The 1990s was the Full First Decade of the CITV 's Existence, and smack dab in the Middle of a Ratings war for the Attention of A whole Generation of Children. CITV Would take advantage of It's Reduced time Slot, 20 minutes less than CBBC, by making Most of its Shows 10 minute or less. CITV would take advantage by getting the rights of the Looney Tunes shorts. CITV also went midway through the decade through a Identity Change that would set it apart from CBBC! Also and sad to say, due to the Sheer amount of Content churned out this decade not every Show were treated Equal. Some don't have Wikipedia or TV trope pages so they can't be reviewed, or simply I didn't see them first hand. But I have watched the shows listed here
1990
Neil Buchanan hosted the Art and make-and-do show in the Iconic Set of Giant Art Supplies. Neil taught kids the wonder of drawing and Paper Mache long into the 2000s. But the thing that set it apart, was not the Annoying Head character, No you ask anyone what was the best part of Art Attack, they would tell you the Big Art Attack, Where Neil would make a Giant Picture of Fabric and Themed Items. Including the time he made a Christmas picture on the New York Skyline.
Was Bought by Disney a few years back and have done nothing with it after Disney Channel UK shut down.
What has not being Said about Martin Jupp's 68 Episode of The Imaginative Beautifully Animated Show? 4 Years Before American Parents Complained that Lord Zedd was too scary for Power Rangers, Zordark here was feeding minions to Piranhas and possessing Waifus along with other Nightmare fuel.
Anything I would say would fall off the mark. So instead watch the full series on YouTube!
A Spiritual Successor, Bimble's Bucket appeared in 1995, But it was Brighter and Softer and Gentler
Some times when you explain things to older or younger generations it comes off as headscratchers. But How 2, a Reboot of a 70s show of the same premise, sees Criminologist Fred Dineage, Mathematician Carol Vorderman and...Drummer Gareth Jones. Explaining a Whole slew of topics. From the International Date line to Condensed Milk, the show explained it all in a myriad of different ways, from props to experiments to skits. The 90s shows had the Data files a Fast Forwarded text Scrawl that every poor child tried to read, Including me! But it was intended for recording and watching on Half speed all the facts that will be covered in that series.
Last year a sad Attempt to reboot with a Bunch of Teen Hosts reading off Idiot Cards, was laughable! You need hosts who look like they knew what they were Talking about!
Kappatoo, A Lazy Teenager who wants to cheat a Death Sport Right of Passage In the future he comes from. Swaps Places with a "Time Twin" aka a Reincarnation from the 20th Century named Simon. While reluctant to do so, Kappatoo thinking the "primitive" 20th Century would be a cake walk, he agrees to woo Tracey (A time when Denise Van Houten, was hired for her actual job!) While Simon thrives in the future, (until the lie is uncovered) Kappatoo is a temporal Fish out of water.
Based on the Novelty Song, Nellie the Elephant leaves the Circus to explore the world around her
A Doll named Princess is made to look like A Pauper via a Factory Error and Dumped into a Reject Bin. This Would be the end of it, if not for the other Rejects who except her into their Family. Technically a Show from the 80s, but I really thought this Show was from this Decade. Would not mind a reboot, if only they had more than one actor doing the Voices.
If you were ever called a Sad Sack, It came from this show.
Created by Ragdoll, the company behind Teletubbies. Rosie and Jim are a couple of Ragdolls who live on a narrowboat sailing the canals in Birmingham.
You'd remember in my Clifford review I mentioned that Rosie And Jim was in a list of British media who are tied to Children's books that seemingly have disappeared from view.
The Premise was Formulaic as it was a preschool show. The Presenter (Series 1 and 2 John Cunliffe, the Author of the books, Pat Hutchsins the illustrator, for the next 2 series or Noel Brewer, a Musician, the host til the very end) would have an adventure pertaining around supplies, ship Maintenance or their real life public appearances. With The Dolls and the Duck shaped steam horn following the host to make mischief. Usually ending with the host having a spark of inspiration from today's adventure to write, draw or sing to end the show.
