Vytor: The Starfire Champion (1989)

Vytor: The Starfire Champion (1989)

Dir. Tom Burton | 4 episodes, approx 22 mins each.

A short-lived animated Children's TV Series that might've gained a decent following if it hadn't been cancelled after only four episodes. It's not packed with originality — it reminded me of ThunderCats and Masters of the Universe often, particularly in the way it blends high fantasy and science fiction tech — but it's not completely derivative, either.

The hero is Vytor, a youth with aspirations of becoming protector of his village and its people, a group with an indigenous connection to the natural world, and whose technology is pre-industrial.

The backstory for the series goes something like this: seventeen years prior our introduction to Vytor (Michael Horton), a trio of big-wigs had a falling out, resulting in three separate Kingdoms.

Chocky Trilogy: TV Miniseries (1984-86)

Chocky Trilogy: TV Miniseries (1984-86)

01. Chocky (1984) | 6 eps, approx 25 mins each is a children's TV drama adapted from the 1968 novel of the same name by John Wyndham.

The series is set in 1980s Britain, and features a young boy named Matthew Gore (Andrew Ellams) who's contacted by the titular Chocky, a highly intelligent extra-terrestrial being.

Chocky speaks only to Matthew, using him to ask unusual questions of the adults. The change in his behaviour soon draws attention to the boy.

I first watched it as a child myself, of about ten or eleven-years-old. It was intriguing and somewhat frightening, and because of that combination it stayed in my memory as I grew older. Since then I've assimilated so much sci-fi that the basic concept no longer seems particularly fresh, but viewing it from an adult perspective, sympathising for the first time with the parents of young Matthew as well as Matthew himself, gave me a whole different insight into what the series was actually about.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-84)

He-Man and the MotU (1983-84)
Dirs. various | Seasons: 02 | Episodes: 130 (total), approx 23 mins each.

In theory, writing about the original MotU TV series should be a simple task because it isn't a difficult series to describe —  it's a mix of High Fantasy and Science Fiction, wrapped up in a 1980s bun — but the characters and their world have been such a defining part of my life that finding the words is proving to be difficult. It'll probably sound ridiculous, but if I could reach deep into my soul and paste that onto the page, much of what's there would be MotU-shaped.

Within the colourful blobs of joy would be identifiable forms. There'll be one that looks like a stone castle with a skull entrance. Next to it would be a jagged mountain with a giant snake wrapped around it. Elsewhere, you'd see a large cat the size of a lion, but green with orange stripes, and red armour on its back and head.

And there would be heroes, different in temperament but each one cut from the same cloth, standing together, poised to defend, strong in spirit and steadfast in purpose as they do their utmost to prevent the forces of evil from realising their selfish goals, lest the innocent suffer. A cliché it may be, but it's a cliché with a true heart, and that heart beats in time with my own. Put simply, I adore 1980s era MotU.

Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light (1987)

Visionaries: KotML (1987)

Dirs. Various | 13 episodes, approx 22 mins each

Like many 80s cartoons that were aimed at children the primary goal of Visionaries was to generate interest in a commercial toy line - in this instance the maker of the shelf plastic was toy giant Hasbro.

It wasn't a successful venture for the company. The cartoon lasted just one season (13 episodes) and the figures ceased production after just twelve months, while an equally short-lived bimonthly tie-in comic book published by Star Comics folded after just six issues. The only reason I know of its existence is because I had a couple of the figures as a kid and I bought the comic (when I could find it in stores).

The central gimmick of the toys was a holographic sticker positioned on each character's chest that looked half-cool and half-stupid; at least, it did to me back in the day. But I'm writing now about the cartoon, not the toys, so I'll not dwell on that.

Batman: The Animated Series (1992–95)

Batman: The Animated Series (1992–95)

Dirs. Various | 85 Episodes (65 in S1 + 20 in S2), approx 22 mins each. [1]

Quintessential - that's what The Animated Series version of Batman is for me, outside of the printed page. Whether it be live action or animation, TAS is superior to every other onscreen interpretation of the iconic character that I've encountered thus far.

That same adjective applies to two of its most notable voice actors. Firstly, Kevin Conroy, who provides the voice of both billionaire Bruce Wayne and his pointy-eared and black-caped nighttime alter ego. [2]

The other, mentioned second but no less memorable than the first is Mark Hamill, who brings maniacal life to The Joker. I've not enjoyed Hamill's work outside of TAS, but as the clown prince of crime he's a master.

