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I don't recall ever seeing a full episode of FOLLYFOOT when I was a boy, probably 'cos I assumed it was a show for girls. After all, a girl was the lead, and there were horses in it, so it must've been for girls, mustn't it? "What about cowboy films, Kid? There are horses in them, and cowboy films aren't (just) for girls." Yeah, but horses in cowboy films look well-tough, and aren't soppy sad-eyed wimpy ones like in Follyfoot. I'm kidding of course, but for whatever reason, though I was familiar with the theme tune and opening credits, and caught snatches now and again when changing between channels, I don't think I ever saw a complete episode.
Then I chanced upon the above box set in a charity shop for a mere £2. What's more, examining the discs, they don't look as if they've ever been played, as there's absolutely not even the minutest hint of wear on any of them. I've watched a few now, and none of the stories are familiar to me, tending to confirm my belief that it wasn't a show I watched all the way through. However, I've quite enjoyed the ones I've seen so far, and will continue at intervals to watch the rest of them, though it'll be slow process as I can't watch anything nowadays for more than around 10 or 15 minutes before falling asleep. £2, eh? What a bargain!
One of the things I like about the show is that it gave British stalwarts ARTHUR ENGLISH and DESMOND LLEWELYN regular work in a TV series. Apparently there were plans to make a movie while the show was still in production, but for reasons unspecified, they never came to fruition. Maybe the viewing figures during the third series had started to take a dip, making the expense of a movie a bit too risky. The type of stories featured in Follyfoot were ideally suited to half hour segments anyway, and a 90 minute film may have been stretching things a bit too far.
Anyway, here's a couple of questions for all you Crivs out there. Did you ever watch Follyfoot when you were a kid (or teenager), and if so, did you enjoy it? Well, okay, there were two parts to that question, but it counts as only one. The second is this: What's the absolute best bargain you've ever had in a charity shop? Comment lines are now open, so don't delay - tell everybody about that superb whatever-it-was item that you got for a mere song. I'm waiting, so don't let me or your fellow Crivs down.