Noel Brewer is the only surviving Presenter , at time of writing. The Ragdoll Narrowboat, is no longer Commissioned for public viewing, because of management costs.
This was A show hated by so many children around the village I lived, It was nicknamed a word that you probably have worked out what it was! Watching it now, I think I only hated it because some actors from Mike And Angelo (Which was the Designated show Everyone hated!) Were in it. And there really was nothing behind this show about a Burger Chain.
Toucan Tecs.
A little experiment into the Mandela Effect, if you'd indulge me!
What are these Characters Names?
If you said Tricky and Track you are not Wrong, you are just Irish!
No, it was Zippy and Zac two Toucan Detectives go and solve mysteries world-wide, thwarting the "Mad Ducks!"
As expected from above this got the Kiss of Death too, it was Translated into Irish!
1991
A Fantastic Show where it's seems someone at Hit Animations was listening to Songs by Cheap Trick.
Captain Zed Is an officer of the Dream Patrol. Saving Kids from their Problems that have manifested into Nightmares.
Grotbags
A Spin-off for the Witchy Villain of the Emu show. Grotbags tried make good with her magic, only for it fail miserably!
The Summer Game show that took off when Fun House was on break, Finders Keepers would take the concept of Hide and Seek and Who's Got the Button and turned it up to Eleven.
Presented by Neil Buchanan, two teams of 2, boy and Girl, would play a Game of match the Question to the Answers hidden on the Board, To gain the Right to Search items in the Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom, living room, Parents Room Utility Room or the Mystery Room!
Here the Mystery Room would be Themed on a Mystery Guest, which was always a crapshoot. It could be something cool like one of the Gladiators or Robert Moore, or lame like some bit character from Neighbours.
An Attempt was Made to make a reboot in 2010 with Jeff from the Granny Scammer Lottery, but there was only so many times you could bring out someone from the Essex Me-Am-Thick! Show
The So-called Bunglers in Crime are two lovable Burglers (and the only humans in this World, Apparently!) Who try to burgle every episode. Usually meeting Danger Mouse or Count Duckula on occasion!
The Eponymous Whining English man is a Campervan who Despite his constant moaning is the only vehicle to 5 Australian Animals. the Life sized Puppets do look frightening if you watched this Show mute.
1992
A Family of Astronauts and Farmers till the land of a Strange Setting an Asteroid. While Teleporting Aliens from a planet of Constant rain play tricks in them and steal food. A Stop Motion animation and wasn't good or Bad, it was just.... there!
Bad Influence!
Taking Advantage of Blue Peter not on a Thursday, the final program on the Citv for that day was this hidden Gem on Citv, presented By Violet Berlin and Andy Crane. While Gamesmaster was based around A fledgling eSports Scene, it's Review segment where usually stills. Bad influence would tackle video games in a different light. With Reviews Cheat Corners. And Reviewing Technology and Expos. But one thing that they did do better was Champion Gaming during any negative press.
A long standing Rumour was the Show was going to be called Virtual Gaiden, trying to sap some popularity from Ninja Gaiden, only to told making an outdoor show in a "Ninja Garden" would be confusing!
Bangers and Mash
Originally an 80s Show, it was repeated in the 90s due to getting a Video Game licence. But then everything did! Cartoon about two cheeky monkeys
The Gingerbread Man
A Gingerbread Man and his fellow inanimate objects come to life as he plays and helps in his stop motion program.
Rubbish King of the Jumble
A Cat living in the Top rooms of two Story house cannot get to the Bottom to eat due to the Diligent Guard dog of the house's real owner despite Rubbish's Schemes. If you like Looney Tunes, you'll like this!
Filmed on Martinique, the Show followed teenagers who worked in a small Resort getting into the usual fare for shows like this, drug Smuggling, Ghost Mysteries and of course, given the setting, Fan service! Could not find a whole series on YouTube. Only the fanservice episodes.
Only lasted 10 episodes.
Not so Much a Reboot as a Retelling. Couldn't get into it as a child.
