Most episodes in this series were live, but I think this one was pre-recorded. If that's the case, it was made the day _before_ episode 2 was broadcast live. What do you think? Can you spot anything that proves or disproves this?
+Lyric Rogers Ah, but the Spin Quiz is in every episode of the series, and yet some were definitely pre-recorded. Rod saying 'We've just read your poem' during one of the calls suggests to me it's not live, because he wouldn't need to say that if it was. It's a _very_ tricky puzzle of logic and observation!
Possible proofs of this not being a live broadcast - the precise editing of most of the footage, and not a lot of panning shots among the kids (also less cameramen around the set; the live ones usually have a lot of them present). The framing of the shots (particularly the Grotbags and Rod moments in the windmill) have a more fixed feel, not very all over the place. I believe there is some experimenting with the shots used, like the focus on Tammy on the Spin Quiz spot before Rod and Emu came over. It's all odd and quite a mind-boggler, to figure whether these clues lead to this episode being pre-recorded.
The aesthetic of this series (well, all the live series really) really reminds me of the fourth season of the original 70s zoom :) and little Daniel looks just like Tommy, one of the boys from that season
Great episode but it felt different, I guess this one of the pre-recorded episodes... The atmosphere of this episode was somehow different. Anyways, that lost spellbook was a nice way to have an extra interaction with the kids present, this little boy Dan probably went home overjoyed cause he "helped to bring back colours to the world". Rod and Grot's interactions are always nice to see, I feel like Rod "breaks character" around Carol and try to do the same with her lol The boy in the Grotto Game was funny and speaking of which, he also had a great (but brief) interaction with Grotbags, I'm glad he got the Star Prize. The second song was the best Technicolor ad that I ever saw Hahaha
In episode 1 Rod goes out of his way to mention it being valentines day and asking the Spin Quiz contestant if they've had any cards today. In Episode 2 Brianny answers the phone with "Hello Rod" clearly watching live and expecting the call. We get none of that here, in fact Rod explains he's just read the poem out. Joe slips up here too and says they only opened the post office 'last week', If what you say about recording dates is true that would be correct for them, but not to the viewer as it's week 3 (Maybe that's why he added "It's well and truly open" to episode 2). Then next week they phone Simon from week 2 again, because it's the next opportunity to, as this week is pre-recorded. Normally they would phone the episode after like they had in the past.Also Logically the pre-recorded episodes will have to have a different star prize to the episode preceding it, in case the prize was won in that live episode you can't have it showing up again in the next pre-recorded one, that's why it's changed so often in this series (Which rules out episode 2 and 4). Episodes 3, 6 and 9 are my guess, they are also the episodes Rod is extra careful to explain over the phone what is going on during the spin quiz and doesn't mention 'watching' the show to the caller.
That's some excellent deductive reasoning, there. Thanks! We're 99% sure episodes 1 and 10 were live; apparently Kelly has also stated somewhere that episode 4 went out live on her birthday as claimed. Like you, I'm 99% sure that episodes 3 and 9 are pre-recorded. I'm 99% sure out of episode 5 and 6, one was live and one wasn't, and I lean towards episode 5 being live. The biggest question mark is over episodes 7 and 8. Grotbags missed 7 and shows some Get Well Soon cards at the beginning of 8, so evidently they had to be made in broadcast order, but it's tricky to make the logic work.
@@VideotapeFTW It would be like this: 1 Week as normal 3 2 week off 4 Week as normal 6 5 two weeks off for Easter!! 7 (Carol ILL) a weeks worth of cards 9 8 (Cards are displayed in 8, but 9 recorded first) Week off 10 (Live) Which brings me to a question, was Rod okay health wise during this series?
@@Majorhappysaccount That does seem like the most likely order, but there are a couple of possible variations. (For instance, 5 and 4 could have been the same week, making 6 live.) The only thing that bothers me about the order you've put up is it seems a massive headache to gain only three pre-recorded episodes out of ten. As for the reason, I think Central were keen to go back to pre-recorded, mostly because of the Spin Quiz, but Rod preferred live, and this was the compromise. It may have also been with the Kids in mind.
@@VideotapeFTW I thought the same as i was typing, 3 shows is bonkers, but the whole thing is bizarre (as you say). If it was ITV and Rod coming to a compromise of some sort surely alternating weekly is the best idea, But that's absolutely not what's going on here. I doubt we will ever know for sure unless we get access to the studio booking sheets. I can only Assume Rod was a werewolf and needed a week a month off for the full moon. I will say as an observation the Audience members of the shows I suspected were pre-recorded are made up mostly of children brought in from Cub, Scout and Brownies troops. But like most theories that fell apart at episode 7 which has the same type of audience make up.
@@Majorhappysaccount Was Carol genuinely ill for episode 7, or was that just an excuse because she was unable to make the pre-record session for some reason? I haven't seen episode 7 yet, but I also wonder how prepared or unprepared the replacement witch might be (I read somewhere that there was a different witch on one episode), because if Carol was genuinely ill on the day of the 'live' then her replacement would have to have been draughted in with little to no rehearsal, since rehearsals were Wednesday I think, based on what has been said under episodes from previous series.
