Famous Five Reunited in their 40's?

Mrs. MacGyver

I don't know wherther this should be in All Things Retro or here. Heard on today FM that the Famous Five were going to reunite for one more adventure as 40 something adults! For me thats a really wierd concept.

See the following article from 'The Daily Mail'

They represent the childhood innocence of a bygone era, thwarting smugglers and spies while always finding time for a hearty picnic along the way.

But now the mystery of what happened Enid Blyton's Famous Five is itself about to be solved after it was revealed that a new television series will show the frightfully proper crime fighting squad as middle-aged men and women back together for one more caper.

Chorion, which manages the author's works has struck a deal with a production company, Two Four, to develop a series which will see Julian, his brother Dick, their sister Anne and their tomboy cousin Georgina all in their forties reunited by circumstances for a new mystery.

Even Timmy the dog, classed as the fifth member of the Famous Five, will be represented by one of his own descendants on the programme, which will portray them as they are 20 or 30 years after their original exploits.

While the makers are promising that the new series will be faithful to the spirit of Blyton and her characters, there are fears that seeing the carefree

crime-fighters saddled down with the adult concerns, at least one of the team is likely to be divorced say insiders, could destroy the youthful innocence of the brand.

Gone will be the lashings of ginger beer and the innocence of summer holidays, replaced with mid-life crises and possible failed marriages. It is believed that one idea for the new programme is that they will re-group to solve the murder of a family friend.

The new project comes amid a renaissance of the Famous Five brand with the books still selling well and a new animated series about the children of the once youthful detectives being made for Disney at the moment, which will air in 2008.

Rights holder Chorion insists the drama will be nothing like the Comic Strip spoof which lampooned the antics of the Famous Five and says the programme will be a "wistful look back to a golden age".

Broadcasters including ITV and the BBC are believed to be interested in showing the drama as programme-makers are looking for a writer and cast for the show which will not air until next year at the earliest.

Insiders hope the fact that viewers will be intrigued to find out how the characters have grown up will make the show a ratings hit.

Names in the frame to star in the programme include Imelda Staunton, Helen Baxendale and Claire Skinner. Members of the Enid Blyton society have given the plans their approval as long as it is faithful to the original books.

Jo Wright head of drama at production company said: "They are in that baby boomer middle aged time when life is not as good as when they were kids."

"They had a great life when they were kids....they loved going to these places when summer was long and it is a way of refinding it. It will be a positive look at the Famous Five."

She said the programme would appeal to people who dream of going back to their youth and remembered the time when they read the books.

Enid Blyton's first book was published in 1922. She churned out a 700 more, as well as 10,000 short stories. They delighted generations of readers until the late 60s when they began to be thought of as old fashioned.

However, she remains the 20th century's most successful children's writer, selling more than 200 million Noddy books alone.

The Famous Five book series began life in 1942 and 21 books were written in all.

Gone West

lashings of Ginger beer, god how I love that phrase from Blyton books.

kelle

It would have been good if they got the original actors back.

Jesus Wept

kelle wrote:

It would have been good if they got the original actors back.

I thought that was what it meant?

MagicMarker

A what now?

Famous who?

Terry

George better have a lesbian lover.

Agamemnon

Terry wrote:

George better have a lesbian lover.

It won't be anything worth perving on - George is probably 30 stone now, with a voice like Johnny Cash and her tits down around her ankles.

mikemac

There was some women called Fanny in those books afaik. Wonder will they keep that

Famous Five sucked
Secret Seven by the same author ftw!

Terry

agamemnon wrote:

It won't be anything worth perving on - George is probably 30 stone now, with a voice like Johnny Cash and her tits down around her ankles.

Ahh, you're just going by that old stereotype that all lebians are big ugly things.
The truth is that all lesbians are smoking hot.

micmclo wrote:

Secret Seven by the same author ftw!

Meh. She just ran out of ideas and then added two new characters.

philstar

The Famous Five getting back together again!!!:D oh how jolly jolly nice:D

i wonder will they have lashings and lashings of ginger beer after they apprehend those dastardly foreigners from doing those bold things.

and later its down to the vicarage with tea and scones with the vicar, and then after that a good ol' game of cricket on the village green.

but they mustn't be out too late must be home to mummy and daddy before dark, don't want to catch a cold you know:D

oh if only the whole world was like "middle england" it would be so...jolly jolly nice:D

emeraldstar

Yes, jolly good, Julian.

Ruu_Old

Five go mad in Dorset, find it on Youtube.

Nala

It won't have all the original actors, the girl who played George committed suicide a few years ago.

This will probably be crap.

Dyr

Nala wrote:

It won't have all the original actors, the girl who played George committed suicide a few years ago.

Im betting timmy the dog bought the farm a while back and all

Also Starring LeVar Burton

It'd be hilarious if they made it as a comedy. Something along the lines of Shameless, except with that extra Blyton edge.

CaptainNegative

CaptainNegative wrote:

It'd be hilarious if they made it as a comedy. Something along the lines of Shameless, except with that extra Blyton edge.

I'd watch that.

stovelid

I can't see all the references to tongue sandwhiches, fairies, being "queer", and aunt Fanny making the modern cut somehow.

LoLth

This has been done already.... Five go mad in Dorset. damn, I actually remember watching that when it came out! Never saw the sequel though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Go_Mad_In_Dorset

DublinWriter

Terry wrote:

George better have a lesbian lover.

Damn...beat me too it.

Sad to hear that she topped herself though.

Maple

Loved the Famous Five and The Secret Seven as a kid. Used traipse the fields and coastline of Wexford looking for dastardly plots to foil, never happened tho.

stovelid

LoLth wrote:

This has been done already.... Five go mad in Dorset. damn, I actually remember watching that when it came out! Never saw the sequel though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Go_Mad_In_Dorset

There is also Five Go Mad on Mescalin

Mrs. MacGyver

Nala wrote:

It won't have all the original actors, the girl who played George committed suicide a few years ago.

Thats shocking. i had no idea.

Mrs. MacGyver

I wonder which one of them will be divorced? I say Dick used to be my favourite by yards. That Anne was a beastly snitch!

Terry

Mrs. MacGyver wrote:

I wonder which one of them will be divorced? I say Dick used to be my favourite by yards. That Anne was a beastly snitch!

I'd well believe it.

the_syco

Just watched it on youtube. Man, it's f**ked up.