TV Cartoon Review – Doctor Snuggles Episode One – The Astounding Treacle Tree

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One of the most delightfully inventive and under-rated children’s cartoon show’s of all time. Only 13 episodes were made of this in 1979-1980. It was voiced by Peter Ustinov as the eccentric woodland professor/inventor, Dr. Snuggles. The friendly woodland animals talk, as do kettles, a barn door and the Umbrella / Pogo Stick Snuggles bounces around on. He has an old wireless that likes to tune itself in to the right kind of music to suit its mood at any given time. Episode one is an Icarus/ Man Who Would Be King style fable. A Treacle Tree gets bored by standing still all day. It asks Snuggles to give it wings so it can fly. Once en-winged it flies into space and makes itself the ruler of another planet. Snuggles gives chase in his rocket, called the Dreamy Boom Boom (what a great name for a wooden rocket) and ends up fighting dreaded sky-pirates who challenge anyone passing to a pillow fight. I was surprised on re-watching this how much it still beguiled and enthralled me three decades on from the first viewing. An absolute must for children of all ages. Episodes run to just short of half an hour each. Arthur Chappell