Mortimer and Arabel
Mortimer and Arabel was a series of puppet shows based on Joan Aiken books which ran on CBBC from 1993 to 1994 and was later repeated from May to June 1994 on BBC One, BBC Two from June to December 1995, and the CBBC Channel from September to October 2002. The four series were re-released to download on the BBC Store in 2016.
The series is based on the original books written by Joan Aiken, and illustrated by Quentin Blake, and some were first shown on the BBC's Jackanory programmes. The stories are about a little girl named Arabel Jones who adopts a mischief making raven named Mortimer whose only communication is to squawk "Nevermore" when upset. The Jones family live in Rumbury Town, London NW3 and-a-half where most of their neighbours, especially grumpy old Mr Leggit, can't stand Mortimer for all the chaos he causes, and it is always up to Arabel to keep Mortimer out of trouble, although he frequently causes chaotic upsets with his mischievous behaviour.
Series 1, Mortimer's Pocket, features twelve episodes in which Mortimer and Arabel track down some crooks who are causing mayhem before the Rumbury Town Garden Gala - for which Mortimer unfairly gets the blame.
Series 2, Mortimer's Mine, also twelve episodes, tells the story of an immense hole which appears under Rumbury Town, right in front of the Jones' house, which Mortimer decides to fill up with everything he can get his claws on...meanwhile an American millionaire is in town also trying to get his hands on everything he can, and the two are soon in competition. Everything comes to a dramatic finish at the Town Music Festival.
Series 3, Mayday in Rumbury, features six episodes in which the Town's beleaguered Mayor tries to stage a Mayday Ceremony in which the entire Jones family (including Mortimer and a newly acquired herd of cows) is due to take part - and the Jones' wicked cousin Perce is also back in town and making mischief.
Series 4, Mortimer and the Bank Ghost, is a spooky Christmas story in which Arabel and Mortimer befriend a ghost at the Tower of London and try and help him and his pet raven solve a Christmas mystery.
Other characters include Arabel's parents Mr Jones and Mrs Jones, the villainous Mr Leggit, the Town's Chief inspector and PC Barnoff, The Mayor, and Arabel's neighbour Chris Cross. Different characters like the Duchess of Skew, or a herd of Jersey cows appear in different stories.
Several books based on the series and a VHS tape covering 12 episodes of the series were released in the early 1990s, and other Arabel and Mortimer stories are also available. The series have not been repeated on TV since the CBBC Channel aired them in October 2002, but the series has now been made available for downloading at the BBC Store.
Read more and see pictures at the Joan Aiken website.