WIND IN THE WILLOWS VIDEO REVIEW - Masterchef (Series 3, Episode 8)

The 49th of my video reviews dedicated to the making of Cosgrove Hall's film and series of 'The Wind in the Willows', featuring 'picture in picture' and the odd 'behind the scenes' image too, including archival photos of existing costumes and props and original drawings! This one is for Episode 8 from Series 3, 'Masterchef' (originally transmitted in the UK on 19th February 1987). It was originally released on a double-VHS box set in 1987, and then on in 2008. The entire script can be read on-screen as you watch, so look our for any differences.

As the last episode of November 2019 this one rounds up Autumn. Reviews of the series continue with the first one for Winter, with 'Champion of the Green Baize' on Sunday 1st December 2019.

All 52 episodes have been sorted into a special 'seasonal' order. The remaining 13 'bonus' episodes (Series 5/the 'Oh! Mr Toad!' spin-off episodes) are being reviewed, one by one, as 'additions' every 4 weeks. Comments very welcome. :)

All copyright-held video and audio content belong to the respective owners - I don't claim to own any of it, and will not make any profit from it, but just merely want to celebrate and acknowledge it.

[BenBanjo]

Very good episode indeed, and well-timed in Series 3 too - a nice light one to follow the intense episode "Badger's Remedy" that came before it! It's one of those that make me admire Brian Trueman's effort in his writing, especially the fact that he used fairly obscure French vocabulary to make the jokes with Toad's menu! And as you say, the little touches like Toad struggling to spear the undercooked potato, and the crunch as he bites at it, are what really show the brilliance of the show's animation!

Also, I think the later episode "Toad's Harvest" echoes the ending of this one very slightly, with Toad's dinner party ending in disaster and the others having an emergency plan in place! I just love Rat's line "The soufflé, Mole, will be awful!" - it's a moment when only the audience knows the full extent of the situation!

[BronyDanProductions]

I wonder if the whole bit about the French language part at the beginning was done as a reference and in joke to David Jason, since Del-Boy in 'Only Fools and Horses' was well known for not being able to speak French when he thought he could.

[bazbanter]

Crikey! Only one more season left :/ Don't know where this year's gone! Like you, Richard, I'd seen the intro to "A Tale of 2 Toad's" years before I saw all the episodes that intro shows. Didn't see this one until the box set came out. I only had about 6 or 7 videos as a child (pre-teen) and most of them, were those early 90's re-releases.


I loved seeing that behind the scenes photo and it was interesting to hear that Sue Pugh animated Toad aswell :)
Sir Michael Hordern must've had some fun making Badger laugh that much 😂