"The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4" (1985) TV series 1985-1987

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Peter Sasdy

Writers:

Sue Townsend (novels)
Trevor Waite (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

16 September 1985 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

The misadventures of a nerdish teenage boy as recorded in his personal diary.

Plot Keywords:

School | Diary | Teen | Talk To Mirror | Based On Novel

Cast

Gian Sammarco	...	Adrian Mole (12 episodes, 1985-1987)
Stephen Moore	...	George Mole (7 episodes, 1985-1987)
Bill Fraser	...	Bert Baxter (7 episodes, 1985-1987)
Lindsey Stagg	...	Pandora Braithwaite / ... (7 episodes, 1985-1987)
Steven Mackintosh	...	Nigel Partridge / ... (7 episodes, 1985-1987)
Lulu	...	Pauline Mole (6 episodes, 1987)
Julie Walters	...	Pauline Mole (5 episodes, 1985)
Beryl Reid	...	May Mole (5 episodes, 1985)
Chris Gascoyne	...	Barry Kent (5 episodes, 1985-1987)
Freddie Jones	...	Mr. Scruton / ... (5 episodes, 1985-1987)

Also Known As:

"The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾" (UK) (alternative spelling)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:6 (DVD)

Company:

Thames Television

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Adrian and his dad are shopping in 1981 Leicester, an advert for the Beaumont Leys Shopping Centre can be seen. This centre was not built until 1984.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years" (2001)

Very well done - apart from the Brummy accents!

I first read The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 when I was about 14 and decided to have another read 10 years on. When I discovered that a TV series had been made and that it was filmed in Leicester (where the author of the book is from, where the story is based and where I live) I decided to buy the VHS from Amazon.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this adaptation of the book! Gian Sammarco (who plays Adrian Mole) is spot on and I was very surprised to find that he hasn't done a lot else apart from this. And indeed I recognise bits of Leicester - The Sainsbury's Supermarket on Humberstone Gate and the City Centre Clock Tower to name a couple.

But the one thing that drove me absolutely crazy about this is the actor's putting on Birmingham accents! Why oh why were they made to do this? None of the characters are from Birmingham or even know anyone from Birmingham - they are Leicester born and bred (just like myself). HOW FRUSTRATING!

But apart from that I can't complain about the acting at all - they were very good and the casting is simply superb! A lot of the characters are exactly how I imagined them to be.

I don't think Adrian Mole fans will be disappointed by this at all. Very well done.