1993
This year would see a change, that would defy CITV. No presenters, and completely expedient in getting the Shows out with fact files and Quizzing to hype up the Shows coming up!
Originally to be called Hell's Penguins, Cosgrove Hall's Final Hand Drawn Show was not only a funny Parody of Shows like TMNT, but a funny Show in its own right!
Still angry to this day this was only 1 series.
A 2 person Show where one of the Actors would play a "Visitor" to the castle while that character was away-Odd Number Beth's Actress would play a character of a odd numbered letter, while Even Numbered letters Alpha's Actor would play the Visitor. There was also a Animated Short about a turkey called Goobltigook. Series 2 had no Formula as it was not a letter a day but was now about grammar.
Zzapp! And Cuthbert's Diary
Taking off where Round the Bend Started, Zzapp! Was also a "Interactive Comic" finding its feet in it's Second Season. The show had 5 segments.
Cuthbert Lillie: A Slapstick Segment that sees a Buster Keaton Lookalike Bumble through a simple task.
Smart Arty: Neil Buchanan (Him again!) is a Caricature of a French Painter who originally just did a Big Art Attack! But people generally didn't recognize Neil in the Smock and fake moustache that he got letters saying his show was being ripped off! So from Season 2 Arty lived a White world where he could Draw an item he needed that he could reach out and grab into existence. Due to Art Attack being aired Twice a week in season 7, Smart Arty was replaced by Minnie the Mini Magician, a sketch too much like Cuthbert Lillie.
The Handymen: in a Theatre 2 gloved hands did some Arts and crafts, magic tricks, Japes and even some baking!
Puzzle Page: Sight Puzzles like Close up or Distorted Photos. True to The Comic book theme, the Answers were written upside down!
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| Rorschach, is that You? |
Daisy Dares You: replacing Tricky Dicky , who was deemed too Frightening for Kids, Daisy Dare challenge some "Children" (Actors who were in on it) to a Challenge. If one won then It would cause Daisy to Cry.
Zzapp went on for 8 seasons, but started to lose stream after the 7th.
Cuthbert had a 10 Episode short series called Cuthbert's Diary.
A Meteorologist uncovers a conspiracy in the south of England that could Spell trouble for the Human race
You know a Kids Show!
With all joking aside this show did win drama Awards.
Harry is a London Lad who inherits A Macaw from a Dead American Uncle he never met. Madison or "Mad" is a very intelligent parrot, one that can hold conversations, tell Jokes and Mimic Voices to a tee! The Show used both a Real Macaw for when the Bird was need to play and fly, but when perched and Talking, They used An Animatronic that looked like the real deal,
.....at the time.
Stop Motion Animation for Preschoolers, which despite being so gentle could be janky on occasion.
In 1993, Matthew Corbett and his father's Puppets Sooty, Sweep, Soo and new Character Scampi, Returned to Tv. And there is only one place that a Singer and Pianoman with Legendary Puppets and Institution should work in. That's right!
An Antique ....Shop....Huh!
Best Get this out of the way, but Sooty had being going since the Sixties moving from BBC to ITV and going in and out of Fashion. So I will be Counting the Newer Series as Separate shows. In 1993 I was in the Shows demographic, since this show was trying on Nostalgia Hook those who were Babies in The Eighties and this Show was trying for 1 to Ten. I liked the show, but I'll get to negativity when we get to Sooty Towers.
Three Seven Eleven
Drama Series In the same Vein as Children's ward.
Tots TV
Also a Ragdoll show Tilly, Tom and Tiny are 3 Ragdolls who live in a Thatch Cottage with a Donkey. Who went to a place or Followed a Presenter to learn Something different every episode. This Show is Memorable for the Character of Tilly who would only speak French.
To Quote my Mother, "Why are they Speaking French, Little Babies can barely speak English!"
