Worzel Gummidge (TV Series) The Scarecrow of Scatterbrook (2019) User Reviews

A delightful start.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 26 December 2019]

What a truly delightful start, an hour of warm, fun drama, that's perfect for the whole family to sit down to enjoy.

Mackenzie Crook did an awesome job as Worzel Gummidge, a role that Pertwee had made very famous, however Crook makes the role his own, this really is a Worzel Gummidge for a whole new audience.

This first part was great fun, and very enjoyable, I'd even say heart warming. Pure escapism. 8/10

Brilliant!

[chrisjames60 · 9/10 · 26 December 2019]

So atmospheric, so enjoyable. The characterisation & dialogue were excellent & such an improvement on the 1979-08 series. Very well done, Mackenzie Crook, so impressive.

By Gum-midge, it's great.

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 9/10 · 27 December 2019]

A magical hour of intrigue and gentle humour which surely children of all ages will love. I was around 10 when the classic ITV series was in its pomp so looked forward to seeing this modern update. It is different from the previous TV incarnation but we are in different times and the CGI now available for TV now which didn't even exist in films back then doesn't detract from the great scenery, the easy-to-follow story and the great musical accompaniment. As long as you can keep your children sat down for an hour then it will fuel heir imagination. Can't wait for episode 2.

Just not Worzel Gummidge

[atheos-07117 · 7/10 · 26 December 2019]

As a Worzel Gummidge remake it had none of the magic of John Pertwee's trouble making mischievious scarecrow. However in it's own right it was very watchable and if it was not supposed to be Worzel Gummidge it would've been so much better. I have to be fair and rate it on it's own merits and to that end I feel it deserves a solid 7/10. The kids were unconvincing they went from disinterested to interested far too quickly. The farmer went from grumpy anti-kid to very happy in a heart beat and it screamed an advert for clearing plastic bags up. The look of worzel was more like davey jones from pirates of the caribbean than that of a scarecrow. The aunt sally was just plain wrong and annoying compared to Una stubbs so that's why I'm not comparing them in my ratings but for information purposes only. I think to watch this you really need to forget John Pertwee and Una Stubbs and watch it as if you've never seen it before then you won't be disappointed.

If you remember the original...

[robhealy-85943 · 7/10 · 27 December 2019]

If you remember the original series of Worzel Gummidge you'll be pleasantly surprised by the likeness to the setting and characters but the 2019 Worzel is of course different to the original. There's similarities with his speech and getting words wrong but that's almost it. No changing heads or removable limbs - although he is seen to be akin to the invisible man under his jacket!

The Scarecrow of Scatterbrook

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 31 December 2019]

As a kid I read the Worzel Gummidge books as well as the Catweazle books. So anything that would turn into a series starring Geoffrey Bayldon.

Of course the big pull of the 1970s television show was Jon Pertwee playing Worzel Gummidge. His first big role after Doctor Who.

This new reimagination stars Mackenzie Crook. He is also the writer and director.

There is certainly a Detectorists vibe to this modern version and a new age folklore depiction of the countryside.

Crook certainly has the frame of a scarecrow and he adds the right blend of humour.

The first episode starts with two foster kids coming to stay in a farmhouse. Farmer Braithwaite is worried about the harvest. Worzel Gummidge mistakes the kids for scarecrows by the way they are dressed and communicates with them.

There is a climate change message to this episode as well as the perils of plastic bags. Of course Worzel just needs to remember a message as to what happened the last time the weather acted strangely.

It is a charming and atmospheric updating with the stories more based on the books than the Pertwee version.