Watership Down (1999)
Watership Down is an animated television series, loosely adapted from the novel of the same name by Richard Adams. It was a co-production of Alltime Entertainment of the United Kingdom and Decode Entertainment of Canada, and produced by Martin Rosen, the director of the 1978 feature film adaptation. Watership Down aired for 39 episodes and three series from 1999 to 2001, on both YTV in Canada and CITV in the UK, though the latter did not broadcast the third series. It starred several well-known British actors, including Stephen Fry, Rik Mayall, Phil Jupitus, Jane Horrocks, Dawn French, John Hurt, and Richard Briers, among others. Stephen Gately sang a new arrangement of Art Garfunkel's "Bright Eyes", which had been included in the 1978 feature film, while Mike Batt and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra contributed a completely new score. In 2003, composer Eric Robertson as well as David Greene and Mike Batt were nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Original Music Score for a Dramatic Series for their work on the show. Some episodes from the adaptation were released on VHS and later, DVD. In October 2005, a Region 2 DVD box set of all three series was released in the UK.
-
Episode 1 - Campion Lives
Release Date: 2001-09-11The Efrafan Owsla flee the collapsing caverns leaving only Woundwort, Vervain, Moss, and a handful of officers alive. Realizing that not even the cave-in will stop General Woundwort from trying to destroy them, Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig make preparations to wage war on Efrafa with Pipkin recruiting all of his animal friends. Fiver meanwhile senses that Campion is not dead, and indeed the Efrafan captain manages to pull himself free from the rubble of the caverns alive but horribly scarred. He meets the Black Rabbit of Inlé, who tells him his time has not yet come and that he has a special destiny in store for him. Meanwhile Moss, seeing that Woundwort is going mad, teams up with a doe named Heather to overthrow him but the Watershippers attack Efrafa in full force.
-
Episode 2 - A New World
Release Date: 2001-09-18Following the liberation (and destruction of Efrafa), the Efrafans move into Watership Down with Moss, the highest-ranking surviving officer, as their reluctant leader. Tensions are high as three of the other surviving officers try to bully Pipkin and end up getting into a fight with Bigwig. Meanwhile, Woundwort has survived and runs into two other rabbits in a swamp, letting them sink to their deaths in a mire after they refuse to swear loyalty to him. The Black Rabbit of Inlé shows this to Campion and tells him that his destiny is stop Woundwort, who "threatens the world of the living." Campion has a horrible vision of Blackberry in danger, and himself being threatened by a fierce green rabbit. Meanwhile, Moss and Heather decide to take the rest of the Efrafans to start a new warren elsewhere.
-
Episode 3 - The Wanderer
Release Date: 2001-09-25Vervain wanders about aimlessly, getting into all sorts of trouble. Bigwig, meanwhile, continues to push his Owsla. In the end Bigwig eventually accomplishes his goals and in doing so saves Vervain from getting into any more trouble.
-
Episode 4 - The Nestling
Release Date: 2001-10-02The Junior Owsla and Kehaar help an orphaned Hawk survive, whilst at the same time trying to prove to Hazel they are responsible enough to go on solo patrol. What they don't know is that Hazel has been secretly watching them save the Hawk.
-
Episode 5 - The Secret of Redstone
Release Date: 2001-10-09Undercover, Woundwort begins to gain the trust of the rabbits at Redstone Warren. He has to fight off his own allies in order to finally gain there trust. Meanwhile, Blackberry finds out about Campion.
-
Episode 6 - My Fair Gull
Release Date: 2001-10-16Woundwort works his way to chieftainship of Redstone. Meanwhile, Kehaar decides to leave the warren for good with his new mate Gluck.
-
Episode 7 - The Dark Deal
Release Date: 2001-10-23Woundwort discovers that a human construction crew plans to bulldoze Redstone. He and Vervain travel to the Warren of the Shining Wire where he tells Cowslip he will show him Redstone destroyed if Cowslip will give him his seer, Silverweed. Meanwhile, Hickory and Flax talk of revolt against "Weedstalk" while Marigold races to Watership Down to warn Hazel and the others of Woundwort's return. The wandering Campion stumbles across a new warren, Darkhaven, populated by savage rabbits who await the prophesized return of "the Dark One." He becomes their chief after he defeats their strongest warrior, Granite, winning the respect of a tough doe named Spartina.
-
Episode 8 - Darkhaven
Release Date: 2001-10-30Woundwort, Vervain, and Silverweed arrive at Darkhaven just in time to meet up with Campion. At the same time, Hannah learns magic so that she can help her friends.
-
Episode 9 - The Eyes of Silverweed
Release Date: 2001-11-06Silverweed traps Fiver in a twisted dreamworld illusion, allowing him to invade Fiver's mind and see through his eyes to learn the location of Watership Down for his master, Woundwort. Fiver manages to fight off Silverweed's hold, but not before Silverweed deduces that Watership Down is "in the high hills, near a lone beech tree." Hazel realizes how dangerous Silverweed is so he and the others journey to Darkhaven with the intent of kidnapping him. Meanwhile, Campion and Blackberry have the same idea, whilst Granite becomes Woundwort's new second-in-command when he challenges Vervain to single combat. Vervain forfeits rather than face the stronger Granite.
-
Episode 10 - The Spy
Release Date: 2001-11-13Spartina is sent by Woundwort to befriend Hazel and the others and act as a spy for him. However Silverweed soon learns of her real objective. If Spartina does not return to Darkhaven by the next full moon, she has ordered Granite to kill Blackberry.
-
Episode 11 - The Betrayal
Release Date: 2001-11-20Spartina soon gets found out by the other Watership Down rabbits and she confesses everything, even admitting putting Blackberry in danger. After finding out about Spartina's betrayal, Woundwort uses her and Blackberry to make Campion confess where Watership Down is and to lead his army into battle there.
-
Episode 12 - The Beginning of The End
Release Date: 2001-11-27The Watership Down rabbits prepare for the last battle with Woundwort while Blackberry, Spartina and Campion plan their escape from Woundwort.
-
Episode 13 - The Magic
Release Date: 2001-12-04It's time to end the battle once and for all. Both sides collide and there can be only one winner. Bigwig goes one on one with Woundwort and Hannah plans to use 'the magic' to finally be rid of Woundwort forever. Silverweed knows that a high price must be made to use it so he plans to use it, instead of Hannah.