Editing Press Gang (section)

===Critical reception===
Critical reaction was good, the show being particularly praised for the high quality and sophistication of the writing.<ref name="bbcreviews2"/><ref>{{cite web |title=The Junior Gazette's back for a 3rd series on DVD |work=cult.tv |url=http://www.cult.tv/index.php?cm_id=717&cm_type=article |access-date=21 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207010617/http://www.cult.tv/index.php?cm_id=717&cm_type=article |archive-date=7 December 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first episode was highly rated by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', ''[[The Guardian]]'' and the ''[[Times Educational Supplement]]''.<ref name="putp"/> In his emphatic review, Paul Cornell writes that:

<blockquote>''Press Gang'' has proved to be a series that can transport you back to how you felt as a teenager, sharper that the world but with as much angst as acute wit ... Never again can a show get away with talking down to children or writing sloppily for them. ''Press Gang'', possibly the best show in the world.<ref name="cornell218">{{harvnb|Cornell|1993|p=218}}</ref></blockquote>

''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' said that "this is quality entertainment: the kids are sharp, the scripts are clever and the jokes are good."<ref>{{cite web |title=Press Gang: 43xhalf hour|work=Press Gang [Unofficial fansite] |url=http://www.geocities.com/davinci5157/ |access-date=21 December 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061223085736/http://geocities.com/davinci5157/|archive-date=23 December 2006}}</ref> The BBC's William Gallagher called it "pretty flawless",<ref>{{cite news |first=William |last=Gallagher |title=The week's TV: Seen it all before? |date=30 August 2001 |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1516439.stm |access-date=7 November 2007}}</ref> with ''The Guardian'' retrospectively commending the series.<ref>{{cite news |first=Julia |last=Raeside |work=The Guardian |date=7 July 2012 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/07/the-newsroom-press-gang |title=Can The Newsroom scoop Press Gang? |access-date=24 July 2012}}</ref> Others, such as Popmatters, have also commented upon how "the show is renowned ... for doing something kid television at the time didn't do (and, arguably, still doesn't): it refused to treat its audience like children."<ref>{{cite web |first=Nikki |last=Tranter |title=Press Gang: Series 1 |work=PopMatters|url=http://www.popmatters.com/tv/reviews/p/press-gang-1.shtml |date=1 March 2004 |access-date=22 December 2006}}</ref> Comedian [[Richard Herring]] recalls watching the show as a recent graduate, commenting that it "was subtle, sophisticated and much too good for kids."<ref name="herring"/> According to Moffat, "''Press Gang'' had gone over very, very well in the industry and I was being touted and romanced all the time." ''Press Gang'''s complicated plots and structure would become a hallmark of Moffat's work, such as ''Joking Apart'' and ''[[Coupling (British TV series)|Coupling]]''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Graham |last=Kibble-White |title=Fool If You Think It's Over |work=Off the Telly |url=http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/?page_id=332 |date=May 2006 |access-date=21 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703071926/http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/?page_id=332 |archive-date=3 July 2009 }}</ref>

The series received a [[Royal Television Society]] award and a [[BAFTA]] in 1991 for "Best Children's Programme (Entertainment/Drama)".<ref name="screenonline"/> It was also nominated for two [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]] awards, one ''Prix Jeunesse''<ref>{{cite web|title=Biographies: Steven Moffat – Writer |work=[[Hartswood Films]] |url=http://www.hartswoodfilms.co.uk/programmes/steven.html |access-date=23 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928180139/http://www.hartswoodfilms.co.uk/programmes/steven.html |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> and the 1992 BAFTA for "Best Children's Programme (Fiction)".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations/?year=1991 |title=Children's Nominations 1991 |work=BAFTA |access-date=16 November 2007}}</ref> Julia Sawalha won the Royal Television Society Television Award for "Best Actor – Female" in 1993.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096679/awards |title=Awards for "Press Gang" (1989) |work=IMDb |access-date=24 December 2006}}</ref>