Popular Nostalgia

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Many people learnt to read with the Hungry Caterpillar. How well do you actually know it though? I found a Hungry Caterpillar quiz here. I think this book is the reason why I now find many films so predictable. A very good linear story! We passed this book down through the family until I read […]

Light years ahead in terms of technology, virtual reality children’s television series, Knightmare, was actually really scary. It was like a cross between a medieval re-enactment and a computer game. It would be really strange to take part in it as it literally was a walk through computer game -except some gammy actors would accost […]

Another travesty of the one-hit wonder phenomenon. Good for charity though, a bit like the Peter Kay re-make of “Show me the way to Amarillo”, but much more annoying. Watch out for Jeremy Clarkson and Carol Vorderman in this video. You even get to see Mrs Blobby and Baby Blobby towards the end as well […]

“By your powers combined -I am Captain Planet! Captain Planet, he’s our hero, gonna take pollution down to zero”. Who sang these things? Global activism is nothing new -Captain Planet was on to it long before Al Gore. I always wanted the power of fire and nobody wanted the power of heart because that was […]

The best morning show of th 1990’s. Ant, Dec and Cat Deely would run amok for a couple of hours. Ant used to try and beat the kids at the trivia quiz and he could be quite harsh -especially if he won. They impersonated most celebrities and we nearly got the long-awaited kiss on their […]

A SEMINAL MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF BRITISH TV!! Byker Grove was gritty, but worse than the under-age sex, drug-taking and general malaise of a rough Northern sitcom was when PJ, the hero of the saga, took one for the team against Denton Burn. I cannot remember how many times I have heard people recall […]

A 1960’s animation of space-mice that communicate through whistles. The Clangers are very cute but a bit wierd -as all space mice are. I like their pannelled gold outfits -the fashion is coming back into season right now. The predeccessor to Button Moon, the 90’s kids have much to be grateful for.

The long-running children’s science program with Fred, Gareth and Carol. The most memorable one was getting an egg into a bottle using a matchstick. Everybody put up your right hand like a vulcan and say “that’s how for now!” They had all sorts of gimmick, some of which were quite disappointing as they just made […]

Those little mice and hamsters that lived in windmills and houses. I remember the little green plastic beds that had so many details, down to the mini-mattresses. You could collect all sorts of stuff for them, I even picked up some tiny minature tins of food to stock them up. Somehow, the mini animals were […]

Responsible for mentally scarring a whole generation of 9 year olds, the death of Mufasa made children cry -all over the world. In the same league as the death of Leonardo di Caprio in Romeo & Juliet and the death of Jack in Titanic, Mufasa’s death was cruel and horrible. I’m glad to consign this […]

Renowned for having the most annoying, catchy theme tune ever. “Have you ever, ever felt like this?” The lead kid was ugly, lived in a lighthouse and magic stuff happened. Apart from that, the memories of Round the Twist are hazy. Lyrics Have you ever, ever felt like this, When strange things happen, Are you […]

A guy with a silly clothes and a badger that loves mash potato. Sounds like my school drama class at work again. My favourite bit was when all the stupidity had stopped and they made stuff out of recycled bits and bobs that came out of a shute. I always wondered, though, how they got […]