CARTOON CAPERS
OUTSTANDING ANIMATION
Danger Mouse NETFLIX
CBBC’s super-charged revival of the classic cartoon boasts the urbane tones of Alexander Armstrong as the heroic mouse, Kevin Eldon as his hamster sidekick Penfold and a steady stream of well-timed gags and blockbuster action. If you want to compare it with the more sedate 1980s original. Two series.
The Gruffalo AMAZON PRIME
The BBC have been adapting Julia Donaldson’s books into magical festive treats for years now, and every one of them features Rob Brydon on the voice cast in some capacity. Have fun spotting him as you dig into the back catalogue on iPlayer, which also includes The Gruffalo’s Child, Room On The Broom, Zog and The Highway Rat. You can find Stick Man on Amazon Prime.
Dennis The Menace
AMAZON PRIME
The Beano comic still has a healthy fanbase, and a new TV series featuring Minnie The Minx is currently in production. Until then, housebound appreciators of its pages can enjoy two different Dennis and Gnasher series, and a smattering of other shows featuring a wider cast from the comic, spread between Amazon and iPlayer.
Shaun The Sheep RTE PLAYER/NETFLIX
We first met Aardman’s lovable sheep in the Wallace and Gromit film A Close Shave, but he’s become a star in his own right since then and the latest series, Adventures From Mossy Bottom, is exclusive to Netflix. What’s truly great about this show is how universal it is, as there’s no dialogue to speak of — the comedy is about what you see and that’s true of its spin-off, Timmy Time, too. Six series.
We’re Going On A Bear Hunt ALL4
Channel 4’s 2016 adaptation adds another layer of poignancy to Michael Rosen’s rhythmic children’s story, and preserves the gentle watercolour beauty of Helen Oxenbury’s illustrations. All together now: ‘We’re going on a bear hunt, we’re going to catch a big one, we’re not scared...’ The Adventures Of Paddington NOWTV/SKY
The younger bear of Nickelodeon’s animated series is very sweet, and wonderfully voiced by Ben Whishaw — just like in the films. The show itself is an unusually well-written and imaginative proposition that should please more than just young viewers. One series.
Adventure Time NOWTV/SKY
One of the most imaginative series on television, Adventure Time is the animated tale of a boy and his dog on a noble quest in a fantastical land. Its superficially fairytale stories rarely go in the direction you might expect but, despite the cleverness, Adventure Time is never less than a sweet, noble experience that should bewitch both the young and the young at heart. Ten series.
Tom And Jerry AMAZON PRIME
The richly animated original cartoon, with episodes dating from 1941 (a Christmas special, when a mouse was most definitely stirring) to 1962. The duo are, occasionally, more friendly to one another than you might expect. In Buddies Thicker Than Water (1962), Jerry saves Tom from freezing to death. Amazon have a rather surprising vein of vintage children’s TV including The Jetsons, Mister Ed, Bananaman and The Adventures Of Skippy. 60 episodes.
Green Eggs And Ham NETFLIX
Netflix’s Dr Seuss adaptation was years in the making, and it shows. The stunning storybook look of this road trip tale is matched by the starriness of its voice cast, including Michael Douglas as Guy-Am-I and Diane Keaton as Michellee. One series.