Blackstar (1981)

Blackstar (1981)

13 episodes, approx 22 mins each.

It's well-known among the Masters of the Universe fanbase that some of the toy-line's action figures were repurposed assets from Mattel's own Big Jim franchise, but what's mentioned much less often is that Filmation's animated MotU TV series did some blatant borrowing of its own, from their short-lived Blackstar (1981) TV series, which came out two years before MotU and is in many respects a kind of precursor to the format that MotU settled on.

John Blackstar's origin is entirely different to He-Man's, and he doesn't have a secret dual identity, but the similarities in other areas are numerous and undoubtedly more than mere coincidence.

The show's opening credits provide backstory, which I'll transcribe below, for anyone who's interested:

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Fifth Season (2012)

The Sarah Jane Adventures:

The Complete Fifth Season (2012)

Dirs: Various | Episodes: 6 episodes, approx 27 mins each.

NOTE: THIS SECTION CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS FOR SEASON FOUR.

The fifth season of TSJA is both the shortest and the last of them - not because it was losing its appeal, but because the actress that played the title character, Elisabeth Sladen, sadly passed away. Of the planned twelve episodes, six were finished.

Luke (Tommy Knight) is still away at university, but Sky (Sinead Michael), the young girl that Sarah Jane and her team rescued at the end of Season Four, is still around, bringing the number of human helpers the reporter has back up to a comfortable three.

Well, four, if we count the times when Luke is back on Bannerman Road. He gets paired with Sky in the season's best two-parter (Eps 5+6); they're both Sarah Jane's 'adopted children', so it seems logical.

The Box of Delights (1984)

The Box of Delights (1984)

Dir. Renny Rye | 6 episodes, approx 30 minutes each.

In Britain TBoD is much-loved by many people, both young and old. I suspect that at least some part of the warm feelings that accompany such thoughts are to do with similar feelings toward the holiday season in which it's typically shown on television; i.e. the lead up to Christmas.

I'm not implying that to love the series you need also to love Christmas, but there's a definite correlation there. As such, while I sincerely enjoy what the production does on a technical level, its 'seasonal magic' is merely perfunctory for me.

And I apologise if it seems like I'm treading cruelly on someone's childhood memories when I say that the story is frequently uneven, losing ground in the middle section before pulling it back for an exciting ending that was itself followed by what I'd consider a clichéd cop-out if it wasn't for the slight ambiguity that lingers as the credits roll. Not meant to be unkind, it's simply a true refection of one person's feelings.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Fourth Season (2011)

The Sarah Jane Adventures:

The Complete Fourth Season (2011)

Dirs: Various | Episodes: 12 episodes, approx 27 mins each.

Sarah Jane's whiz-kid son Luke (Tommy Knight) features prominently on the cover, but the character is only in the fourth Season occasionally, and mostly it's from the other side of a webcam chat window.

His absence is used to highlight the kind of feelings that a parent experiences when a child leaves the nest, and the sense of abandonment and fear of further separation that a close-knit group can feel when one of their members is no longer present.

In one of the two-part stories, within a dream scenario (the subject's first, incidentally) lurks an Elm Street / Pennywise-esque creature that preys upon self-doubts and anxiety, which is something that the school-age youths have much of at that time. It has a creepy nursery rhyme jingle, too, which is often a plus in that kind of scenario.

Additionally, looking at the same situation from a different angle, it shows also how we can draw courage and strength from trusted friends.

Knights of God (1987)

Knights of God (1987)

13 episodes, approx 26 minutes each.

Dirs. Andrew Morgan (7 eps) and Michael Kerrigan (6 eps)

The fists and crossed swords symbol used by the Knights is a simple but striking and highly evocative design, wordlessly communicating to a viewer that the guiding credo of the order isn't benevolent preservation or protection, it's one of militaristic strength and aggression nestled within the colours that are historically associated with fascism.

In post-civil war Britain (the year 2020 AD) the self-proclaimed Knights rule with force, guns and border patrols, killing any who dare resist their control. It's a children's TV show but the killing doesn't happen off-screen. There's more hard-hitting acts of violence shown than you'd expect to see in a production with such a classification.

