This is just a tiny bit misleading. While Zebedee features, the main focus of this post is the wonderful, surreal and generally fabulous Magic Roundabout. The show has a deserved cult following and brightened the early days of my childhood hugely. It ran for five minutes before the news every evening and was reliably entertaining.
It has a slightly bizarre history, which greatly amuses me. The BBC bought the original children's series from France and somehow the animations arrived but the scripts did not. To compensate for this (and possibly to avoid translation costs), the BBC decided to transmit the episodes with new scripts created by Eric Thompson (father of Emma Thompson). He knew no French.
What you get with The Magic Roundabout is therefore Eric's unique take on what he thought was happening and bears precisely no resemblance to the French version of the stories. He also narrated, doing all the voices from Dougal the acerbic dog to Ermintrude the singing cow via Brian the snail, Dylan the stoner rabbit, Mr Rusty the tricycling gardener, Florence the human girl and Zebedee himself.
The Magic Roundabout was treated to a remake in 2005 which I admit I've not seen. Somehow I just don't want to. I loved the original and don't even dare watch the originals on Youtube in case they disappoint.
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| Zebedee. Guardian of the magic garden and its even more magical roundabout. |
It was a joyous series. The plots were random to say the least and mattered hardly at all. The real joy was the characters. Every one was clear as crystal and while they were funny apart, together they were hilarious. Brian's cheery Mary Sunshine attitude invariably drove acerbic Dougal to the brink of insanity. Florence was the voice of sweet reason, and Mr Rusty worried about the magic garden. Ermintrude addressed everyone as "dear heart" and had wild fantasies about being a bus (among other things) while Dylan slumped under a tree in a stupor occasionally twanging his guitar.
At the end of every episode, just as everything was about to spiral out of control, Zebedee would appear and announce that it was time for bed. It was a little bit of heaven at the end of every weekday.
That seems like an appropriate place to leave the A-Z challenge 2012. Thank you for joining me on this alphabetic oddyssey.
Never heard of that one over here in the USA. It looks really cute though and that's funny about Eric's ad libbing what he thought was going on!
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling an attempt was made to take it to the USA but it suffered a bit in the process and never really took off.
DeleteAs I said, I'm not sure it would hold up to my memories, but it may be worth taking a look at YouTube for snippets.
That is such a random way to put together a series, but delightful. Sounds like a great thing that the scripts were lost.
ReplyDeleteIt was so nice to meet you this month, Amanda! I will stop by many times again, I'm sure.
A-Z @ Elizabeth Twist
Serendipitous, I feel.
DeleteThank you. It's entirely mutual, and I too look forward to many visits in the future.
I love remembering the good old TV shows. This reminds me a little of a show I loved when I was a kid living in London. "The Wumbles." It's probably before your time.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your posts! Excellent job on the A to Z challenge!
ahh yes old kiddie shows, like Candle Cove.
Delete"Underground, overground, wombling free,
ReplyDeleteThe wombles of Wimbledon Common are we..."
I do remember them. Great Uncle Bulgaria and Orinnoco. They were all named from a huge atlas and pottered about Wimbledon Common recycling things. Early eco-warriors.
So glad you enjoyed the posts :)
What a lovely choice, I adored him!
ReplyDeleteGlad you approve. It was one of the few programmes I really loved.
Delete'The plots were random to say the least and mattered hardly at all. The real joy was the characters.'
ReplyDeleteThis sounds absolutely lovely. The entertainment industry in the U.S. is so blasted plot-driven and blockbustery that superb characterization sometimes doesn't get the spotlight it deserves.
So, so glad I ran into this blog on the A - Z. I joined up specifically because I was looking for two or three more truly excellent bloggers to journey with after all of the hullaballoo and I found about six. Totally scored, here.
(post script: There was a stoner rabbit?)
Really. Dylan was named after Bob Dylan by Eric Thompson and although he was never referred to as stoned, he very clearly was. I'll see if I can hunt down a YouTube clip for you.
ReplyDeleteLikewise on the finding people front. I didn't join up with anything much in mind, but it's worked out very well :)
I love the story behind this series, how funny! A great post to end with and I'm so glad to have found your blog. It has been a pleasure getting to know you and I'm looking forward to checking in on you and bugging you as much as possible. (;
ReplyDeleteFeel free :) Completely mutual.
DeleteCongratulations on completing your A-Z, Amanda - pop over, I've put together a little 'Survivors' badge for you to download if you want it :)
ReplyDeleteScary thing is, looking back, 90% of comments are from females!
I already snagged it :) Just trying to work out how to add it to the page. Technology is not my friend. As you know.
DeleteI enjoyed your posts this month. I'll be back to see what you are writing about!
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you - and likewise :)
DeleteSounds like a cool show. Yay for Z! Congrats on making it through. :)
ReplyDeleteIt really is a great show. Congratulations to you too - loved reading your posts.
DeleteZeebedee is telling me it's time for bed but not before I say great Z post and congrats on finishing the A-Z.
ReplyDeleteAnd to you too. It's been an interesting month, hasn't it :)
DeleteHI Amanda .. I think that's a great ending - and though I've only seen a few of the episodes .. they certainly ring true and were such fun - a degree of finality after each take. So interesting to hear about Emma Thompson's father .. and how the film was made and of course the completely different approach .. great fun.
ReplyDeleteNot quite time for bed .. but Zis end is a good one .. cheers Hilary