This show is a product of its time. The Hurricanes are a International Football Team inherited by 16 year old heiresses Amanda Carey. Her new Charges are Lovable but still Outdated Racial Stereotypes. Like their Team Coach, a quick tempered Scotsman called Jock, to An Amazon Native who plays barefoot to a French Painter, complete with Massive Jawline and Five o'clock Shadow. The Show was a Nineties Show because it had to have an Aesop at the end of the Episode.
But the Hurricanes had one thing I have to speak of, of all the Nineties Shows With Aesops and Over the Top Villains. The Hurricanes' Antagonist of Stavros Garkos has to be the most Nineties Villain ever!
Not Content in Being the Boss of the Gorgons the Number 2 team in the World, Garkos not only lets his players Moonlight as Terrorists and Hitmen, But makes his Money in offshore Companies like Heavy Industry and Diamond Mining, usually at the Cost of a Stadium the Hurricanes are playing in. That's right, he hates Competition so Dahm much he'd crack open the Earth like a Egg, just to make more money and to make sure The Hurricanes don't win their match! All because He was not seen As a Worthy player In his day. Now that's next level levels of Bitterness!
That's like If Hitler joined Just Stop Oil solely to throw Soup at Paintings!
Originally an Oxford TV show in 1991 to teach English in a Dutch diaspora Block, It was remade for the national Preschool slot. Of the Story of a trainee witch living with dozens of Memorable Puppets. Originally a Vehicle to teach Rhymes and English, the show slowly went to teach Sharing and Manners.
1994
Created by Sarah Ferguson (and by create, i mean if rumours are to be Believed, Completely Ripped off an existing Book), Budgie was The Thomas the tank but what if were planes long before Jay jay the Jet plane existed.
Chris Cross.
Nathan Cross is the Self-Proclaimed King of the Campus in the Private Stanfield Academy. That was until His Reign is threatened by America Athlete and fellow Prankster Chris Hilton. A Rivalry soon become a Friendship. Especially when the School now becomes Co-Ed and The Staff Puritanical.
A Fun Romp with the Ambitious Sleazy Undead Snakeoil Sales man, Dr Sidney Zitbag.
This thing Zombunny needs to come back as a Meme!
Fantastic, Gothic, and Sadly Short lived 7 episode show that seamlessly melds Animation with Live action. where an Ink Thief , played by Richard O'Brien, a Creature who is Supposed to give Humanity Ideas, Syphons book ink for himself to hoard Knowledge and Ideas .
Maybe the Unintentional Progenitors of the "Please Don't Turn me Into a Marketable Plushie" Meme.
Mumfie
Despite watching this show the first time around. I barely remember it, prior to this review. And now I get to see this with Reviewers eyes. Despite the Narrator doing all the male voices which is all but two. This Story of a Little Elephant in a Quest to find Friends gets Embroiled in a Plot to turn the World Evil is Stunningly Beautiful, Scored With Wonder and Animated to Almost A Hollywood Level by the Britt Allcroft Company the studio that was behind Thomas the Tank Engine.
Jumping ship from the Beeb (only for the IP to jump to Channel 5 before disappearing again) Rupert the Bear returned with Frames of actual Animation, thanks in part to Canadian studio CINAR (Now Wildbrain). While it was part Of the Preschool block, there is enough story for everyone to enjoy.
In A Ship in A bottle on a Dusty Shelf, Hides the Seaside Town of Bottle Bay, A Rundown Den of Villainy where at Night Ghosts Liberate Sheets to haunt the Uncanny Puppets of The Mean Spirited Spanners.
The Adventures of Grady Greenspace
A Redub of French Show Adventures of Chlorophyll. Grady Greenspace was Mouse Detective/ Mediator for Green Issues. Pollution is Bad M'Kay with Crappy Puppets and Found Footage.
The Magic House
A puppet Show where Inanimate objects live in one Big House. One Episode that I remember because it was a weird episode where Grandpa Kettle saying he should be getting the Biggest Slice of Cake, because he had the Biggest Feet!
What's with Kid's Shows and Feet?
1995
Caribou Kitchen (or Claudia's Caribou Kitchen)
A Preschool Show that Teaches About Animals, Reading and Opposites.
