King Arthur's Disasters
Encyclopedia
King Arthur's Disasters is a British
animated series which first aired on CITV
, a now defunct programming block on ITV1
. The series was Co-Created by Paul Parkes and Will Ashurst, the series follows and depicts attempts by King Arthur
, assisted by the wizard Merlin
, to woo the beautiful self-obsessed Princess Guinevere
. Due to the popularity of the show, it was picked up for a second series which began transmission on CITV from November 6th 2005.
King Arthur's Disasters was the highest rated new CITV show during Spring 2005. It regularly achieved an audience share of over 20% of kids and it regularly won its time slot against CBBC
. In 2006 the show was nominated for a children's BAFTA for Best Animation, however lost to The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
animated series which first aired on CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
, a now defunct programming block on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
. The series was Co-Created by Paul Parkes and Will Ashurst, the series follows and depicts attempts by King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
, assisted by the wizard Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
, to woo the beautiful self-obsessed Princess Guinevere
Guinevere
Guinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
. Due to the popularity of the show, it was picked up for a second series which began transmission on CITV from November 6th 2005.
King Arthur's Disasters was the highest rated new CITV show during Spring 2005. It regularly achieved an audience share of over 20% of kids and it regularly won its time slot against CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
. In 2006 the show was nominated for a children's BAFTA for Best Animation, however lost to The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers
The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers
The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers is a 2D Flash animation series for television. It was commissioned by CITV and Cartoon Network in the UK, YTV and VRAK.TV in Canada and is a co-production between UK studio Pesky and Studio B in Vancouver, British Columbia. The series aired on CITV and for a short...
.
Story
Princess Guinevere requests an certain object or animal or being which she apparently desperately wants or truly has need of. Arthur accepts, in return for her agreed hand in marriage. Arthur, usually accompanied by Merlin, will set off on a quest which sometimes included other people to gain the item required. He will be beset by numerous dangers before finally reaching his goal, however something will always ruin it or its effects and Guinevere will never be pleased, or if she is, soon after she will be displeased. The main antagonists to the king are his two rebellious knights, Sir Lancelot and Sir Martyn, who constantly quarrel between each other but share the king as a common enemy.Characters
The show uses a stock series of characters drawn from the popular reception of the Arthurian Legend, and whose most notable features demonstrate the influences of 20th century, rather than medieval, incarnations of the knights. The main recurring characters are:- ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
(Rik Mayall), the eponymous king whose disasters provide the main plot motivation. - GuinevereGuinevereGuinevere was the legendary queen consort of King Arthur. In tales and folklore, she was said to have had a love affair with Arthur's chief knight Sir Lancelot...
(Morwenna Banks), the archetypal bored princess whom her creators describe as "the Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
of her generation" (see King Arthur's Disasters home page). While having no intentions of actually marrying Arthur she uses her hold over him to will him into finding her the things she desires; water from the fountain of youth, a winter palace, a golden bear, and so on. In the later episodes, however, she really starts to love Arthur. Guinevere is so self-absorbed sometimes she doesn't even notice Arthur's absence. - MerlinMerlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
(Matt Lucas), Arthur's only faithful servant, whose bumbling manner might hide a devious, brilliant mind... or might not. - LancelotLancelotSir Lancelot du Lac is one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He is the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and plays a part in many of Arthur's victories...
(Phil Cornwell), Arthur's first knight, who resembles nothing so much as a fusion of James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
and Terry-ThomasTerry-ThomasThomas Terry Hoar Stevens was a distinctive English comic actor, known as Terry-Thomas. He was famous for his portrayal of disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads and toffs, with the trademark gap in his front teeth, cigarette holder, smoking jacket, and catch-phrases such as...
. Holding a grudge since a childhood dispute, Lancelot seeks any occasion to rid himself of Arthur and usurp the vacant throne; a tropeTrope (literature)A literary trope is the usage of figurative language in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
which leads him to heartily encourage Arthur's more perilous quests, and recalls Steve Barron's Merlin (film)Merlin (film)Merlin is a television miniseries which originally aired in 1998 that retells the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin...
