Underplayed Gems

Freetime (1981)

Freetime poster
Genre
family, kids
Country
United Kingdom
Length
11 seasons, 36 episodes
Rating
8.0 of 10 from 1 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this series is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More series like this

How it feels

This is a children's TV magazine show that highlights different hobbies and activities. Hosts present segments on interests like crafts, sports, and unusual pastimes. The show aims to inspire kids to try new things outside.

educationalupbeatcasuallivelyencouragingwhimsicalnostalgicpractical

What happens

Freetime was a children's television programme shown on ITV. Its premiere episode debuted on 8 December 1980 and was listed as "Free Time" in the TV Times. But the series did not properly start until 17 April 1981. Produced by Thames Television, it was a magazine format show devoted to hobbies and interests, and was designed to encourage viewers to get out and about rather than staying at home and watching television. It was hosted by the former Magpie presenter Mick Robertson. Robertson was initially joined on set by Trudi Dance, but she was soon replaced by Kim Goody, who co-presented the show with Robertson until it was axed by the network in 1985, at which time the show was being broadcast bi-weekly. The object of the show was to shed light on the manifold hobbies and interests that viewers might wish to pursue. However, not all of these were really possible. One famous show from the final season featured two teams of dogs playing football, with Robertson providing commentary, while Goody attempted to act as referee. Following the show's finale, Robertson went on to help launch The Children's Channel, and was briefly reunited with Goody a few years later when she joined him as a presenter on his show, Roustabout. However, after a year or so, she left to pursue a career in music. On 16 September 1988, Thames Television briefly re-launched Freetime, this time fronted by Andi Peters, but the series was cancelled after its fifteenth and final edition on 23 December 1988 (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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