The Avenger Penguins was the Last hand drawn Cosgrove Hall show. But the First to use the Animo Scanning System was This show. Despite some Animation Flaws at points. (one Episode centres around Fantomcat's ring the Source of his power stolen, only to appear in most of the recycled cells) This show felt Different from Avenger Penguins, as while that was a Turtle Parody, Fantomcat felt like a Zorro and Gargoyles Contemporary.
The Gladiator UK show was Such a big Franchise, that A Kids Friendly Show was made. With Child Sized Obstacles and Games Changed Entirely like the Pyramid was no longer a Game of Violent Tag, Given the Gladiators now trained the Contestants. Pyramid was Capture the Flag with Fruit.
A Young Car/Dog Hybrid thing called Hot Rod gets lost going to Camp, only to arrive in the Badlands, he saves a Car Cat called Carbs from Scavengers only for the Corrupt Police car to Arrest them and bring them to Autotopia, to be Punished by the Crusher, a Malfunctioning Garbage Truck that sees all who Opposed him as Junk to be salvaged. So both Young Cars are soon Roped into the Resistance.
Apart from the Running Gag of deflating tyres making fart Jokes. This show was not bad.
2nd part of the Johnny Trilogy by Terry Pratchett, Johnny is a Boy who is his life as a Magnet for Strange Events, Now sees him seeing the Dead who wants them to save their graveyard from Evil Property Developers of Evil!
A Girl Lost in the Woods befriends a Naïve Sloth Like Creature called The Norris. And teaches him the world around him.
Creatures who mine Treacle (Read if American: Molasses) as the Source of Energy. But Treacle is Running Out! But A pair of Young Whatever these are Invented a Treacle Detector. This show had very Obnoxious Voice Acting With Both Angry Northern voices and Irritating Posh ones. Was Bought and Repeated on Channel 4.
Spike Milligan Narrated Fairy Tales in his own style, without Bringing up the Names of any Celebrities who Own him Money this time! The Jokes and Timing are so good you can ignore the reused Frames. As Fairy Tales containing The Titular characters ran dry, Many Creative licenses made the show slow down a bit. Was Repeated Constantly when the Quality of Citv started to wane in the 00s.
1996
Big Bang/ Little Bang.
🎶Our Whole Universe was In a Dark Damp State, Then 40 million years ago, Expansion Started....
WAIT!
NOT THAT BIG BANG!
After How 2 Ended, Itv made a Factual Show about Science with a Bit of Do it yourself put in there.
Written In part by Python Terry Jones, Blazing Dragons was a Cartoon about the Magical Realm of Camelhot! And their Constant Thwarting of The evil Knight Sir Jeffrey the Tight Fisted, who is usually done in by his own Cost Effective Plans.
Lasted for 2 Seasons with The Second going through Executive Meddling when the show was Launched in America. First the Art Style was changed, Then they changed Princess Flame from Competent Hero To Side Character. Then in a Massive Bowdlerisation tried to Downplay the Camp Character so 'Muricans wouldn't get Pissed off about " Dem Dar Homer Sexuals in there Kids Shows!"
Meanwhile in Britain it was joked that Being Gay was almost a Requirement to be a Presenter, given how so many were!
In the Summer months, Whilst Fun House was on Break, Many Gameshows tried to Cut the Mustard, but none online have gotten A Wikipedia or TV Tropes page so Going through Shows year by year is tricky if you can't get a read on them. So shows like Eliminator, Get Wet and Terror Towers are not going to reviewed.
With that being said, Neither will Virtually Impossible, The Show they really thought would take the Place of The Show they Cancelled to make it, Knightmare.
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| THIS? Was supposed to replace Knightmare? GTFOH! |
So make do with Jez Edwards' Crazy Cottage the Show that Goes backwards. The Last Round is the First, races are backwards, challenges are filmed in Trick Rooms, Questions are Answered with Wrong Answers.