In today's culturally sensitive climate it would probably be either heavily cut or labelled as YA.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Third Season (2010)

The Sarah Jane Adventures:

The Complete Third Season (2010)

Dirs: Various | Episodes: 12 episodes, approx 27 mins each.

Bannerman Road's most famous resident continues the good fight. With the aid of an extraterrestrial super-computer housed in the attic, Sarah Jane Smith and her three young companions hold the line against all kinds of alien nasties that want to inhabit earth for various nefarious or profitable reasons.

The term 'alien' has negative connotations, so while it can be prudent to keep in mind Virgil's 'Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes,' saying, it's unwise to judge on appearances, and the idiom 'don't tar all with the same brush,' is an equally relevant one.

Events in season three go back as far as 1665 and forward to 2059, with the immediate present playing a crucial role in one of the more notable two-parters, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith (Dir. Joss Agnew), which has a very special guest star.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Second Season (2009)

The Sarah Jane Adventures:
The Complete Second Season (2009)

Dirs: Various | Episodes: 12 episodes, approx 27 mins each.

I was surprised to see one of the regular cast members leave in the first two-parter of the second season. I won't say who, because of spoilers, but it's not Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen), so the series survives the upheaval. But the relationships that were built up in season one had a lot more potential depth to them. I'd even begun to try and predict where things would go after the season finale.

Happily, the replacement character is a similar shaped peg that fits into the existing format well.

There's nothing herein that I'd call filler, but most of the stories are weaker than what came before. The exception, which was both the highlight and the one that quickly became my favourite episode of all so far, was The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith (Dir. Graeme Harper). It's a powerful story making use of a plot device that likely won't be new to fans of science fiction, but that doesn't lessen it. It packs a potent emotional punch that actually benefits from being simplified for a younger audience.

The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete First Season (2008)

The Sarah Jane Adventures:

The Complete First Season (2008)

Dirs: Various | Episodes: a one-hour pilot + 10 episodes, approx 25 mins each.

A Doctor Who spin-off aimed primarily at teenagers might not sound overly exciting, but The Sarah Jane Adventures is something very special. It addresses questions that many long-time Doctor Who fans have probably asked themselves at least once: what happens to the travelling companions after they leave? When they go back to a 'normal' life, how do they readjust after the wonders they've seen?

Created by Russell T Davies, the man credited with making the parent show such a renewed success, it offers the same kind of action packed flights of fantasy, grounded regularly by relatable emotions and characters guided by concern for each other.

It exists within, and expands upon, the same fictional universe, populated by the same kind of threats, and through it all remains faithful to the existing continuity, while creating some of its own. You can think of it as Doctor Who diluted, if you want to, but it's arguably just as exciting as the real thing, no matter what age you are.

The Owl Service (1969-70)

The Owl Service (1969-70)

Dir. Peter Plummer | 8 episodes, approx 24 mins each.

Adapted from Alan Garner's 1967 novel of the same name, The Owl Service is a story that draws from Britain's pagan past in order to comment on present day social situations (c. late 1960s).

At its core are three youths in their late teens, not blood relations but through circumstance living in the same country house in a remote Welsh valley.

Firstly there's Alison (Gillian Hills), whose mother Margaret is newly married to a man named Clive.

The second youth is Roger (Francis Wallis), Clive's privileged son who over the course of the eight short episodes begins to lust after his step-sister.

The final corner of the triangle is Gwyn (Michael Holden), the son of cranky housekeeper Nancy and the only one of the trio that's working class.

The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983)

The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983)

Dir. Diarmuid Lawrence | 6 episodes, approx 25 minutes each

A miniseries based on the children's book of the same name (1981) by Dorothy Edwards. I've not read the book, but I did watch the series back in the 80s when it was first screened on British TV. Once the titular Grinnygog appeared onscreen the memories of that time came flooding back to me - almost literally, I felt like I'd been hit by a driving wave of forgotten salad days.

The Grinnygog is a horned, cheeky-faced stone statue that's about the size of an average garden gnome. The little guy doesn't actually do very much besides look cool, but the majority of the important events that subsequently occur in the lives of the main protagonists happen as a result of his sudden appearance. Without seeming to do so directly, the Grinnygog influences and twists the threads of fate so that the correct people are in the correct place at the correct time.

