Breakfast Serials
Encyclopedia
Breakfast Serials was a twenty-five minute anthology series for children that aired on BBC ONE
for one series in 1990. It was produced and co-written by Russell T Davies, and edited by Edward Pugh. Other writers for the series were credited under the group name "The Salad Pig".
The series comprised various shorts that were based on a variety of genres such as dialogue comedy (Cheapo TV), drama (Runners), stand-up comedy (Zounds) and narrative (Single Tales).
Each serial would be prefaced by a conversation between a Kettle
, a Tin
, and a Tomato
(known as The Kitchen Crew). On occasion, they would interact with the serial characters. The final disccusion of the overall episode would lead into a song performed by all three that would play over the end credits.
All voices and acting roles/guises in the series were performed by Caroline Berry, John Biggins
, Lucy Jenkins and William Petrie
.
Nice Chap: "Nice Chap", a permanently positive, curious man-child who speaks in rhyme, is the creation of a depressed and lonesome female illustrator (Suzie, creator of Cozicomix). Suzie's only friends are plants, one of which is a yucca named Peter. Nice Chap is brought to life when a bolt of lightning strikes Suzie's drawing board. The two are placed in mortal danger by a rival comics company (Megacomix), managed by Joyce and Norris and manned by a meglomaniacal supercomputer (It) and at least one other computer (Chuck)
Nice Chap 2: Six months later the Supercomputer takes control of Norris and lays siege to a television station which is known as 'Norris Vision'. Nice Chap and Suzie foil It's plans and all returns to normal.
Nice Chap 3: Another six months later on the anniversary of his first coming to life Nice Chap himself is turned evil when his creator, in a fit of anger, draws dark eyebrows on him. At the serial's conclusion, The renegade Nice Chap is killed by a doppleganger and his creator gives in to her despair, using a device called a Crash Machine to send herself into Nice Chap's dimension to be with a positive version of him forever.
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
for one series in 1990. It was produced and co-written by Russell T Davies, and edited by Edward Pugh. Other writers for the series were credited under the group name "The Salad Pig".
The series comprised various shorts that were based on a variety of genres such as dialogue comedy (Cheapo TV), drama (Runners), stand-up comedy (Zounds) and narrative (Single Tales).
Each serial would be prefaced by a conversation between a Kettle
Kettle
A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a small kitchen appliance used for boiling water. Kettles can be heated either by placing on a stove, or by their own electric heating element.- Stovetop kettles :...
, a Tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
, and a Tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
(known as The Kitchen Crew). On occasion, they would interact with the serial characters. The final disccusion of the overall episode would lead into a song performed by all three that would play over the end credits.
All voices and acting roles/guises in the series were performed by Caroline Berry, John Biggins
John Biggins
John Biggins is an actor in England.Biggins became a professional actor in 1983. Since then, he has worked consistently on stage, television and radio....
, Lucy Jenkins and William Petrie
William Petrie
William Petrie was an Officer of the East India Company in Chennai during the 1780s. He set up a private observatory in his residence located in Egmore, Chennai, India. The main aim of the observatory was "to provide navigational assistance to the company ships and help determine the longitudes...
.
Nice Chap
A stand-out of the series was Nice Chap, an Adventure/Drama about a cartoon strip character that is brought to life. The serial comprised three "series", each connected in continuity, but could also be viewed as stand-alone storylinesNice Chap: "Nice Chap", a permanently positive, curious man-child who speaks in rhyme, is the creation of a depressed and lonesome female illustrator (Suzie, creator of Cozicomix). Suzie's only friends are plants, one of which is a yucca named Peter. Nice Chap is brought to life when a bolt of lightning strikes Suzie's drawing board. The two are placed in mortal danger by a rival comics company (Megacomix), managed by Joyce and Norris and manned by a meglomaniacal supercomputer (It) and at least one other computer (Chuck)
Nice Chap 2: Six months later the Supercomputer takes control of Norris and lays siege to a television station which is known as 'Norris Vision'. Nice Chap and Suzie foil It's plans and all returns to normal.
Nice Chap 3: Another six months later on the anniversary of his first coming to life Nice Chap himself is turned evil when his creator, in a fit of anger, draws dark eyebrows on him. At the serial's conclusion, The renegade Nice Chap is killed by a doppleganger and his creator gives in to her despair, using a device called a Crash Machine to send herself into Nice Chap's dimension to be with a positive version of him forever.