Neil Buchanan again this time with Gail Porter in Tow, presented a Unsolved Mystery show, Covering Things like Pyramids and Bigfoot, Psychic Twin Phenomena and Ends the Show with a Riddle, which the Next episodes end Credits would tell the answer to.
1996
Preschool Show based the characters from the defunct Girl's only Comic, Twinkle. The Blobs were That, Blobs of Paint of a different Colour, or in the case of the Royal family, Shades of Blue, who had very gentle adventures with Colours to excite very young Children.
A Family of Hippos live in a Safari Park with their Puppet Friends. With Songs and stories to teach things to Children under 5. Was I the only one weirded out that the Hippos would share a bath with their Children and the Hippo Costumes had a "Skin" Layer, Or is it just me?
Delta Wave
A ten Episode Drama about a Doctor and her two charges who have Telepathic Powers who are on the run by those who seek their powers for evil. Only thing of note, Peter Capaldi was in two episodes.
One Day in A Cave, that has the Graffiti "Roger was ere," written on it, A Boy called Roger shouted Roger is Here and Reawakened a species of trolls that were sealed by Merlin.
One of Citv's Funniest Shows! The Show was retooled to just the Rottentrolls. Each of the Trolls were like the Smurfs, every single one had a different character trait. And let's be honest, you all wish Jim Jam Yahar was a real thing!
Apparently had a sequel called Ridley and Scruff, though you couldn't tell with a name like that.
A Mime Show where two Bald Aliens try to interact with things from Earth. The Wiki article likes to Bring home the Facts that this show was not liked, claiming a 34% Approval Rating.
The Actors Involved would make a similar Show called Mcgee and Mooney. A show about bumbling Builders.
And I'm Sure the fact this BRITISH! Show about IDIOTS WHO CAN'T USE TOOLS HAVING IRISH SURNAMES IS JUST A COINCIDENCE!
1997
In the Summer of 1997, I was going Into Sixth Class and heading to Secondary school the year later. This is when Everything would Change. That Summer the Citv land idents which tied everything together was being over shadowed by Something. Coming in September. So after the return to school, I came Home, switched the TV to HTV saw the End Credits to Potamus Park and that's where the Surprise that was revealed During the Ten Minutes of waiting for the Baby Cartoons to be over was revealed.
As over the Closing Credits. The only thing that Citv Didn't have for years that made it watchable, that made the shows come out on time, were back!
Presenters!
And that's when I knew This show was not for me anymore.
And that meant until the 2004 launch of the channel we were stuck with Some Gobby Woman with a thick Northern Accent and the Man who I just cannot Stand on TV, Ant and Dec's "Special Male friend" Stephen Mulhern. aka THIS PRICK!
Still I Suppose the Downward Spiral wouldn't be apparent til the next decade. But pushing the Presenters even on the Sunday Block of Repeats didn't help.
Adam's Family Tree
Adam Solves and sometimes Causes Problems by using a CD-ROM to bring Dead Relatives Back to life.
Animal Shelf
Stop Motion Animation about a Shelf of toys owned by a Boy called Timothy who we only see the Shadow of and hear his Irritating Posh Voice.
Bernard was Given a Stopwatch that Stops time for everyone else but the Holder. A show with Aesops And Morals Abound, but still watchable.
Ugly, Bland and Unfunny Parody Of Star Trek, where The Hero and his crew are told to wait on a Sparse planet until further Orders, Because Command cannot bring themselves to retire a hero.
This Show put more effort into Paying Richard E Grant than Drawing more than a Single Restaurant on a desert.
Grange Hill With Period Costumes. They Even have a Fat Glasses Wearing kid called Roland!
Voiced By Martin Clunes, An adaption of the book series of the same Name. The animation got Better as it went along.
Stop Motion About the Smallest Child in a Family of 3. Some good Slice of Life of being the smallest and Ignored Child When Trying to do things, But God that theme song was just grating to listen too!
A series Made Out of the Christmas Special, Originally Voiced By Joanna Lumley and Bob Hoskins, So finding Soundalikes was not going to be hard. In the Continued Adventures of the Abandoned toys!
