Shark Bytes

The gender bending and disneyfication most definitely made this a day 1.

Shame really, the book and the 70's film were great.

I'm in the minority here, I guess. But I love this show; and call me crazy, but I like it (the show) more than the movie. I own the American DVD releases (about 7 episodes on three "collections"), and from what I've seen, Watership Down is a breath of fresh air! Seriously. First of all, this show is very gentle and serene, while at the same time being riddled with drama, tension. And a plot that's actually serialized! Rare for a children's show, especially an animated one. Continuing from episode to episode ... it makes you think and "involve" yourself. It's not just mindless, zany entertainment (aka "brain rot"). The animation work isn't "top-notch," I'll say, but it's very endearing and distinct. I do like it. The rural setting is oh, so lovely. Those backgrounds, and the character designs (and voices), the characters themselves. Hazel, Fiver, Dandelion, Hawkbit, Bigwig, all the rest. All have personality here. I guess what I'm saying: it's just, to me, a very classy, distinguished (and earnest) children's production, that's also quite enjoyable for older people (Hawkbit's remarks often make me laugh, for one; and I like the comraderie between the rabbits, and the banter). And tells a sort of epic story (though on the small scale). Oh, and that musical score! Gorgeous. An actual orchestra. As for any "Disney-fying," it doesn't bother me. I don't think it's too "kiddy," as it were. No, this show isn't perfect, but dang it, it's actually quite good.

I was surprised at the contrast between the movie, book and show as well, but I doubt the show ever would have been aired if they kept it true to the book. To much violence, and there's always that issue of does being treated like objects. Those aren't exactly viewer-friendly ideals in a show that's targeted towards the younger generations. Despite the lack of these elements, and the rescue of the farm does, (that would have been neat if you ask me,) I sort of liked that show. I thought it jumped, when the animation changed, after the "Death" of Campion. They ought to have let woundwart be crushed, and Campion live, and make that the end of it, but instead they mangeled the animation, and forged ahead with a rather thin plot. It was a shame really.

Sure, he was cute, but he just annoyed the hell out of me! In the book and film, Pipkin is not supposed to be a young rabbit, the way he is portrayed in the show. And why is Hazel the only one who gets any?! Just because he's the "leader", he's the only one who gets a mate (Primrose)? Are the two kittens Prim gives birth to supposed to keep the warren alive after all the other rabbits have gotten old and died?

Watership Down is a long book so unfortunately the film had to leave out some of the characters (including some good ones) and incidents, and the end was rather rushed. But it was still a faithful adaptation of the book and very well made. The tv series is a dumbed down version.

Despite what some people said of it being too cutesy (and I agree, especially that Pipkin character), all in all, I'm in the US and a WD fan of the movie and the book, but after watching the series, I can honestly say it isn't so bad. So what if Blackberry is a doe? It opens the door for the arguments of bucks not digging and leaving Blackberry to do all the work of creating a new warren (if I was Blackberry, I'd cuff 'em so hard, they'd wake up in the middle of next season) and it well develops the character Hawkbit (who was never in the original movie) and who is quite humorous. Plus, the series are faithful to most of the Lapine diction (eg. Black Rabbit of Inle, flayrah, etc.), El-ahrairah, and other aspects of the book. Besides, I kinda admit that they did a wonderful job of choosing voice actors to act out the characters; they all pretty much fit, except Pipkin who's supposed to be the smae age as the others, but sounds like a child. And, John Hurt and Richard Briers (who played Hazel and Fiver in the original movie) are back in the series as General Woundwort and Captain Broom (a new character). So, IMHO, I don't think the series are bad at all.

I guess you could then say it jumped the shark from day one. If they change one of the characters to a female, then I guess we wont be seeing any episodes where the bucks go off in search of does to further their colony. I guess they will have to find some other hobby.

Seconded. I knew we were in for trouble when I saw the trailers for it, and the show was indeed dreadful. Even when they managed to shoehorn in some of the rabbit language from the novel, it was still terrible. I loved the film, and the book was amazing. I would advise people to make do with those, as even having Rik Mayall doing one of the voices couldn't save this show.