34998819.html

L1011

They may not actually have the tapes anymore.

They may not actually have any agreed repeat rights with the cast.

It would look, well, awful on a HD station.