"Watership Down" (1999) TV series

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Genre:

Adventure | Animation | Fantasy

Plot:

The adventures of a warren of rabbits as they struggle to develop their new home & protect it from the various threats they face.

Plot Keywords:

Rabbit | Place Name In Title | Runt | Remake | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard Briers	...	Captain Broom (15 episodes, 1999-2001)
Jane Horrocks	...	Hannah (14 episodes, 1999-2000)
Andrew Falvey	...	Fiver (13 episodes, 1999)
Phill Jupitus	...	Dandelion (13 episodes, 1999)
Stephen Mangan	...	Bigwig (13 episodes, 1999)
Lee Ross	...	Hawkbit (13 episodes, 1999)
Ian Shaw	...	Hazel (13 episodes, 1999)
Rik Mayall	...	Kehaar (13 episodes, 1999)
Elliot Henderson-Boyle	...	Pipkin (12 episodes, 1999)
Rob Rackstraw	...	Campion / ... (9 episodes, 1999)
David Holt	...	Vervain / ... (8 episodes, 1999)
Kate Ashfield	...	Primrose (7 episodes, 1999)
John Hurt	...	General Woundwort (7 episodes, 1999-2000)

(more)

Series Directed by
Troy Sullivan		(13 episodes, 1999)

Series Writing credits
Mary Crawford		(21 episodes, 2000-2001)
Alan Templeton		(20 episodes, 2000-2001)
Richard Adams		(13 episodes, 1999)
Roger Stennett		(5 episodes, 1999)
Martin Riley		(3 episodes, 1999)
Anna Bourque		(2 episodes, 1999)
David Finley		(2 episodes, 1999)

Series Produced by
Justin Bodle	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 1999)
Neil Court	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 1999)
Steven DeNure	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 1999)
Martin Rosen	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 1999)
Beth Stevenson	....	producer (13 episodes, 1999)
Simon Vaughan	....	executive producer / producer (13 episodes, 1999)
Curtis Crawford	....	producer (2 episodes, 1999)
Denyse Ouellette	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1999)

Series Original Music by
Mike Batt		(13 episodes, 1999)

Series Art Department
Benoit Cecyre	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 1999)
Trevor Hierons	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 1999)

Series Animation Department
Phil Postma	....	key animator (13 episodes, 1999)
Michel Dazé	....	overseas animation supervisor (2 episodes, 1999)
Scott Fiander	....	sheet timer (2 episodes, 1999)
Michel Guérin	....	background artist (2 episodes, 1999)
Woong Cheon Jang	....	animation posing artist (2 episodes, 1999)
Teo Kiriakov	....	background artist (2 episodes, 1999)
Michael Mitchell	....	track breakdown (2 episodes, 1999)
Lise Murka	....	color stylist (2 episodes, 1999)
Knud Skov	....	background supervisor (2 episodes, 1999)
Sue Wilkinson	....	layout artist (2 episodes, 1999)
Lynn Zentner-Roos	....	background artist (2 episodes, 1999)
Julie Styles	....	animation posing artist (unknown episodes)
Sarah Taylor	....	animation posing artist (unknown episodes)
Sebastian Weber	....	animation posing artist (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Michael Thibodeau	....	colorist (2 episodes, 1999)

Series Other crew
Mary Crawford	....	executive story editor (39 episodes, 1999-2001)
Alan Templeton	....	executive story editor (39 episodes, 1999-2001)
Alan Templeton	....	voice director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Alltime Entertainment
• Canal Famille
• Decode Entertainment
• Funbag Animation Studios
• Helix Animation
• YTV

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (1999) (UK) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• YTV

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:G

Company:

Alltime Entertainment

Movie Connections:

Version of Watership Down (1978)

Soundtrack:

Bright Eyes

If there's nothing on the other channel....

The famous novel is the latest thing to fall victim to the commercialism industry. Everywhere you look now there is 'Watership Down' merchandising based on this TV series.

Re-makes rarely turn out anything as good as the originals, and that's certainly the case here. This series is a product of a modern generation which seems to think that kids can only watch cosily bland stuff - I saw the original film when I was a youngster and I never had nightmares. The voices in this TV series version are variable. A few of the vocalists from the original film return, but most of the voices are just typical 'cute cartoon bunny' voices and many supposedly serious scenes are rendered laughable.

Too early-morning-cartoony to be taken seriously, too slow and uneventful to be regarded as comedy. Do yourself a favour and get the original film on video - it's been re-graded from a PG (Parental Guidence) to a U (suitable for all), so even the producers must realise it isn't all that shocking for youngsters.