1998
So Now I'm in Secondary School and now I can't watch these Shows without Being Judged, But I did have an Ace up My Sleeve, A younger Sibling, So i can watch these Shows, Vicariously through Babysitting her!
Strange Artwork, which is Customary for these Cheaply made, Print and Done Preschool Shows but well voiced.
Brilliant Creatures
Hosted By Former Really Wild Show Presenter, Terry Nutkins. Terry aided by Grace McKenna hosted a studio full of Animals and Showed Terry Out on the Field In Wildlife Preserves. They repackaged the show to have a new Presenter-THIS PRICK!
Terry Nutkins died In 2012, he had being battling leukaemia for 9 months. He was 66.
Coming At Ya! and Cleopatra and friends in the House
Taking inspiration from The Monkees, British Band Cleopatra, Did a Sitcom with them, their Mother, younger Sister and the extra from their 2 music Videos!
This Show was so bad it was on the Sunday Show. Keep in mind the Good stuff was on a Saturday. The Repeats were on the Sunday Show! How bad is it when everything gets a first go release on the weekdays and this didn't!
Hosted By Now member of British Parliament Floella Fielding, Jamboree tried to Inject the Modern ideas of a website Setting to A Preschool Show.
Trying to sap some popularity from Oasis. This Gunge and Custard Pie show only thing of note was this show discovered Katie Melua
Teddybears
5 Teddybears, live in a House for a preschool show that is all but Forgetton if not for the Public Claiming the show was a Rip-off of Teletubbies. Season 2 saw changes to the Costumes after it was revealed that They Glued the face masks to the actors. Talk about Suffering for your Art.
Timbuctoo
Did You Know Roger Hargreaves Wrote a SECOND Series of Children's Books?
It's True!
The Long Forgotten Timbuctoo was Bought to life, and these were Stories about Animals named after their Sounds. The designs do have that Wonderful Mr Men Flavour to it!
A Factual Show that ranked both interesting facts and Trivia in the Familiar premise of the Top Ten.
Whizziwig
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| And you thought Furby was Unnerving! Sweet Non-existent Jesus! |
A Boy finds a Uncanny (And i Suppose It was meant to look Cute) Literal Minded Wish granting Alien Head. It was the show before Brilliant Creatures. So it was the Designated Show that Noone Really Liked, but Had to Watch to Not miss the Next Show.
1999
It was the Turn of this Millennium and very slowly the Internet would be used Far better on Promoting Citv than themselves Only due to the Fact on the Website you couldn't hear the Presenters Just see their Obnoxious Faces on screen. So maybe that's why they changed their slogan from Place to be to "Be Part of it" But what were we part of?
Back to the 50s
The fake band S Club 7 Jumped to Itv and much like the BBC show used their Resources to make a Show around the Music video for their first song, bring it all back, They Made a Show explaining how a Band from 1999, ended up making a Video In 1959, to coincide with their next Song S club Party. Lame Jokes, Lame plot, A Fake Band in a 3rd Rate Back to the Future Parody!
Somehow Popular enough to have BBC and ITV have a Bidding War to turn all their Music Videos into Shows. Their Popularity was Sapped over to make a Magazine Zone called S Club TV, On the Sunday Block noone watched on Purpose. Which was a Magazine show where Holly Willoughby and 6 others wearing pajamas and barefoot, for some reason. With each presenter speaking on one Topic each week.
Created By Jim Henson Workshop, This show was World's apart from anything they done previous. Construction Site was a Show were the Characters were Heavy Machinery and as such were RC Controlled, even their Mouth Movements were Button Operated. It was A show That Gave morals like Sesame Street but geared in the Context Of these Vehicles: It's a not Bad thing to ask for Help, Everyone has Strengths and Weaknesses, Obey your Elders and such!
A Stop Motion Animation about Living Vehicles and a Pranking group of Jack Hammer and his "Wild Bunch" of Traffic Cones. Once per episode, Buddy would have his Tow-truck gear transformed into a different apparatus to Solve the problem of the Day. Voiced by Familiar Names in The British Children's Tv world like Jane Horricks, Russ Abbott and Dave Benson Phillips.
