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Original poster

Timmy will be played by a border collie. Wrong. Just so wrong.

157 replies

PretzelKnot · 01/08/2023 09:44

According to Wikipedia, Timmy will be played by a border collie in the new BBC Famous Five adaptation.

This is outrageous. I know some of the 80s editions of the books had Timmy on their cover as a border collie but he’s not. He’s a huge, fearsome, loyal protective mongrel who can hold back a bunch of bad guys in a tunnel allowing the kids to escape. Border collies are lovely and highly intelligent but no border collie could hold back a tunnel full of armed bad guys.

Here is the original description of Timmy-

“They sat up and looked to see what Timothy was like. They saw no
fisher-boy—but instead a big brown mongrel dog with an absurdly long
tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin! He was bounding
all round George, mad with delight. She came running down to them.

‘This is Timothy,’ she said. ‘Don’t you think he is simply perfect?’

As a dog, Timothy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head
was too big, his ears were too pricked, his tail was too long and it was
quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he was supposed to be. But he
was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of
the children adored him at once.”

Border collies already get a lot of glory in movies and TV shows. Now they are stealing a mongrel’s chance to shine.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
GasPanic · 01/08/2023 09:57

It should be modernised IMO.

Timmy should be a pit bull.

The five can sit around smoking weed and when asked to solve a mystery say "do I look bothered" or "whatever".

Summerrainstorminagain · 01/08/2023 09:58

Is there a breed pride flag? I feel we need a mongrel and rescue dog flag. It could be a stick and cross bones.

Summerrainstorminagain · 01/08/2023 09:59

GasPanic · 01/08/2023 09:57

It should be modernised IMO.

Timmy should be a pit bull.

The five can sit around smoking weed and when asked to solve a mystery say "do I look bothered" or "whatever".

I'd watch this. Famous five meets Waterloo road.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 01/08/2023 10:00

Zippyzoppy · 01/08/2023 09:51

That was the Secret Seven’s dog.

Show quote history

Oh thanks, getting all my childhood reading mixed up! My friend at school had a Red Setter,I was SO envious.

MillicentTrilbyHiggins · 01/08/2023 10:00

Maybe it will be a border collie that identifies as a mongrel.

spiderlight · 01/08/2023 10:04

Scamper was definitely a spaniel. He was described as a 'golden spaniel' so probably a cocker, although at a push he might have been a Sussex spaniel or a clumber.

spiderlight · 01/08/2023 10:06

Not a clumber, sorry - a field spaniel. Probably a cocker though.

Timmy was definitely not a border collie but it's inevitable that he'd end up being played by one.

tonyhawks23 · 01/08/2023 10:15

I feel like alan partridge when he says your getting bond wrong,reading this I'm 'your getting Enid blyton wrong!'

Scamper was a cocker spaniel.
I always saw Timmy as a border collie but know that's just my visualisation.
I thought the new one has Timmy as a bearded Collie??which is wrong imo but I will still watch it.

longwayoff · 01/08/2023 10:16

My old and much missed Border Collie could have driven off a gang of robbers, tied them up and delivered them wrapped to the cop shop. Dont under estimate them. If they had thumbs they'd rule the world. My current dog would just shout loudly at them until they shouted back, then he'd run and hide.

FlameGrilledSquirrel · 01/08/2023 10:16

GasPanic · 01/08/2023 09:57

It should be modernised IMO.

Timmy should be a pit bull.

The five can sit around smoking weed and when asked to solve a mystery say "do I look bothered" or "whatever".

And permanently on their mobile phones.

All on lashings of Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer.

Flapjacker48 · 01/08/2023 10:17

Other than Timmy and the odd terrier the dogs in Blyton stories are usually cocker spaniels and this was the type of dog she had (after her fox terrier died)

homeforme · 01/08/2023 10:19

Border collies already get a lot of glory in movies and TV shows. Now they are stealing a mongrel’s chance to shine.

Good god OP I have read some hilarious stuff on MN but this is going into my top famous 5

Worried1305 · 01/08/2023 10:20

Surely the key question is, will they rename George's aunt (as they did in the 1990s version. I was outraged and my poor mum had to explain why they had done it.)

