The Famous Five - General Discussion

[CM-BlueButterfly]

The Famous Five premieres all 6 episodes on May 31, 2024 on Hulu. The series is currently airing on BBC One as 3 episodes over the span of several months. 

Quote

The Famous Five follows five daring young explorers as they encounter treacherous, action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger and astounding secrets.
George, Julian, Dick, Anne and their dog Timmy are young and fearless. Each has their own unique personality. But when thrown together, they become unstoppable. The charming series is built as a summertime adventure with kids in the driver's seat of their own treasure hunt.

 

[AnimeMania]

This has the universal appeal of two girls, two boys and their dog running around solving mysteries, in the 1940s.

Enid Blyton's wrote 21 Famous Five children's novels between 1942 and 1963 as well as a number of short stories. Authors from other countries have written additional stories in French and German. Several films have been made in English, Danish, and German. The Famous Five had a TV Series in 1978, another in 1995, an animated TV series in 2008, and a theatrical musical in 1997. 

Part 1, The Curse of Kirrin Island
While exploring the family's deserted island, the kids find a dog and a dead body. 

Part 2, Peril On The Night Train 
A cross-country thriller where someone steals Uncle Quentin’s latest invention, a proto-computer,‘the Algebra Engine’. Can the kids prevent the machine falling into the enemy's hands.  

Part 3, The Eye Of The Sunrise
Jason Flemyng as The Great Supremo, a circus magician  
Art Malik as Sir Lincoln Aubrey

Diaana Babnicova as George, the leader of the group, George is an only child and is an independent girl after having grown up without any siblings. Things start off rocky with her cousins but they soon grow their family bond.

Elliott Rose as Julian, the oldest of the group, Julian is the father figure when the adults aren't around. The muscle of the group. Anne and Dick are his younger siblings. 

Kit Rakusen as Dick, although he's young, Dick is the definite brains of the group. According to Rakusen, Dick is really clever, he can tell you anything about history, Latin and times tables but he's also funny in his own way.

Flora Jacoby Richardson as Anne, with Dick and Julian as her brothers, Anne is used to getting her own way with them and can be quite sassy while also bringing humour to the group.

Kip as Timmy, a Bearded Collie Mix, a stray that George finds.

James Lance as Uncle Quentin, George's father and Fanny's husband, Quentin is a professor and likes to spend a great deal of time by himself. Nevertheless, like any father, he does get quite anxious about George's adventures.

Ann Akinjirin as Aunt Fanny, as well as being George's mother and married to Quentin, Fanny is an accomplished writer who pens fiction novels under a pseudonym. She is quite a strong-willed, really confident, anchored woman.

Diana Quick as Mrs. Wentworth, Thomas Wentworth's mother, she runs a boarding school where the five stay during their holidays.

Jack Gleeson as Thomas Wentworth, a sinister figure. Wentworth is hell bent on getting what he wants, which is power. He is mercurial and mysterious, you're never sure how he's going to react in certain situation.

William Abadie as Franklin Boswell, assistant/henchman to Wentworth

Phillip Roy as the butler

Ed Speleers as Alex Roland/Agent Keats, the kids teacher/an undercover spy working for Special Intelligence.

Nora Arnezeder as Sabrina Grover/Mrs. Sassoon/Nina Martine, the villain. 

Simon Paisley Day as Brigadier Hollingsbrook, a Scottish military man

Jhon Lumsden as Private Craig, Brigadier Hollingsbrook's right hand man

[AnimeMania]

Part 3, The Eye Of The Sunrise

The famous five have to find the eye of the sunrise and eventually find it whilst in Billy Pop Pop's circus tent but then have to protect it from the evil doctor.

It’s late August 1939, right before the start of World World II, and George comes across The Great Supremo who is on the run from malevolent pursuers. She manages to convince her cousins that they should protect him and the Five hide him in their den where he tells them about a powerful treasure he guards, the Eye of the Sunrise. 

But the Five’s promise proves impossible to keep as Dr Rosamund Graves and her burly assistant Bradley arrive from the local psychiatric institute to take Supremo away. He’s not just a magician, he’s a psychiatric patient. Can the Five trust anything he says? 

But George believes in Supremo and she wonders if Dr Graves’ care is really in the Supremo’s best interest?

Jason Flemyng as The Great Supremo, a circus magician specializing in card tricks 

Art Malik as Sir Lincoln Aubrey, a businessman who owns of the Greenpoint Mental Institute 

Emma Paetz as Dr. Rosamund Graves, a psychiatrist at the Greenpoint Mental Institute 

Arthur Sylense as Bradley, Dr. Graves' burly assistant 

Tilly Walker as Jo, The Great Supremo's daughter 

Atilla Akinci as Bingo, a scary clown