Adapted from the Book Series of the same name. Harry goes to Stay with Both Aunts who Run a Retirement home with a Secret. For you see all of the residents Are Still Bank robbers, But it's all for a good Cause the Money and Jewels are Stolen from real Criminals to keep the home Afloat. If I was Younger when this came out I would have watched this!
Seemingly Sapping some over from Chicken Run, this Animation by Cosgrove Hall would see three Chicken Sisters who could fly Defend their Farm from Foxes by, and I Kid You Not, Killing them by Airraiding them with LAID EGGS AS THEIR BOMBS!
Jungle Run
With 1999 being the Year Fun House ended it's Run. Gameshows Struggled to filled the Void. But one would do better than the others. Jungle Run.
Having that big Budget Crystal Maze Feel to it, Our Revolving Door of hosts had one thing in Common all of them were Jumped Ship from the BBC. First Toby Ansis, then Dominic Wood, Then Finally Michael Underwood Would lead the team to jungle Themed Locations to find and win Monkey Totems that in the End Game, the Tomb of the Monkey King each totem would grant the Team 5 seconds for each to solve puzzles to unlock room with a bigger Monkey King Statue as the game Progressed. If they leave the tomb in the 10 minutes if the Statue of the last puzzle they Solved they would win that tier of prizes, Usually the team would solve around 3 gaining them a Games Console.
created by Gerry Anderson, The Thunderbirds Creator swaps out the Marionettes for Stop Motion in this Forgotten Gem. A Steampunk Fairy Tale IN SPAAAAAAAAAACE! With Lots of Likable and Unlikable characters, good humour and Imaginative Vehicle Designs. Can be found on YouTube, and it doesn't disappoint.
Jim Henson company created yet another well liked Show. I remember my Dad being made to watch the show by my Sister when she was Young and him Asking my Mam what Animal Mopatop was supposed to be, only for her to answer back in a Welsh Accent "He's a Dragon, Cos it's a Show from Wales, Like!"
While we could only get the Welsh Stations in my Childhood Home, The Fact the Character came from D'Valleys was a Coincidence! Mopatop owned a shop that Sold Everything. And by everything I mean it. They didn't Sell Coloured Paint, they Sold COLOURS! Sounds, Feelings and Just about anything That was a Noun! As par the Course, since this is The Muppets, it was a Show that was Fun, even for anyone over its Demographic.
Trying to fill that fill that void, when Fun House when off the Air. Ferne Cotton and Andy Collins presented this Soft play Obstacles course that's had no real Identity to it.
In 1999, Matthew Corbett announced he was retiring and His Children had no Interest in keeping Sooty going. So Long time Friend Richard Cadell Bought the Puppets and the rights and it was going to be business as Usual.
Literally!
Suffice to say, Sooty Struggled to fit in a Citv in a new Millennium. And when I saw the Series was now going to be Set In a Hotel, Only two words came to mind
Custard Pie.
Yes that and Water Pistols and All the stuff which was still good half a decade ago when it was missed, was now samey after one show finished just less than a year ago.
A Softer and Gentler version of the Nightmare inducing Animated Rabbit Film, with Celebrity guest Voices every week. Not As Frightening as the Film, but still had some peril.
Worst Witch and Weirdsister College.
The Show that has being adapted to television by both the BBC and ITV. But only ITV have continued the Adventures as Mildred Hubble now started to come of Age. Clearly the Tone had switched from the original to the Sequel.
And That's every Show that was not lost to time, Sadly there are Shows I misremember and didn't have pages on Wikis on. So If your favourite isn't here then that's the Reason.
Next Time, the New Millennium had turned. But did we Tune In? Why was CITV making less shows? And why did a Brand that was making the top rating Show on Saturday Morning, made it into the Penultimate Show of a Dying Breed? And the newly launched Citv Channel would change it's identity again, but was it worth it?
Find out in part 3, where we enter the 00s.
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