Review of Bagpuss: The Complete Series

Introduction

Some of the studios are definitely doing their market research. They`ve worked out that a good percentage of the DVD buying public are twenty and thirtysomethings who grew up with some of the best children`s TV programes ever made.

Forget your modern rubbish like Teletubbies, Tweenies, Pokemon and the new animated Moomins. We grew up with The Flumps, Bod, Ludwig, Henry`s Cat, Willo the Wisp, Henry`s Cat, Roobarb and Custard and Bagpuss, recently voted the best children`s TV programme ever in a BBC poll.

So here it is, The Complete Bagpuss, all collected together on one handy DVD. Bagpuss has had a revival recently - you may have seen our pink and white stripey friend on t-shirts, filofaxes, cuddly toys and pencil cases in the shops over Xmas.

Video

The video quality isn`t amazing. But given that this is a 26 year old TV programme it`s probably about as good as it`s ever going to look. There`s dirt and grain in quite a few places, as well as some artefacts. If you`re used to modern kids TV (even something like the Tweenies is shot in widescreen) then it might come as a bit of a shock, but this is what TV was like back then!

Audio

No amazing dts soundtrack for you here, just the original mono track. Nothing wrong with that, everything sounds fine, so why tamper with it?

Features

Nothing at all here, although I can`t imagine what extra material would exist. They would probably have had to go out and shoot some interview footage or similar (and that costs money), so it`s not a big surprise to find that this hasn`t happened.

Conclusion

This is it. Over three hours of television make up the complete Bagpuss, all of the episodes on one DVD. All your favourites are here - Professor Yaffle, Gabriel, Madeleine and even little Charlie Mouse. Classic children`s TV, and if that`s your thing you`ll love it. Relive your childhood today.

They don`t make them like they used to!