Worried1305 · 01/08/2023 10:21

George's mother*
Everybody else's aunt!

Flapjacker48 · 01/08/2023 10:22

Dick = Rick
Fanny = Frannie

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 01/08/2023 10:23

It should be modernised IMO.

Timmy should be a pit bull.

The five can sit around smoking weed and when asked to solve a mystery say "do I look bothered" or "whatever".

Dressed like Goldie Looking Chain Grin

Maybe I'm easily pleased, but I'm just relieved that Timmy is going to be played by an actual canine dog and not by a (biological but not identifying) human in a costume.

GasPanic · 01/08/2023 10:25

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 01/08/2023 10:23

It should be modernised IMO.

Timmy should be a pit bull.

The five can sit around smoking weed and when asked to solve a mystery say "do I look bothered" or "whatever".

Dressed like Goldie Looking Chain Grin

Maybe I'm easily pleased, but I'm just relieved that Timmy is going to be played by an actual canine dog and not by a (biological but not identifying) human in a costume.

I was thinking about some sort of robot or drone could be Timmy.

Or maybe ChatGTP. They could feed it clues from the mobiles and it could solve the mystery all by itself while they play video games or watch telly.

Theredjellybean · 01/08/2023 10:25

OP you're wrong..the dog playing Timmy is "a bearded collie cross called kip"
The pictures on BBC show a shaggy brown and white slightly collie shaped scruffy looking dog...while I agree Timmy should be brown !!!! Kip is definitely not a traditional black and white or red and white border collie

Marblessolveeverything · 01/08/2023 10:25

Not sure how well the famous five will do if it set in the 2020s. Though George might be an interesting character. I have really fond memories of this I did offer my children them but they raise a few issues, you know like, neglect of parents, off in boats without life jackets etc - critics!

HarrietJet · 01/08/2023 10:26

PretzelKnot · 01/08/2023 09:44

According to Wikipedia, Timmy will be played by a border collie in the new BBC Famous Five adaptation.

This is outrageous. I know some of the 80s editions of the books had Timmy on their cover as a border collie but he’s not. He’s a huge, fearsome, loyal protective mongrel who can hold back a bunch of bad guys in a tunnel allowing the kids to escape. Border collies are lovely and highly intelligent but no border collie could hold back a tunnel full of armed bad guys.

Here is the original description of Timmy-

“They sat up and looked to see what Timothy was like. They saw no
fisher-boy—but instead a big brown mongrel dog with an absurdly long
tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin! He was bounding
all round George, mad with delight. She came running down to them.

‘This is Timothy,’ she said. ‘Don’t you think he is simply perfect?’

As a dog, Timothy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head
was too big, his ears were too pricked, his tail was too long and it was
quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he was supposed to be. But he
was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of
the children adored him at once.”

Border collies already get a lot of glory in movies and TV shows. Now they are stealing a mongrel’s chance to shine.

There was a tv series in the 70's, I've seen a clip somewhere. He was a black and white collie in that, definitely.

Original poster
PretzelKnot · 01/08/2023 10:27

homeforme · 01/08/2023 10:19

Border collies already get a lot of glory in movies and TV shows. Now they are stealing a mongrel’s chance to shine.

Good god OP I have read some hilarious stuff on MN but this is going into my top famous 5

Look at this smug Border Collie in Babe. Never having to fight for roles. Always being the first dog on call.

#TeamMongrel

Timmy will be played by a border collie. Wrong. Just so wrong.
OP posts:
Theredjellybean · 01/08/2023 10:29

And strangely the pictures show George in clothes that would be sort of styles you can buy now and wearing trainers...the others all dressed in 1950's clothes...it's really jarring

Conqueeftador · 01/08/2023 10:29

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 01/08/2023 09:47

I thought he was a Red Setter? The illustrations in the books I had were in sure.

That’s what I remember too.

BBno4 · 01/08/2023 10:29

I thought you meant tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol. I was thinking wow, the BBC are really trying to be different.