TV series, transferring the adultery theme to a more 'child-friendly' comic equivalent. - Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
(Phil Cornwell), a cheery denizen of the forest who (along with his not so merrie men) serves as antagonist to Arthur since an encounter with the Singing Oak Tree and the ruse of a cunning pig... While technically speaking an anachronism (depending on which Arthurian source you prefer), the inclusion of Robin Hood is not without precedent in Arthurian films, since Nathan JuranNathan JuranNaftuli "Nathan" Hertz Juran was an American film art director and film director who is most noted for winning the Academy Award for Best Art Direction for How Green Was My Valley and for directing science fiction and fantasy films such as Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. He was also the brother of...
's Siege of the SaxonsSiege of the SaxonsSiege of the Saxons is a 1963 British film directed by Nathan H. Juran and released by Columbia Pictures. It is a historical epic, set in the time of King Arthur....
included a Robin-esque character, and the backdating of Robin places him within broadly the same time period as Chrétien de TroyesChrétien de TroyesChrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
was writing his Arthurian legends (late 12th Century). His voice was based on Tony BlackburnTony BlackburnTony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
. - Sir Martyn, a deliberately anachronistic (or perhaps anatopistic) insertion into the legend, perhaps an homage to Akira KurosawaAkira Kurosawawas a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
whose Seven Samurai present a similarity with occidental medieval knights. - Splag, Arthur's only loyal knight, who is a stocky brute capable of only monosyllabic grunts.
Series One
| Episode # | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|
Series two
| Episode # | Title | Original Airdate |
|---|
International broadcasts
| Country | Channel | Date of Premiere |
|---|---|---|
| ABC1 ABC1 ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on... ABC3 ABC3 -Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under... |
2005-2010 (inc. repeats) | |
| Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (France) Cartoon Network France is a television channel available in France. It Launched on November 5, 1999 and is owned by Turner Broadcasting System... |
2006 | |
| Cartoon Network Cartoon Network Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States.... |
2005 | |
| Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (Europe) Cartoon Network is a pan-European digital television channel created by Turner Broadcasting, a unit of Time Warner and dedicated to showing animated programming... RTP 2 (dubbed version) Boomerang Boomerang Europe Boomerang Europe are a group of television channel targeting children, teens, young people and mostly featuring cartoon programs. It is available in 7 separate feeds:* Boomerang * Boomerang Central & Eastern Europe* Boomerang Nordic... |
2005 | |
| Disney Channel Toon Disney Toon Disney Toon Disney was an American cable television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. A spinoff of Disney Channel, it mostly aired children's animated series and some live action programming. Its format had similarities to those of Cartoon Network and Nicktoons... |
2005 | |
| Toon Disney Toon Disney Toon Disney was an American cable television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. A spinoff of Disney Channel, it mostly aired children's animated series and some live action programming. Its format had similarities to those of Cartoon Network and Nicktoons... Disney Cinemagic Disney Cinemagic (Spain) Disney Cinemagic is a Spanish television channel launched on 1 July 2008, along with its timeshift service Disney Cinemagic +1. In summer 2010 Disney Cinemagic HD started to broadcast. It replaced Toon Disney in Spain.... |
2005 | |
| Nicktoons UK Nicktoons UK Nicktoons is a British digital television channel launched on 22 July 2002. It is a cartoon based sister channel to Nickelodeon. The channel airs cartoons, these are commonly known as Nicktoons, as well as other cartoons known as non-Nicktoons. Unlike the United States version, it has been... POP |
2006-2011, 2010 | |
| Nickelodeon | 2005 | |
 CroatiaCroatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... |
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (Croatia) Nickelodeon Croatia is a Croatian TV Channel.It is broadcasting Croatia but also in Montenegro,and Bulgaria.Nickelodeon Croatia is just Nickelodeon Europe.... |
2005 |
 PolandPoland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
Boomerang Boomerang (TV channel) Boomerang is a 24-hour American cable television channel owned by Turner Broadcasting System, a division of Time Warner. Boomerang specializes in reruns of animated programming from Time Warner's extensive archives, including pre-1986 MGM, Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises... |
2008 |