And so it begins: Grotbags has a bit of a mishap and crash lands in the Pink Windmill, leading her to hit upon the evil plan of kidnapping Emu and combining his powers with hers in order to rule the world. This was originally broadcast on Tuesday, 5th January, 1982, and it's noteworthy how many things are established right here in this very first episode: the music and poetry, the knock at the door, the flour bins, the bezzazzer, "That's very personal", silly visual puns, Croc's general uselessness, the Grottyscope, the all-inclusive air, and, of course, the "brats". The only things that didn't really last once the show found its feet were those pre-credit sequences and that occasional sort of semi-educational pre-school feel.
Now is as good a time as any to trace the history of the Pink Windmill phase of Rod's career. Emu's Broadcasting Company - his long-running BBC vehicle - came to an end in January 1980, and besides a few one-offs in the meantime, it was nearly two years before Rod returned to our screens in earnest with an entirely new venture on an even newer channel. Quite where the idea for the Pink Windmill itself came from seems to be lost in the mists of time, but the series has its origins in the demise of ATV. Associated Television, once the largest of the regional commercial franchises, had been in trouble for being not quite regional enough, broadcasting to too wide an area, and therefore in danger of missing its point and getting too powerful. To cut a long story short, the powers that be decided to break it all up, and Central Independent Television was formed to replace it from 1st January 1982. Four days later, Emu's World hit our airwaves for the first time.
So how does a brand new channel make its mark and prove its worth as quickly as possible? Well, Central's children's department showed they meant business by basically headhunting Rod, who (and I can't stress this strongly enough) was one of British television's hottest properties of the era, and they guaranteed themselves a sure-fire ratings hit in the process. It really was a major coup, and once they added seasoned director Colin Clews (who'd worked on the likes of Morecambe and Wise and various live Palladium shows in the 60s and 70s) to the project a year later, it ensured that the programme was going to be the jewel in Central's kids crown for most of the decade.
The idea of having a bunch of youngsters about the place ready to sing and dance (here from the Betty Pattison Dancing Academy, but for every other series Corona Stage School) seems to have been influenced by the New Mickey Mouse Club, and indeed they went on to perform some of their songs. Fame would also become influence. As for the look of the show, even though it's not exactly a secret, this may come as a surprise to even the most ardent Pink Windmill fan: its aesthetic is based on the American show H.R. Pufnstuf. (Not the show itself - just the look.) No-one seems to know for sure whether it was Rod who saw that and decided he wanted similar for his programme, or whether it was someone in the Central design department who decided it would be a good fit, but the visual similarities are, at times, striking.
One thing definitely not based on H.R. Pufnstuf - even though it featured a witch of its own - was Grotbags. Her origins remain debateable, in that both Rod and Carol claimed ownership, leading to a very awkwardly-worded credit in her 90s solo spin-off. What seems to be universally agreed upon, though, is that the character first came into existence through the pen of Rod; the name came from Carol's nickname of "Miss Grot"; and the personality is mostly Carol, even though Rod was the one writing the lines. I'd call it a draw, personally. (And the pair of them did reconcile their differences on the matter before Rod's death, I'm happy to report.)
And, thus, one of the most iconic kids' shows of the 80s was born. Millions of the generation loved it, some hated it (or elements of it, at any rate), and many others sort of loved to hate it. You definitely couldn't ignore it, though. It's fair to say that for fans of Emu's Broadcasting Company in particular, this would have been seen as a massive backwards step for Rod, which is understandable considering those who were old enough to enjoy EBC were way above the target age of Emu's World once that started two years on. And - let's be honest - EBC is very, very funny in its own right and really can't be compared. With hindsight, it's far easier to enjoy each of Rod and Emu's projects in their own right, and I honestly believe the wholesome musical panto-style chaotic nonsense that pervaded at the Pink Windmill still stands up today.
(To the best of my knowledge, the contents of this video have never been available commercially anywhere in the world. Please also note that I don't monetise any of my uploads. Nevertheless, if you are a copyright holder and have an objection, please don't hesitate to contact me.)
8 сен 2024
