10 Years of Watership Down: The TV Series

There can be few more impactful and fully formed fantasy children's novels than Richard Adams' Watership Down about the struggles of anthropomorphic rabbits in Hampshire, escaping their warren as its destroyed and seeking a new home. However this particular post is not about the novel or even Martin Rosen's gritty (in a good way) film of 1978, both of which have enjoyed critical acclaim, but rather to celebrate the TV series which ran from 1999-2001.

Now this rather excellent website does a better job of explaining the details about the series than I can, but what I can offer are my memories of tuning in for the first time as a mere slip of a lad and following the adventures of Fiver, Bigwig and Hazel, glued to the screen and indeed my impressions now, having watched as many episodes as were available (including the elusive Third Series, which never aired in England. More's the pity, it's a cracker).

The ensemble cast for the piece has interestingly (much like a fine Pinot Noir) matured with age and features some fairly big names, for the first 2 series' at least (the cast was shuffled for the Third Series, along with the animators). As well as voiceover stalwarts Ian Shaw and Rob Rackstraw as Hazel and Campion respectively, the show also featured Phil Jupitus as storyteller Dandelion, John Hurt as General Woundwort, Jane Horrocks as Hannah the mouse, Rik Mayall as Keehar and my personal favourite Stephen Mangan (of Guy Secretan fame) as gruff Owsla captain Bigwig. The theme tune for the series was a reinterpretation of Bright Eyes, performed by the late Stephen Gately, who also provided the voice of Efrafan rabbit Blackavar.

I genuinely loved this as a child. Everything from the distinct, well-animated characters - clever leader Hazel; brawny, coiffured Bigwig; Hulking, dark, red-eyed Woundwort - to the crisp backdrops, filled me with wide-eyed wonder. The narrative gripped me. The escape from Sandleford Warren and then the rivarly with Efrafa was intense and fraught with danger. The third series was even better, despite an animation overhaul and several prominent cast members leaving the show. Now, the Third Series was never aired in the UK (for reasons which I don't fully understand) but can be viewed here thanks to the majesty of Youtube. It's grittier and more violent than the first two (which in comparison to the film were perhaps a little twee) and it benefits from the darker overtones of the resolution of Series 2.

The characters are well aimed at their target audience. Woundwort, the classic boo-hiss villain, who holds an iron paw-grip of tyranny over Efrafa, is later revealed to have a tortured past (with further revelations in Series Three). Hazel, the clever hero, using his wits to overcome adversity and holding the best interests of his friends at heart. Bigwig, the ballsy, Lee Marvin type, a rabbit of action. Hawkbit and Dandelion, the wisecracking duo, full of wit and self-deprication.

Upon watching the series again and viewing the Third for the very first time, I can safely say that, if anything, I enjoyed Watership Down even more than I did as a lad. It was a magnificent flare of children's animated drama that burned brightly (one could say 'burning like fire') as an overwhelming wave of American imports began to saturate children's television at the turn of the millennium. It does rather make me hanker for the golden age of British children's adaptations, but more than anything, I wonder why CBBC and CITV (who were relegated from ITV altogether) seem to be unable to produce quality British dramas, animated or otherwise these days.

If you were wanting a slightly more festive blog, then the best I can offer is the Christmas edition from the second series, featuring a cameo from Dawn French. There, if that doesn't warm the cockles of your heart, then perhaps anthropomorphic rabbits aren't for you.