Famous Five | Mumsnet

tracktrail · 2024-04-01T13:27:58+00:00

I'm watching Famous Five, on BBC1, a total travesty! WTF! What were they thinking?

YouwouldthinkIhavemoresense · 01/04/2024 19:06

HoneyButterPopcorn · 01/04/2024 16:28

Why need to modernise it? When I was little it was ‘olde worlds’ and that was the charm of it. I can’t be bothered with ‘modernised’ stories when the kids are wise-cracking smart-Alec’s.

Cos it’s BBC init .. can’t leave it alone.

YouwouldthinkIhavemoresense · 01/04/2024 19:05

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AdultFemaleWoman · 01/04/2024 17:27

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 15:05

They never lived on Kirren Island iirc, that's why George used to like running off to it

Probably get sued if a child is encouraged to run off these days

JPGR · 01/04/2024 16:56

Catinabeanbag · 01/04/2024 15:35

Watched about half of it..... Ugh.
Not true to the books in the slightest. George was too old. Dick was too young (and shouldn't be a glasses wearing geek). In none of the books do they end up in a train to Scotland.... And how would you get a submarine into loch ness unnoticed?!!

Shame they’ve changed their characters. Dick was my first crush. 😂

HoneyButterPopcorn · 01/04/2024 16:28

Why need to modernise it? When I was little it was ‘olde worlds’ and that was the charm of it. I can’t be bothered with ‘modernised’ stories when the kids are wise-cracking smart-Alec’s.

FrippEnos · 01/04/2024 16:28

SocksAndTheCity · 01/04/2024 15:12

IIRC, George was 'non binary' in the books (or a tomboy, as it used to be called).

Show quote history

Except that what you have posted is wrong, George was a tomboy, not non binary.

Seashor · 01/04/2024 16:16

I’m really enjoying it but I like things ‘modernised’ to fit the times.

NotTerfNorCis · 01/04/2024 16:03

George in the books wasn't 'non-binary', she wanted people to think she was a boy because boys had far more freedom and respect. The ideal girl was epitomised by weak, docile, domesticated Ann.

George proved that girls could be tough, resourceful and adventurous if given the chance - even if they had to do it by pretending to be a boy.

It was a feminist point. Presenting her as trans or non binary is the opposite of feminist. It's saying that to be a girl, you have to be like Ann. George, by rebelling against gender stereotypes, stopped being a girl.

Tilllly · 01/04/2024 15:47

First one was awful

Same names, nothing else relevant
I don't know why they bothered

Catinabeanbag · 01/04/2024 15:35

Watched about half of it..... Ugh.
Not true to the books in the slightest. George was too old. Dick was too young (and shouldn't be a glasses wearing geek). In none of the books do they end up in a train to Scotland.... And how would you get a submarine into loch ness unnoticed?!!

Harpyand · 01/04/2024 15:29

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 15:20

@Harpyand they've toned down the most insufferable aspects of each character thankfully, although consequently Julian comes across as a bit wet!

My only bugbear with it is the manners of the FF leave much to be desired!

I remain entirely convinced that Julian grew up to be a UKIP councillor who plays a lot of golf and takes his local Masonic Lodge activities terribly seriously.

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 15:20

@Harpyand they've toned down the most insufferable aspects of each character thankfully, although consequently Julian comes across as a bit wet!

My only bugbear with it is the manners of the FF leave much to be desired!

Harpyand · 01/04/2024 15:18

I haven't seen it, but I imagine it would be difficult to translate the 'foreign and/or working-class villains' and the 'forelock-tugging farmers' wives who appear to ask nothing more than to make enormous packed lunches for passing children with nice middle-class manners' and the 'wild gypsy girls who are naturally filthy, barefoot and automatic liars and thieves but who develop a crush on Dick or Julian and can therefore be taught manners and honour' to 2024.

(I mean, I adored them as a child, but Julian was an insufferably pompous prematurely-middle-aged 13 year old, Dick was a token spear carrier, George and Anne said a lot about 1940/50s ideas of appropriate femininity involving staying behind making heather beds in caves while the boys did the exciting smuggler-tracking stuff.)

Sunquest · 01/04/2024 15:16

I so wanted to be George.

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 15:15

SocksAndTheCity · 01/04/2024 15:13

Slight derail but Babe (aka the Citizen Kane of talking animal films) is on FilmFour atm 😊

Damn, I have chores to do, I can't be spending the day watching childhood favourites!

Original poster

tracktrail · 01/04/2024 15:14

I'm trying to detach the FF element, as that was my disappointment and take it as just an adventure film... I want to enjoy it! I like a good family adventure film.. I'm an overgrown kid of 57. 😁

OP posts:

SocksAndTheCity · 01/04/2024 15:13

Slight derail but Babe (aka the Citizen Kane of talking animal films) is on FilmFour atm 😊

SocksAndTheCity · 01/04/2024 15:12

Connected1 · 01/04/2024 14:47

Is George non-binary?

IIRC, George was 'non binary' in the books (or a tomboy, as it used to be called).

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 15:09

Series, I think?

I remember Anne being very prim & whiny, she's much nicer in this

ConsuelaHammock · 01/04/2024 15:08

I adored the Famous Five books as a child. Blue Peter bring and buy sales were my very favourite thing. Is it a film or a series?

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 15:05

They never lived on Kirren Island iirc, that's why George used to like running off to it

Bluepetergarden · 01/04/2024 15:04

Do Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny still live on Kirren Island ?

Sunquest · 01/04/2024 15:02

I'm enjoying it and I read every FF book when I was a child. I do keep expecting them to have lashings of ginger beer though.

YouwouldthinkIhavemoresense · 01/04/2024 14:57

I think it’s a travesty too op.

AssassinsEyebrow · 01/04/2024 14:55

I'm really not following you op - I've not seen the first episode but so far it seems very famous five.

The books were about a bunch of kids having adventures - they didn't march around declaring themselves the famous five!