Agreed - that song sounds so familiar… Sounds like something done by a crooner like Val Doonican, or something from a lesser-known Sherman Bros musical.
It's the only song I haven't been able to identify, so it's either from something _really_ obscure, or it was written especially for the show. The Sherman brothers popped into my head quite early, but extensive Googling didn't turn up anything.
Is this the first time we've seen the clock's arms move in ages? I cannot remember them going much in the 'live' era at all, but they are moving at the beginning of 'Bodywork' dance. (Is the movement done by clockwork or just a scene hand standing behind and iiggling them about??)
Good spot - I think this may be the first time in the 1986 series, but the clock arms were bopping away right at the end of the 1985 series: ua-cam.com/video/6yj7jOA6EQc/v-deo.html The fact that they seem to change tempo according to the song suggests to me that they're operated manually, but I don't know.
The Boggles Kingdom eps with Spinetti are certainly a big contrast to the usual hi jinks. My favourite serial is probably their last with Benard Bresslaw.
Yeah, you really have to feel for poor Boggle in this storyline - he's just trying to have fun, but there's genuine peril just around the corner. I love the Bernard Bresslaw one too, but for some reason the Brian Glover taxman series has always stuck in my mind.
He was her Stepdad. In the show.....she was talking to him as Rod of the Pink Windmill, with her as a Pink Windmill kid. Not as who they were in real life.
I guess at the time it wasn’t fully known, even though she appeared and spoke on his This Is Your Life. I guess they wanted to maintain professionalism.
Because Catrina Hylton-Hull is actually his stepdaughter, Rod Hull didn't meet, let alone marry, her mother until Catrina was 7; to the best of my knowledge, Catrina was still in contact with her birth father (Johnny Hilton) at that time and called him "Dad", although by all accounts she had a very good relationship with Rod Hull
Most episodes in this series were live, but I think this one was pre-recorded. If that's the case, it was made the day _before_ episode 2 was broadcast live. What do you think? Can you spot anything that proves or disproves this?
VideotapeFTW I think the Spin Quiz proves it's live. I could be wrong though.
+Lyric Rogers Ah, but the Spin Quiz is in every episode of the series, and yet some were definitely pre-recorded. Rod saying 'We've just read your poem' during one of the calls suggests to me it's not live, because he wouldn't need to say that if it was. It's a _very_ tricky puzzle of logic and observation!
VideotapeFTW Oh. I didn't know that
+Lyric Rogers Well we're all still trying to piece it together, too, so any help at all is gratefully received. :-)
Possible proofs of this not being a live broadcast - the precise editing of most of the footage, and not a lot of panning shots among the kids (also less cameramen around the set; the live ones usually have a lot of them present). The framing of the shots (particularly the Grotbags and Rod moments in the windmill) have a more fixed feel, not very all over the place. I believe there is some experimenting with the shots used, like the focus on Tammy on the Spin Quiz spot before Rod and Emu came over. It's all odd and quite a mind-boggler, to figure whether these clues lead to this episode being pre-recorded.
That bit with both Rod and Grotbags at 6:16 attempting to use megaphones at each other was funny.
The aesthetic of this series (well, all the live series really) really reminds me of the fourth season of the original 70s zoom :) and little Daniel looks just like Tommy, one of the boys from that season
Great episode but it felt different, I guess this one of the pre-recorded episodes... The atmosphere of this episode was somehow different. Anyways, that lost spellbook was a nice way to have an extra interaction with the kids present, this little boy Dan probably went home overjoyed cause he "helped to bring back colours to the world". Rod and Grot's interactions are always nice to see, I feel like Rod "breaks character" around Carol and try to do the same with her lol The boy in the Grotto Game was funny and speaking of which, he also had a great (but brief) interaction with Grotbags, I'm glad he got the Star Prize. The second song was the best Technicolor ad that I ever saw Hahaha
definitely one of my favourite episodes!
I love when Grotbags said "OH SH...PIT!" Lmao
Which part?
In episode 1 Rod goes out of his way to mention it being valentines day and asking the Spin Quiz contestant if they've had any cards today.
In Episode 2 Brianny answers the phone with "Hello Rod" clearly watching live and expecting the call.
We get none of that here, in fact Rod explains he's just read the poem out. Joe slips up here too and says they only opened the post office 'last week', If what you say about recording dates is true that would be correct for them, but not to the viewer as it's week 3 (Maybe that's why he added "It's well and truly open" to episode 2).
Then next week they phone Simon from week 2 again, because it's the next opportunity to, as this week is pre-recorded. Normally they would phone the episode after like they had in the past.Also Logically the pre-recorded episodes will have to have a different star prize to the episode preceding it, in case the prize was won in that live episode you can't have it showing up again in the next pre-recorded one, that's why it's changed so often in this series (Which rules out episode 2 and 4). Episodes 3, 6 and 9 are my guess, they are also the episodes Rod is extra careful to explain over the phone what is going on during the spin quiz and doesn't mention 'watching' the show to the caller.
