La Folle Escapade

I generously give this series a 7. Although it was well done, season 3 and the ending was a let down. I would have rated it an 8 if season 3 reflected season 1 and 2.

It is a unique story and animation following the trials and tribulations of a rabbit warren. It is much like a regular drama except it is animated with rabbits as main characters instead of humans. I think the content is too mature for kids. Perhaps it would be okay for teens.

It was a disappointment that they veered off in season 3 and were much too focused on war and creating a warren at a man made facility (which was not in the book) was just too far fetched. Rabbits are peaceful and gentle creatures and they belong in the natural world and are not adaptable as other animals such as rats or mice.

This aside, my main criticism of the series was that they should have had one more episode to wrap things up and let us witness outcomes. Instead it felt as though it ended short if they ran out of budget.

I don't see why most of the comments are negative. This cartoon actually makes you think and actually has a serious plot. I mean, look at Sponge Bob Square pants! It isn't a show full of nonsense and crap, it's beautifully animated and challenges the little kids watching it to think and try broaden their perspectives on different situations.

Sure, it has it's cheesy morals about understanding and friendship and unity, but it has to or it wouldn't be considered quite appropriate for young kids now would it? But it still retains some of the melancholy, beautifully depressing atmosphere Adams gave his masterpiece of a novel.

Watership Down's a great show. You should at least watch a few episodes. And the second season, though straying greatly from Adams' novel is still good. More action-packed and a more creative story line, now that Adams' story line is done and they can expand with their own ideas.

Although many would say that it doesn't even compare to the 1978 film, Personally I'd say it was better. I love the Characters it makes it hard for me to pick a favourite, Which I one of the things I love about it. Blackberry changed from Buck (Male) to Doe (Female). I love the female Blackberry and it was nice to have a Sandleford doe on the Down. This series introduced new characters, never featured in the book such as Spartina or Hickory. It also showed Redstone warren and Darkhaven warren. Characters like Hawkbit, Strawberry or Silverweed made it into the Series. Lapine was still used but I think there should have been more. I think the changes in this series were great, Remember though its only Based on the novel by Richard Adams and if it had of been the same as the film, It would have been quite boring!

The book is an incredibly powerful one and the 1978 is one of my all-time favourite movies. So actually considering that the intense nature of the book and film would be simplified for a more family-oriented series I was not expecting much. But I found myself incredibly impressed. In correlation to the book and film it is not as good, but deserves to stand on its own. What was actually impressive about the Watership Down series was that while the ferocity and power was more dominant in the book and film, the series at the same doesn't fall into the trap of making it into a stereotypical cute little bunnies show. There is definitely a darkness and sense of conflict there, but it doesn't feel like too much. The morals are done in a realistic way and the story lines are intelligently done. The writing is strong, not childish or too sophisticated, the music is lovingly haunting and the animation looks beautiful. I actually found the character design of General Woundwort more threatening than he is in the film. The characters are basic in the types of characters they are, but at the same time there is nothing dull or annoying about them. The voice acting is terrific, Richard Briers is suitably earnest and John Hurt takes on the villainous role of Woundwort and is subtly malevolent. Overall, I found it to be a very good show. 9/10 Bethany Cox

As the summary says, this is a good cartoon for kids and TV lovers. It's got all the generic yet lovable characters: a wise leader, a strong fighter, a wisecracker, a sarcastic guy, a smart gal, a cute kid, a big, fierce enemy, and an unsuspected bonus: a prophet! It's fun at times and serious when need be, always interesting and doesn't make you lose interest two minutes into episode one like some cartoons can.

All the same, parts of it are kind of an insult to the original novel. Blackberry, originally a smart male, is a female in the show. (Well, naturally...) Pipkin is a child, not an adult, and some characters were completely cut out, such as Silver and Hyzenthlay. In fact, Hyzenthlay has been replaced with a new female, Primrose. Most lapine words and names, including the does we know from the book like Hyzenthlay, have been taken out, probably since kids can't pronounce them. Kehaar is also much more friendly and rabbit-loving than his book or even movie counterpart. He's been given a little mouse friend who tails him a lot, called Hannah.

I know most of this comment is negative, but that's probably because I read the book before I saw the movie. The series is actually cute, and if you just ignore the parts that are different from the book, it's certainly a show worth watching. Enjoy!