The Return of the Borrowers

I recently dug out the videos of this charming TV series and it's still as good today as it was 10 years ago! I used to watch this religiously when I was 7 years old. You don't get television programmes like this anymore - an amazing cast featuring the likes of Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton who are perfect in their roles as Mr and Mrs Clock - the clever and courageous Pod and the worried and tearful Homily, who along with their mischievous daughter Arietty set out on a hair raising journey through the English countryside, hoping to find a new home for themselves. They are 'Borrowers', who spend their days 'borrowing' everything and anything from 'Human Beans', in order to survive! Children's programmes today are simply too polished - Sian Phillips is perfectly cast as the devilish house minder Mrs Driver and at times the programme is surprisingly startling. Full of adventure and suspense, and special effects that were a masterpiece of their time (and still impress today), this BBC adaptation of Norton's classic novel is a favourite of my generation and is one for all the family!

When I was younger, the stories of the Borrowers always fascinated me, now that there is a new movie with John Goodman, who puts on a good act, the spark has returned. This particular Borrowers movie is very interesting. In "The Return Of The Borrowers", Pod, Himily, and their daughter Arrietty, decide to move. Throughout the movie they encounter humans and animals alike. This would have to be my favorite of the Borrower movies because I like the idea of the Borrowers out in the world, encountering dangers and beauties alike. I would have to give this show a 10/10! You must watch it.

THE RETURN OF THE BORROWERS is the second and final series of the BBC adaptations of the Mary Norton novels. Pod, Homily, and Arrietty are back and better than before, and as a whole this series has an edge over the first. There's more action, more incident, more danger, and more adventure throughout.

I think the reason this second series works better is that it doesn't take a couple of episodes to get to know the characters and their world: it gets straight into the meat of the storyline, which follows an action-adventure template with plenty of cliffhangers just like those 1930s serials of old. There are also more characters to enjoy here, with future star Ben Chaplin particularly hissable as one of the villains of the piece.

Sian Phillips and Tony Haygarth return and continue to be value for money as the scheming humans, but it's the acting of the central family who really make this work; the actors know each other and get along so well now that you truly believe they're a close knit unit. The latter episodes in the model village are particularly well realised, and that bittersweet ending still packs a punch. As ever, Spiller is the coolest character ever.