When I was a kid, my Mum had the Beatrix Potter book collection, and I remember seeing a few of the episodes of this cartoon series based on them, it was only when I grew up that I managed to watch the rest. Basically, it always opens with a live action sequence with children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (Niamh Cusack) in the English countryside, in Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey near Hawkshead, Cumbria (which Potter left to the National Trust), or in the city. On the farm, she has her dog Kep, many animals around her, including geese, pigs, hedgehogs, foxes, and frogs, and there's her pet rabbit Peter. She is always writing stories of animals for children which she posts. All these stories are narrated by Potter, sometimes two separate stories are merged together, and we are transported into the story with the animation. The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny sees naughty young rabbit Peter (Rory Carty), who wears a blue coat and shoes, not staying with his sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontsil, and going into the garden of Mr McGregor (Richard Wilson/Andrew Robertson), despite warnings from his mother Mrs. Josephine Rabbit (June Whitfield); Peter's cousin Benjamin (Andrew Clitheroe) later helps him retrieve his clothes, with both being rescued from Mr. McGregor's cat by Benjamin's father Mr. Bouncer (Enn Reitel). The Tale of Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck sees Tom Kitten (Alan Bowe) and his sisters losing their clothes after playing, while goose Jemima Puddle Duck (Su Pollard) is trying to lay her eggs and is almost tricked by a gentlemanly fox Mr. Tod (Dinsdale Landen) who plans to kill and eat her and her eggs. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding sees Mrs Tabitha Twitchit (Rosemary Leach) losing her kittens, including Tom who climbs up into the chimney, he is almost turned into a roly-poly pudding by old rat Samuel (Struan Rodger) and his wife Anna Maria (Sheila Hancock), before being rescued by his mother and Cousin Ribby (Keeping Up Appearances' Patricia Routledge). The Tailor of Gloucester sees a Tailor (Sir Ian Holm) is making a coat for the Mayor of Gloucester to be ready for Christmas morning, his cat Simkin (Derek Griffiths) venturing out after hiding the tailor's essential cherry coloured silk, while mice finish the coat in the night. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Mr. Jeremy Fisher sees young Lucie (Rebecca Hall) looking for her lost pocket handkerchief, she finds hedgehog Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (Prunella Scales) who does laundry, and they later visit gentleman frog Mr. Jeremy Fisher (Sir Derek Jacobi) who tells them about his near-death experience whilst fishing. The Tale of Pigling Bland sees pig Aunt Pettitoes (Pam Ferris) sending brothers Pigling Bland (Chris Lang) and Alexander (Mark Lockyer) to market in Lancashire, but they are separated, Pigling gets lost, winding up at the house of a Farmer (David Neal), where he meets a black Berkshire pig named Pig Wig (Josie Lawrence), and they run away together. The Tale of Two Bad Mice and Johnny Town-Mouse sees two little mice named Tom Thumb (Rik Mayall) and Hunca Munca (Felicity Kendal) breaking into a little girl's doll's house and wrecking everything, while mouse Timmie Willie (Alan Bennett), who lives in the country, horrified by things at the house of Johnny Town Mouse (Hugh Laurie). The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse sees a grown-up Benjamin Bunny (Adrian Scarborough) has married Peter's sister Flopsy (Sheila Steafel), they have six children collectively known as the Flopsy Bunnies who are fall asleep after being greedy and almost taken by Mr. McGregor before being rescued by wood mouse Mrs. Tittlemouse (Anna Massey), who keeps her house very tidy, before being bothered by a swarm of honeybees and her toad neighbour Mr. Jackson (Richard Griffiths). Finally, The Tale of Mr. Tod sees Mr. Bouncer looking after Benjamin and Flopsy's children, but he falls asleep, the bunnies are kidnapped by badger Tommy Brock (Star Wars' Don Henderson), Benjamin and Peter (Mark Lockyer) go to rescue them, while fox Mr. Tod is horrified to find Tommy Brock, his arch enemy, sleeping in his bed. Also starring Richard Griffiths as Mr. Alderman Ptolomy Tortoise and Sir Isaac Newton the newt, Enn Reitel as Mr. Red-Breast the Robin, June Watson as Mrs. McGregor, Jemima Ffyne as Daisy the maid, and John Gordon Sinclair as John Joiner. The animation is impeccable, the well-known voices are chosen perfectly for their characters, and most of the stories are enjoyable, it will appeal perfectly for young children, and the most memorable thing for me was the song in the end credits, "Perfect Day" by Miriam Stockley, a most worthwhile animated anthology TV series. It was nominated the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less). Good!
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
(1992–1998)
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
13 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers