My Cart - For those of a certain age, this is thrilling news – the BBC has announced that animated superhero/spy Danger Mouse and his hapless sidekick Penfold are set to make a return to our television screens next year.
The original series ran from 1981 to 1992, and has been one of the most beloved cartoon series ever since – when Channel 4 made their list of 100 Greatest Kids’ TV Shows in 2001, it came third behind only The Muppet Show and The Simpsons. It was also the first British cartoon to really break into the American market, gaining a tremendous following on both sides of the Atlantic.
The new series for CBBC will come with some updates for today’s tech-savvy kids – for example, Danger Mouse’s iconic eyepatch will become an “i-patch” complete with multiple technological functions. It’s also not yet clear who will be supplying the voices; Penfold was originally voiced by the late comedian and actor Terry Scott, but fans of the original will no doubt be crossing their fingers and hoping that David Jason might perhaps be persuaded to return to voice Danger Mouse himself once more.
Danger Mouse is, of course, just the latest in a string of popular cartoons to make a return appearance; other favourites from the 1980s have also been revived in recent years, to mixed reception. The revived Thundercats, broadcast on the Cartoon Network in 2011, lasted only one season of 26 episodes, whereas the return of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Nickelodeon in 2012 met with high praise, and has been renewed for a third season.
These revivals are perhaps prompted by the fact that cartoons are increasingly attracting adult audiences; My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is well known for its following of “bronies” – an older audience aged around 18 to 35, including many young men, who love the show as much as its originally intended target audience, and it’s far from the only series to attract such viewers. Adventure Time is similarly popular with a significant proportion of older viewers, with adult nuances and references which they can enjoy alongside absurd and fun storylines which younger viewers love. By bringing back cartoons which this demographic loved when they were children, there’s an existing foundation of fans upon which to build.
For parents, this is a wonderful thing – it means that many studios are now producing cartoons that you can enjoy as much as your child does – while for childless viewers it means that there’s no shame in enjoying a good cartoon, whatever your age.
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