That's some excellent deductive reasoning, there. Thanks! We're 99% sure episodes 1 and 10 were live; apparently Kelly has also stated somewhere that episode 4 went out live on her birthday as claimed. Like you, I'm 99% sure that episodes 3 and 9 are pre-recorded. I'm 99% sure out of episode 5 and 6, one was live and one wasn't, and I lean towards episode 5 being live. The biggest question mark is over episodes 7 and 8. Grotbags missed 7 and shows some Get Well Soon cards at the beginning of 8, so evidently they had to be made in broadcast order, but it's tricky to make the logic work.
@@VideotapeFTW
It would be like this:
1
Week as normal
3 2
week off
4
Week as normal
6 5
two weeks off for Easter!!
7 (Carol ILL)
a weeks worth of cards
9 8 (Cards are displayed in 8, but 9 recorded first)
Week off
10 (Live)
Which brings me to a question, was Rod okay health wise during this series?
@@Majorhappysaccount That does seem like the most likely order, but there are a couple of possible variations. (For instance, 5 and 4 could have been the same week, making 6 live.) The only thing that bothers me about the order you've put up is it seems a massive headache to gain only three pre-recorded episodes out of ten. As for the reason, I think Central were keen to go back to pre-recorded, mostly because of the Spin Quiz, but Rod preferred live, and this was the compromise. It may have also been with the Kids in mind.
@@VideotapeFTW I thought the same as i was typing, 3 shows is bonkers, but the whole thing is bizarre (as you say).
If it was ITV and Rod coming to a compromise of some sort surely alternating weekly is the best idea, But that's absolutely not what's going on here.
I doubt we will ever know for sure unless we get access to the studio booking sheets.
I can only Assume Rod was a werewolf and needed a week a month off for the full moon.
I will say as an observation the Audience members of the shows I suspected were pre-recorded are made up mostly of children brought in from Cub, Scout and Brownies troops. But like most theories that fell apart at episode 7 which has the same type of audience make up.
@@Majorhappysaccount Was Carol genuinely ill for episode 7, or was that just an excuse because she was unable to make the pre-record session for some reason? I haven't seen episode 7 yet, but I also wonder how prepared or unprepared the replacement witch might be (I read somewhere that there was a different witch on one episode), because if Carol was genuinely ill on the day of the 'live' then her replacement would have to have been draughted in with little to no rehearsal, since rehearsals were Wednesday I think, based on what has been said under episodes from previous series.
12:25 Instant Replay is a really cool song from Dan Hartman (Relight My Fire would have been perfect for a PWK performance too).
Well I know what I’m gonna be watching for the next few weeks
There's no escape once you start!
@@VideotapeFTW exactly
Nino Firetto! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Agreed - that song sounds so familiar…
Sounds like something done by a crooner like Val Doonican, or something from a lesser-known Sherman Bros musical.
It's the only song I haven't been able to identify, so it's either from something _really_ obscure, or it was written especially for the show. The Sherman brothers popped into my head quite early, but extensive Googling didn't turn up anything.
I think that Rod having the megaphone was not in rehearsals - I think Rod did it to try to corpse Carol!!
Is this the first time we've seen the clock's arms move in ages? I cannot remember them going much in the 'live' era at all, but they are moving at the beginning of 'Bodywork' dance. (Is the movement done by clockwork or just a scene hand standing behind and iiggling them about??)
Good spot - I think this may be the first time in the 1986 series, but the clock arms were bopping away right at the end of the 1985 series: ua-cam.com/video/6yj7jOA6EQc/v-deo.html
The fact that they seem to change tempo according to the song suggests to me that they're operated manually, but I don't know.
43:05 Watch out Kelly and Debbie 😮 but wait a min 43:10 AWW real friendship 🥰
The Boggles Kingdom eps with Spinetti are certainly a big contrast to the usual hi jinks. My favourite serial is probably their last with Benard Bresslaw.
Yeah, you really have to feel for poor Boggle in this storyline - he's just trying to have fun, but there's genuine peril just around the corner. I love the Bernard Bresslaw one too, but for some reason the Brian Glover taxman series has always stuck in my mind.
And did you know, that Spinetti also provided the voice for Texas Pete in Superted?
Is this a series from the 80’a from England??
‘s**
Yes it is; this show (in different formats, mind you) ran from 1982 to 1989.
This was from 1986 (©️ Central Independent Television MCMLXXXVI)
Why does Catrina call her Dad Rod? 13:31 - Why doesn't She say "Yes Dad"?
Rod was her stepdad
Hm
He was her Stepdad.
In the show.....she was talking to him as Rod of the Pink Windmill, with her as a Pink Windmill kid. Not as who they were in real life.
I guess at the time it wasn’t fully known, even though she appeared and spoke on his This Is Your Life. I guess they wanted to maintain professionalism.
Because Catrina Hylton-Hull is actually his stepdaughter, Rod Hull didn't meet, let alone marry, her mother until Catrina was 7; to the best of my knowledge, Catrina was still in contact with her birth father (Johnny Hilton) at that time and called him "Dad", although by all accounts she had a very good relationship with Rod Hull
somebody at the doorpbrown