Catweazle - Series 1 [DVD][1970]

Long before the magic J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter of Hogwarts, Richard Carpenter created a character in the late 1960s which surely captured a generation of children and adults that was sorely missing in the early colour years of British Television.
If Richard Carpenter was the creativity behind Catweazle it was Geoffrey Bayldon who brought this unique character/person to life on the screen.
The character of Catweazle was a wizard who lived in England during Norman times
and practiced the art of magic living in a cave in the new forest.
Catweazle was forever casting spells and trying to solve the mystery of flight that was explored more deeply in series 2.
By using magic spells Catweazle transports himself and Toad companion "Touchwood" unintentionally 900 years into the future travelling though water and appearing on a farm in southern England.
He befriends a boy nicknamed Carrot (Robin Davies) who lives on Hexwood Farm with his father (Charles "Bud" Tingwell) and trusty farmhand Sam Woodyard (Neil McCarthy).
A fish out of water in this strange new world, Catweazle finds himself in many new bizarre situations, which ordinarily appear everyday, but difficult for this aging magician to grasp.
Come experience the wonder of Catweazle through the eyes of a man transported from 1066 to 1969 as he tries hard to comprehend the madness of modern day activity and tries to makes sense of the nightmare he has fallen into.
After 13 Episodes of Catweazle you will understand exactly what you have been missing out on and those of you who are "familiar" with this medium, will enjoy reliving an era of magic which is sadly lost flooded with contemporary mainstream Americanisation.
It truly is "Wondrous!"
Don't miss out.
Geoffrey Bayldon is Catweazle and will always be remembered as that warm and wonderful magician who transported us to a more innocent time.
Supported by a wonderful cast and the many guest stars that appeared throughout the series you will never forget Catweazle!

I am 13 and have recently seen all the episodes of Catweazle Series 1, and love it. It was a perfect piece of television for the family, and something like this could not be achieved today. Catweazle, a hermit from the year 1066 accidentally travels to the year 1970. There he meets a boy called Carrot living on a farm...

I will briefly review each episode:

1 The Sun In A Bottle *****

A perfect introduction, very funny and inventive

2 Castle Saburac ****

Not quite as good as the first one, but still very entertaining - the funniest part is Catweazle's introduction to a bath!

3 The Curse Of Rapkyn ****

We begin to find out more about Hexwood farm here. Catweazle up the chimney and down the well - very funny

4 The Witching Hour ****

Catweazle begins to see more modern inventions, and all characters are acting perfectly. Great stuff

5 The Eye Of Time ****

Good but drags a little. Carrot tries to make Catweazle look a normal man!

6 The Magic Face ****

Lots of little hidden jokes but alltogether nothing completely incredible - Catweazle experiences a camera and a car

7 The Telling Bone *****

The title is what Catweazle believes to be the name of a telephone. He's stuck up a church spire, nearly mistaken for Sam, tries to understand the works of a phone - classic!

8 The Power Of Adamcos *****

Easily a favourite of mine, I always look forward to it when watching them in turn. Carrot and Catweazle on a hunt for Adamcos the knife, through the woods, Hexwood farm and an Antiques shop

9 The Demi Devil ****

I hoped this one to be good considering the main storyline is Catweazle believing he has turned Carrot into a monkey! But it's quite good, just loosing the subtle style of some of the earlier episodes

10 The House Of The Sorcerer *****

Everyone believes Sam to have been murdered by some sound effects obsessed geek. Catweazle hears radio equipment thinking Sam is inside the box!

11 The Flying Broomsticks ****

Sam's under arrest with clever confusion! Catweazle tries to fly back 900 years on a broomstick

12 The Wisdom Of Solomon **

I was very harsh on this episode, but it's just dull. Sam and Catweazle are not involved in the plot at all. It's just a woman and son who enter Hexwood farm to help out, with Catweazle inventing a spell to make them speak the truth so Carrot can be rid of them

13 The Trickery Lantern

Very good and very sad. Catweazle returns to his own time with the help of a lantern swapped from Carrot which was meant to be his Dad's present! A great end

Was it really 1970 when we were first introduced to the glorious world of Catweazle? What a pleasure it is to view the age of innocence, bumper boots, dodgy t-shirts, bad hair cuts, pound notes and marvellous, now vintage, road vehicles! Not a mobile phone, dvd or a ready meal in sight! Lurking in the depths of my memory, all these words cleverly incorporated within the scripts - electrickery, telling bone, bettering (for betting), sigh. Just a few minutes into the dvd, and we too are transported back in time - what a wonderful world it was too. Also was delighted to discover that Catweazle lives on, thanks to a dedicated fanclub with a wonderful website - I may have to add this series to my dvd collection in order to cheer me up on dour days and restore my faith in human nature. Marvellous, abso-blooming marvellous!