Wednesday 18 June 2014

LIFE: TV Shows From My Childhood

There are some shows and most often their theme songs which take me right back to being a child. Being born in 1986, I remember most shows from early 1990's onwards. Admittedly I was always more of a fan of BBC children's show, for some reason they seemed to grip me more, and i guess even as a child, adverts annoyed me.

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Round The Twist

Now, I can still sing the Round The Twist theme song - I think most people who grew up watching this show probably can. Round The Twist followed the life and adventures of three kids in Australia who grew up in a lighthouse (wow) and their bizarre magical adventures. It was a show that was often recast between the series, and I admit I've never seen any of the "newer" series (3 and 4) that aired in 2000. 
The Queens Nose

Based on the Dick King Smith (how I loved his books as a child) The Queen's Nose was one of my favourite, favourite shows on the BBC. Both follow the story of Harmony Parker who is given a 50 pence piece that can grant 7 wishes. Who of us didn't then wish for a magic 50p for ourselves and began rubbing all the ones we had?


The Demon Headmaster

Another book to TV adaptation by the BBC was The Demon Headmaster which started airing in 1996, which follows a show run and manipulated by a Headmaster.

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Byker Grove

Byker Byker Byker Grove ... yeah who doesn't remember that theme tune? Byker Grove is actually my first memory of hearing about Newcastle (rather than knowing family ties to the city - and then my determination later to move and study there - I even lived a street away from Byker itself although everyone knows the youth club wasn't filmed in Byker in real life). I remember that infamous episode of PJ going blind from the paint balling accident, Jemma being electrocuted (1994) and it's often marked as being one of the first to address issues of homosexuality and teen pregnancies to a younger audience.  

So those were my top four favorite kids TV shows going up, i'd love to hear what yours were!

33 comments:

  1. I loved ALL of those - well, less so Byker Grove, but the other three are definitely among my top faves! I also loved Pig Heart Boy and The Wild House - do you remember that one? No one else I know seems to remember The Wild House at all but I loved it!

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    1. I have vague reconciliation of the Wild House especially after watching the opening credits on YouTube - it's ringing a bell that's for sure!

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  2. Yeah! ROUND THE TWIST!
    HAVE YOU EVER, EVER FELT LIKE THIS? WHEN STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN, ARE YOU GOING ROUND THE TWIST? Hahha this made me so happy! I watched the Demon Headmaster too but it really scared me. haha! xx

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    1. HAHA that theme tune brings back so many memories!

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  3. This is the best blog post I've read this week, for the memories alone! x

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  4. I'm soooo glad someone else remembers the Queens Nose. I still rub 50p pieces thanks to that damn show. Eerie Indianna was a great show as well! Lisa x
    (@cthulhuwakes - astarfellonher.wordpress.com)

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    1. I remember everyone at school starting to rub the 50 pence's when that show came out!

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  5. I never really watched Byker Grove but loved all the others! :) Great post, I'd forgotten The Queen's Nose!

    Jess xo

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    1. I think the Queens Nose made my childhood TV watching!

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  6. Hmmm I've never heard of any of these! lol Probably because the USA doesn't air BBC. My favorite shows growing up were Nicktoons on Nickelodeon... especially Hey Arnold and the Wild Thornberrys!

    Jessica
    the.pyreflies.org

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    1. Yeah in the 90's we were pretty spoilt in the UK with the kids shows I will be honest. We did use to get the Wild Thornberrys too, that was a fun show!

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  7. Wow, what a blast from the past! I -loved- Round The Twist, particularly one episode involving exploding mushrooms! I used to watch a ton of cartoons like Bananaman and Bucky O'Hare, but my absolute favourite was always Knightmare. I've seen it since and I still love watching it!

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    1. Round the Twist never failed with funny episodes, was a classic show sure sure!

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  8. I used to watch all of these as a kid although I only vaguely remember Round The Twist now. I was definitely more of a BBC child too. There's something nice about reminiscing about the programmes you used to watch as a child - I end up doing so with the other half pretty often! Haha. I did love my fair share of cartoons too. Loved SuperTed, Captain Buck O'Hare, the Rugrats and Widget the World Watcher. Haha.
    Debi x

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    1. I don't remember those cartoons bar the Rugrats but that use to annoy me a little. I remember loving Penny Crayon and the Family Ness shows, those were awesome to watch.

      Oh and the Moomins, but those were odd, odd shows.

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  9. I warched all these - great to remember them! We used to come home from school and always without fail watch Home and Away then Neighbours.

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    1. Oh the days when Neighbours use to be on twice a day on the BBC!

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  10. I remember The a Demon Headmaster and loved the theme tune for Round The Twist, don't remember The Queen's Nose but Byker Grove was a must watch. I was born in **cough** 1975 so even though I was an "Adult" I still watched some of these shows. I loved The Mysterious Cities of Gold, Grange Hill, Dungeons and Dragons amongst others when I was growing up in the ahem 1980's :)

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    1. I remember reading the books for the Demon Headmaster too, very strange and scary! Grange Hill is a classic too isn't it, although I think the story lines were beginning to tire a little by the mid 90's.

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  11. Haha, I loved this list! I watched all of these programs too! I can still remember the music to 'Round the Twist' I used to get that tune stuck in my head for days!

    Lyndsay | Fizzy Peaches

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    1. Yeah whoever wrote the theme to that program certainly scored with making it catchy that's for sure!

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  12. As soon as I saw that top picture I had the Round The Twist theme tune in my head, and the blinding of PJ ws definitely one of the defining TV moments of my youth!

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    1. Yeah Round the Twist takes me right back!

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  13. Hmm... Funnily enough, I don't remember watching much kids TV when I was little. To be honest, I'm not sure there was any good kids TV in our country in the early 90's. But I do remember watching The Professionals, A-Team, McGyver, Airwolf... Looks like my soft spot from crime television developed very early on :D

    Oh, I watched Byker Grove a couple of years ago, when I discovered Ant & Dec. good series.

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    1. Yeah I grew up with The Professionals too - many because my mam loves watching shows like that, that show has a great opening theme too.

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  14. Wow, these gave brought back so many memories! I love pd all of these. Like you I always seemed to prefer the bbc shows. Have you seen the round the twist t shirt on truffle shuffle? It's amazing, I really want to get the men's version for my husband. X

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    1. Haha I haven't actually, i'll have to go look it up, sounds like a fun tee!

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  15. Oooh the demon headmaster! Me and my (notso)little brother used to get really freaked out by him!I used to love the Queens nose too :) Oh the memories! x

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    1. They certainly take you back don't they?!

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  16. I'm having flashbacks - I watched all of these! I can remember getting really excited because they filmed an episode of The Queen's Nose next to my primary school, I kept trying to walk past to be an extra haha!

    Lo at Notebook 54

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  17. YES! Yes to all these shows!

    Although I probably wouldn't have admitted watching the demon headmaster and the Queen's nose because I was probably slightly too old to be watching them. Actually only 3 years older than you but that can make for a hell of an age gap when we were watching these shows!

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