The Perishers

Magic Mirror

In the Cart

A Life from the Ocean Wave

A-Camping We Will Go

A Fool and his Money Aren't as Easily Parted as You Think

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bath?

How to Train the Family Dog

The Ugly Duckling

Look Before it Leaps

Spring Fever

The Skateboard Champion

Marlon, Wellington and Boot the dog are looking at skateboards in a shop window, an item that Wellington desires greatly. He wants one for his Birthday, but will he get it? Later, Wellington tries to describe his version of the Battle of Agincourt to his friends which he says was fought on skateboards but they see through his thinly disguised attempt to scrounge presents. On his Birthday, to his delight though he discovers his present, the skateboard. Marlon, Maisie and Boot all watch his antics as he tries to master it. He even resorts to self-hypnosis in a vain attempt to become a skateboard wizard. To his discouragement, it is Boots that is transformed. Realising that he will never become any good at skate boarding, Wellington decides to use his experiences as a spur to achieve greater acclaim, to save mankind. Only, he ruely admits, he'd like to be famous for his skate boarding skills too.

The Wheeling and Dealing

Wellington is attempting to fix Marlon's broken buggy, but is it beyond help? Marlon asks Wellington to build him a new cart, but must fix his old one first. Wellington looks exasperatedly at all that remains of Marlon's buggy, that is a wheel, and jumps on it. Maisie demands compensation for the damage incurred and so Marlon receives another machine, an elephants foot strapped to a board on wheels which Maisie has to push. After this poor effort Wellington presents Marlon with a proper buggy. Wellington finally having made good says he feels "good, upright and wholesome...and incredible fed up".

She May or She May Not

Maisie wants to be elected the school May Queen. The baby hopes that it will be an honest election this year. Maisie agrees, only if all else fails though. She tries various intimidating tactics to rally support, but Marlon and Wellington object. Despite her dirty tricks, Maisie is elected and a triumphant procession passes our two friends. Is there no justice, they wonder. However, one of Maisie's hired bruisers runs amok and tramples her parade. Has she learned her lesson? Maisie is sorry she cheated, bullied and lied, but is most of all sorry she "lost".

Noblesse Oblige

The War Games

The kids are playing war games and it looks like Maisie's side will win until Wellington, as usual, throws a last grenade. In response to this manoeuvre, Maisie produces a supergun. So too do the others and thus they reach stalemate. They all agree to downsize their weapons and return to old fashioned shooting and bombing. Maisie has other ideas though, and collects up all the weapons. She decides that as she holds all the power, she will rule the world, fairly, and as she is only human, she is open to bribery. The rest leave her alone, as they don't want to be dictated to. But will they break Maisie's resolve? They demand that she put an end to her behaviour so that they can all play together. Maisie collapses, the result of too many conflicting demands. They carry her home for a rest and she'll be better after, amongst other demands, "cream buns".

Well Blow Me Down

In the countryside, Boots is enjoying a peaceful walk when he is disturbed by an ear piercing screech. BH, the bloodhound, has heard it too. Wellington has a silent dog whistle, which he thinks, doesn't seem to be working on anyone but Marlon. He finds the dogs himself and discards the whistle. Boot picks it up and blows, frightening a duck out of the sky, which lands on top of him. Boot swallows the whistle by mistake and the end of it dangles from his mouth. Disconsolately, he returns home, unable to eat or woof. Poor Boot, not even sausages tempt him. Wellington, however, believes that Boot has stolen his whistle and pulls it from the dog's mouth. For a better effect, Wellington tries out the whistle, now powered by bellows which sends the dog up onto the roof. Wellington believes that he just can't get the dog's attention when the guttering gives way and Boot lands on top of Wellington.

Bone Champions

Boot is burying a bone, trying in vain to keep it out of reach of other dogs. BH sees the "grave" where Boot has hidden his bone and digs it up intending on giving it the kiss of life. Boot, in response, buries BH in the hole. BH then makes many attempts to rest the bone from Boot, all which end unsuccessfully. Boot is left with feelings of remorse at not sharing his tasty bone. It is, he thinks, not the conduct of an English Gentleman, but on a happier note, is exactly what one expects of a dog.

The Rehabilitation of BH (Calcutta) Failed

BH has failed his Bloodhound tests. He lost his sense of smell when he overdosed following a curry eating elephant. Boot decides to help his friend using various forms of therapy. Will they work? BH manages to follow Boot over a rough trail. Next time they decide, they'll try it when they are not tethered together.

The Eye Balls in the Sky

At the seaside, all the children are enjoying the water but Boot decides to investigate some rock pools instead and finds some crabs. From the crabs prospective, what they see is "eye balls in the sky" a sight that disturbs some of them greatly. Are the eyes there or not the crabs wonder. They set up a telescope to view the world beyond the pool, which Boot recognises is made from old tin cans. He barks into the cans causing mass panic in the crab colony. Boots looks at the excitable creatures and thinks that its just as well the crabs didn't know anyone was watching.

The Inch-thick Ketchup Sandwich

Marlon is working on an idea, he's inventing things. At the moment he is working on the Wheel. Maisie looks on in disgust. Then he shows off his latest invention, the Inch-thick Ketchup sandwich. Despite the warnings of Wellington, Marlon bites into it, squirting the ketchup all over Wellington. He goes off in search of Maisie and finds out to that she has been "shown" the invention as well. Marlon thinks it will revolutionise the fast food market, Wellington thinks it will revolutionise the dry cleaning market. Maisie says that Marlon should reinvent the bicycle and sits down on one of Marlon's failures, the Ketchup Cushion.

United Kingdom

BBC One

"The Perishers" is a cartoon series produced by Bill Melendez Productions and FilmFair. BBC1 transmitted it in 1979. The series is based on Maurice Dodd's long-running comic strip, The Perishers.

The Perishers

Episodes

Synopsis