Emmeline Pond Takes Charge

"Emmeline Pond Takes Charge" is the fifth episode of the first series of the British children's television programme Julia Jekyll and Harriet Hyde. The episode was directed by Albert Barber and written by series creator Jim Eldridge. It was first broadcast in the UK on BBC One on 27 October 1995.

In the episode, new Chairperson of the Governors Emmeline Pond (Anna Kirke) takes over the Rocket Academy and fires headteacher Memphis Rocket (Simon Green). She tasks Julia Jekyll (Olivia Hallinan) with turning coal into gold as she is actually escaped convict Laura Swamp, and plans to use Julia's intellect to make herself rich.

Plot
In an assembly at the Rocket Academy, Memphis Rocket introduces the new Chairperson of the Governors - Emmeline Pond. Emmeline immediately assumes control of the school and orders the pupils to their lessons. Memphis commends Emmeline's forcefulness and efficiency, but Emmeline demotes Memphis from headteacher to cleaner. Mrs Rocket is incensed, but Emmeline relegates her too - from a teacher to the toilet cleaner. Mrs Rocket breaks down, while Memphis is smitten despite losing his job as head.

Lester Blister's science class is interrupted by Emmeline who orders everyone out except Julia, and throws Mr Blister out into the corridor. Everyone leaves the room, with Mr Blister getting thrown out a second time. Knowing of Julia's intelligence, Emmeline provides Julia with a new piece of the science curriculum for her to test. Julia explains that she is already busy with her own experiment, but Emmeline threatens her for results. Her task is to transform a lump of coal into solid gold.

Memphis and Mrs. Rocket clean around the school, with the latter deeply distressed by graffiti about her in the toilets. Emmeline appears but Memphis can't bring himself to raise the issue with her, instead claiming to worship the ground she walks on. Emmeline rejects his advances, ordering him to clean the ground she walks on rather than worship it.

Mr Blister and his nieces bemoan the unfairness of Emmeline's interest in Julia. Mr Blister plots to take over the Rocket Academy with Memphis out of the way by seducing Emmeline. He leaves to make himself look more attractive, leaving Sharon and Nicola questioning his chances.

Julia follows the instructions of the experiment, but the lump of coal turns into raspberry jelly instead of gold. As she removes the jelly from the pot, she turns into Harriet Hyde. Outside the science lab, the Blister Sisters plan to attack Julia believing Harriet to be elsewhere with everyone besides Julia barred from entering. The pair barge into the science lab, but are swiftly thrown out by Harriet. Emmeline arrives and threatens the Blister Sisters with transfiguration into toads if they interfere with Julia's experiment again. Emmeline enters the lab and questions Julia on her progress. When she learns about the jelly, she becomes irritated and theorises that Julia didn't follow the instructions correctly. Julia begins to repeat the process, reciting measurements and compounds aloud, but after adding the coal, the concoction explodes in both her and Emmeline's faces, causing the latter to faint.

At the Jekyll household, Moira and Jerry are watching television when a newsflash reports the escape of a convict - Professor Laura Swamp - from a high-security prison. The report details the professor's obsession with turning base minerals into gold, leading Julia to theorise that Emmeline is in fact the escaped convict. Moira and Jerry dismiss this on account of them having different names, and go back to watching TV.

The following day, Mr Blister is ready to woo Emmeline, having altered his haircut, dressed in a new outfit reminiscent of a flamenco dancer, and bought flowers. His efforts are far from reciprocated, as Emmeline hits him over the head with the flowers and throws him out of the room.

Memphis and Mrs Rocket continue cleaning when Emmeline appears. Mrs Rocket retreats as Memphis recites a poorly-written poem to Emmeline, only for him to be thrown down the corridor.

Emmeline finds Julia in the science lab working, but on her elixir - not on the coal. Julia identifies Emmeline as Laura Swamp, causing Laura to revert to an American accent and begin chasing Julia around the lab. Julia collapses behind a desk leading Laura to grab her by the hand, only for Julia to have transformed into Harriet. The ensuing fight occurs offscreen with Harriet breaking down the science lab door. Harriet transforms back into Julia and runs into the corridor, calling for the police.

Laura is escorted away in handcuffs by the police, vowing revenge on 'that big hairy girl'. Mrs Rocket says good riddance, while Memphis and Mr Blister pretend to have known she was an imposter the whole time. Behind them, Julia turns into Harriet as Mrs Rocket proclaims her wishes to meet Harriet and thank her. Harriet reverts back to Julia just as Mrs Rocket turns around. Julia puffs her cheeks in relief as the credits roll.

Cast

 * Julia Jekyll - Olivia Hallinan
 * Moira Jekyll (credited as 'Mum') - Victoria Williams
 * Jerry Jekyll (credited as 'Dad') - Bill Fellows
 * Memphis Rocket - Simon Green
 * Mrs Rocket - Ann Emery
 * Lester Blister - Robert Portal
 * Emmeline Pond - Anna Kirke
 * Nicola Blister - Tiffany Griffiths
 * Sharon Blister - Karen Salt
 * Roger - Anthony Tobias
 * Sarah - Emma Barnett
 * Mrs Smith - Christine Lohr
 * Mr Slime - Philip Philmar
 * Harriet Hyde - John Asquith

Crew
Executives:


 * Director - Albert Barber
 * Writer - Jim Eldridge
 * Producer - Jeremy Swan
 * Executive Producer - Anna Home
 * Musical Director - Jonathan Cohen
 * Casting Directors:
 * Jane Deitch
 * Angela Grosvenor
 * Makeup Designer - Elaine Smith
 * Costume Designer - Rosemary Cheshire
 * Production Designer - George Kyriakides

General production staff:


 * Production Assistant - Jane Jenkins
 * Assistant Floor Manager - Gabrielle Lindemann
 * Production Manager - Oliver Cookson
 * Studio Resource Manager - Andrew Garnett

General post-production staff:


 * Videotape Editor - Damian Raistrick
 * Vision Mixer - Hilary West

Script department:


 * Script Editor - Marilyn Fox

Camera and lighting department:


 * Camera Supervisor - Nigel Saunders
 * Lighting Director - Alan Jeffery

Art department:


 * Production Buyer - Pauline Seager
 * Graphic Designer - Pete Wane
 * Art Director - Nick Harding

Special and visual effects:


 * Visual Effects Designer - Roger Turner
 * Video Effects - Dave Chapman

Sound:


 * Sound Effects - Keith Eldridge
 * Sound Supervisor - Alan Machin

Trivia

 * This episode is the first in the series where Jim Eldridge is credited as writer, and the first to be directed by Albert Barber.
 * This episode features the first instance of Memphis being ragdolled, as he is thrown down the corridor by Emmeline Pond.