Victor & Hugo: Bunglers in Crime

I have read that Victor and Hugo are based on similar characters in Count Duckula, which I have never seen, though the drawings seem to support that claim. However, last night I saw The Wrong Box, made in 1966. Amongst the cornucopia of talent in that wonderful dead-pan comedy are Peter Cook and Dudley Moore playing brothers Morris and John, scheming, incompetent rotters. The characterisation is very similar, with the Dudley Moore character being the one who gets to do all the dirty work. There is even an exchange to the effect - "Why do I get to do all the dirty work?" "Because you are incredibly stupid!". Maybe Morris and John are the origin of both sets of characters. Well that is what I think anyway.

OK, so I admit, Victor and Hugo was not as good as Cosgrove Hall's other gems, examples, DangerMouse and Count Duckula. But this little show was still a very good one.

Recently I bought a DVD with one episode of Victor and Hugo on it. So, I watched it to bring back all those memories... It was 'Panda Monium', one I had not seen before, and I found it too hilarious. Seriously, I can't express how good it was.

Anyway, the whole story is about 2 brothers: Victor, who is tall and thin, and the general 'leader', if you like, and is rather vain and selfish. Then there's Hugo, the short and fat idiot, but very fun-loving, who makes (bad!) jokes up as the story goes along. They also have a cockney parrot, Interpoll, who they sometimes use as a telephone (what an imagination CHF had...!). Victor and Hugo are partners of Naughtiness International... basically they're burglars. VERY bad ones. I mean, what kind of a kid's cartoon would have the bad guys always winning?? Anyway, the jokes are decent (oddly enough!), the animation is decent, better than most other CHF cartoons, anyway, the plot is good... If you ever had the chance to watch this, take it. Seeing as only one episode (so far) has been released on DVD (boo hoo hoo), you may never have the chance again. It's too good to miss.

(And I still think Hugo looks adorable in that Panda suit :P)

What can I add that The Adster hasn't already said! Top show all round. Wacth out for Gaston & Pierre who appear in several episodes of Count Duckula, upon whom V&H are based. FUNNY. If only the monkeys at freemantle would do a decent job with their DVD releases and let us see this show again (or for the first time for many fans), after all there are so many obscure shows making it onto DVD nowadays so why not? Avenger Penguins was pretty decent too, in a different way.

Catch this show if you can, it is excellent and worthy of a rerun. Maybe Boomerang or someone could pick it up and give us a break from Spongebob and Scooby Doo? Thishful winking...and that IS what I said you brain of a banana!

By the makers of my other favourite cartoon of all time, Count Duckula.

Such a brilliant observation of the French language, utterly wasted as a kid's cartoon. "What is it that it is", the literal translation of 'Qu'est-ce que c'est que' is fantastic.

And the pant stealing dog? You'd think Victor would learn one day!

And yet no-one has ever heard of it when I mention it!

BRING IT BACK!!!

David Jason is great as the voice of Hugo.

Our whole family still say 'Where's me tablets?' whenever anyone says Gordon Bennett!