Malory Towers - iplayer

[SeaPink]

Anyone watching this? I've watched all of them and am enjoying it. I loved Enid Blyton books as a child, especially the boarding school books. Although the series is different from the books, I still enjoy it. Lovely location.
I guess if they were true to the books, the "nice" characters would have to be snooty bullies. 😀
I like the storyline involving Mademoiselle Rougier and Irene and the secret room storyline. Also the Gwen/Ron storyline.

Given the actresses ages, I wonder if they had conflicts with GCSEs or A level studies?

Very possibly. Not that it would have been at all predictable for scheduling...

@SeaPink she really has - it’s very high!

I've just been watching Series 1 - only saw a few of them the first time round. Its so much better!

I liked the magnetic prank they played on Mamzelle and the trick Mamzelle played back with Irene. 😁It was funny that Mamzelle was looking ashamed when Matron was telling them all off.
Nice storyline about Susan and the scholarship.

I wondered where the specials came in

Fab s5

Wiilstart that tonight when baby over shoulder

The ending of The Race episode was slightly odd. Wonder what's going on with the replacement Matron. We'll have to wait to the next series to find out.

Theres 10 more episodes of series 5 to go!

My money is on it bern the younger sister who is supposed to be getting married

I really, really wanted to like this series, I've loved Enid Blyton books my life long. I really hated it. The producers have moved so far away from the books that the episodes are a parody. The casting is 'woke' and very much worse for it.

Alicia.... nothing like the firebrand she's portrayed as in the books. I'm the last person who would want to shame a woman for her weight but these books are set in a time where women were NOT overweight. It's completely incongruous and jarring to see a character that you've known and loved in a 'wrong' format.

If those modern episodes had been produced in their own right, without the Blyton brand, then that would have been fine in my book. EB would not have written these and indeed, didn't. The storylines and lessons learned just don't transfer to the modern time, not with the poor writing and delivery.

That said, Gwendoline is phenomenal, she's carrying the whole thing as far as I'm concerned but I can't watch anymore.

Oh I didn't realise there were 10 more episodes. I did think it was an odd way for a series to end. You might be right about it being the younger sister.

E Blyton literally has an entire series based around a character nicknamed 'Fatty".

And Fatty could still run and cycle with the rest of them. I suspect he was a bit plump by today's standards.

It’s all in the mind of the reader/watcher. I think the actors capture the characters essence really well regardless of race or weight! I was devoted to the books and love the series.

😆I’m not sure I remember him. Was he a policeman? I do know some of Blyton’s work was of its time and wouldn’t fly now without some adjustments. The pixie in the wishing chair is one example!

Fatty, aka Frederick Trotteville, was leader of the Five Find-Outers.

I think there's a lot they've got right with MT, but I really struggled with the Gwendoline-Ron-baby one. I do not think Gwendoline Mary would really be keen on a working class boy such as he is, nor that private school teachers in the 1940s/50s would have their babies on site, let alone let anyone other than staff look after them. I'm also not convinced by the girls playing football instead of lacrosse and tennis and swimming, but that doesn't grate quite so much. Not totally convinced by archaeologist thinking it's fine to chop down an old established tree, either.

It's not true to the books but I enjoy it anyway. If it was true to the books the "nice" characters would have to be bullies, like in the books. I didn't think they were bullies when I read it as a child, but did when reading it to my dds.
My dds are late teens and not interested in watching MT, despite enjoying the books. (Eldest cried when I finished reading the series to her when she was at primary school as she didn't want it to end.)
I'm 52 and enjoy watching it on my own. 😁

E Blyton literally has an entire series based around a character nicknamed 'Fatty".

Who was not female. Sexist certainly but that was the time. Fat boys were jolly, fat girls were not, and nor were they accepted.

There was no need to keep to the time if the objective was to modernise and clear deviation from the original would have made this dramatisation better for it.

Fatty, aka Frederick Trotteville, was leader of the Five Find-Outers.

Omg. I R.E.M. him and that series

I did ask about the Christmas specials

When are they meant to be set

Inbetween which series

Thanks

Loved the Five Find Outers - DD did too. Sadly, DS won't read anything where 'everyone is called Peter'.

They were released after season 3

Thanks @PuttingDownRoots

Anyone know when the next set of series 5 episodes are coming on tv/iplayer? I think they'll be about putting on a play as I saw that in a preview

Its been two episodes a week so far (Monday evenings, 6pm cause great excitement here currently!)

Oh I thought there might be a gap between the first 10 and last 10. I'll look out for the next ones.