Warrior Queen (1978)

Warrior Queen (1978)

Dirs. Michael Custance / Neville Green | 6 episodes, approx 25 minutes each

A British TV series about Queen Boudicca of the Celtic Iceni tribe, played here by the striking actress Siân Phillips. It tells of the determined queen's campaign to unite the native tribes in order to drive from their homeland the occupying forces of the Roman Empire in the year 61 AD.

Aiding Boudicca in her struggle is druid priest Volthan (Michael Gothard), a man who hates the Romans more than most because of the slaughter they wrought upon his fellow druid practitioners, even going so far as to outlaw their sacred beliefs.

Volthan's personal agenda sometimes overrides rational judgements, making him something of a dangerous ally. Gothard sometimes overacts the part, but there's no denying his good intentions for breathing dramatic life into the driven character.

The Tyrant King (1968)

The Tyrant King (1968)

Dir. Mike Hodges / 6 episodes, approx 24 mins each.

Adapted from a 1967 children's adventure book (The Tyrant King - A London Adventure by Aylmer Hall, a pen name of Norah Eleanor Lyle Cummins), the story follows three bored British teenagers, siblings Charlotte and Bill and their friend Peter, who overhear a shady man's phone conversation while exploring a stranger's house (aka trespassing).

Overcome with curiosity, and partial good intentions, the trio make it their business to solve the cryptic coded words of the mysterious stranger.

The tagline promises 'A Prog Rock Odyssey Through Swinging London', which is glamorous speak for what's essentially a visual tour of the city incorporated into a Children's TV show.

Children of the Dog Star (1984)

Children of the Dog Star (1984)

Dir. Chris Bailey | 6 episodes, approx 28 minutes each.

While staying at her uncle's New Zealand farm, twelve-year-old Gretchen is drawn to the unusual "brass daisy" weathervane located atop the barn.

Neither her aunt nor uncle knows when, why or how it got there. Gretchen later learns that local Maori legends tell of something unnatural sleeping nearby that mustn't be awakened. When she begins to experience strange dreams she suspects that all the separate incidents may somehow be connected.

Children of the Dog Star was a mid-80s children's TV show that wasn't afraid to offer lofty concepts to its young target audience, while simultaneously keeping things simple by utilising basic character types/traits that would connect with a wide range of viewers; types such as the inquisitive child, the neglected child, and the misunderstood child that frequently finds trouble even when not seeking it.

Escape Into Night (1972)

Escape Into Night (1972)

Dir. Richard Bramall | 6 episodes, approx 25 mins each.

Adapted from British novelist Catherine Storr's Marianne Dreams (1958), Escape is the story of what happens when a young girl's dreams become a kind of second reality for the incapacitated youth.

Marianne (Vikki Chambers) is confined to bed by the family doctor, on account of a cracked leg bone obtained in a riding accident. She's told it may take up to six weeks to heal. The news displeases Marianne, who's normally a very physically active child, so to pass the time she picks up a drawing pad and an old pencil and exercises her imagination.

When she dreams her drawings are brought to life in a peculiar way. She's able to walk around inside and around them. But when the young girl's thoughts become troubled in real life her dream place takes on a similarly dark tone, shaped by her adolescent frustrations and troubled, emotional outpourings.

Knightmare (1987–94)

Knightmare (1987–94)

8 Seasons, 112 episodes, approx 25 mins each.

As a young Faustus I loved all things fantasy and supernatural: HeroQuest gaming sessions; Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy books; the many Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms novels; etc, so it's no surprise that Knightmare fit perfectly into my life.

Four adventurers (kids under sixteen) entered the Castle of Confusion in the hope of conquering its dungeon. One wore the Helmet of Justice, which limited what he/she could see, and entered the dungeon proper. The remaining three stayed behind to act as guides, able to see on a screen where their Dungeoneer friend was, to direct and attempt to keep them from falling into imaginary pits of doom and suchlike.

The rules of the game were overseen by a Dungeon Master named Treguard of Dunshelm (pictured right), a noble(ish) born Saxon knight, he would give occasional clues and hints to either encourage a train of thought, help solve a puzzle or feed the team's nervousness. Among Knightmare fans, Treguard rocks!