Second series of Dennis the Mildly Irritating announced

[swirlythingy]

https://twitter.com/DC_Thomson/status/1 ... 6135452672

Delighted to announce that production has started on new series of Dennis & Gnasher with @RedKiteAnimatns. Airs in UK on BBC in Autumn '13.

You may commence wall-banging... now.

[Classic Comics]

Alternatively, you could wait and actually see it before making a comment.

[Digifiend]

I hope that doesn't mean the comic undoing all the recent reversals such as Foo-Foo and Rasher's returns and the elimination of the faded backgrounds.

And this is a long gap between series. The 1996 series had it's second series in 1998 - two years later. Now if there's been a third series at the time, the first episode would've probably had to adapt the "pregnant Mum" storyline which ended in Bea's debut. Instead, she didn't appear in animation until 2009. 2013 is four years later - that's too long. If they were going to do a second series, it should've aired already, not be just at the announcement stage. I wonder what took so long?

One positive I hope is that it could justify the return of the Dennis and Gnasher annual, after the absence of a 2012 edition (Beano and Dandy Celebrate Dennis doesn't count).

[Tin Can Tommy]

I prefered the older 90s Dennis TV series the plots were less realistic and more cartoony (which is a good thing) than this new series with the episode where Dennis goes under his bed and finds a tooth fairy kingdom being a particular favourite of mine and among the things which got me into the Beano in the first place.

I have seen a few episodes from the newer series from what I can remember it was an alright cartoon but it didnt really stand out for me from other modern cartoons. But this new series is being released in 2013 the last series ended in 2010 there is a 3 years difference it may as well be a new reboot.
They could learn from what people did and didnt like in the 09/10 series and change this new one accordingly also it probably means higher sales for The Beano (and hopefully The Dandy as The Beano advertises that now in a way that I must say is quite entertaining).

What I really want to know though is why isn't the entire first series of Dennis the Menace (from 1996) avaiable on DVD the entire second is and the first few episodes of the First anyone know why?

Also do they still repeat the 90s Dennis on CBBC I seem to recall them doing so uptill this new series was released but I might be wrong as i'm not an avid CBBC viewer.

[Gilly]

They have released the entire 1st series on DVD. Go on amazon and type in Dennis and Gnasher Special Agent Dennis. That is a boxset with every episode of the 1996/98 series as well as The Beano Video and Videostars.

I should know I've purchased it today. I'll report back when it comes through the post.

[swirlythingy]

I prefered the older 90s Dennis TV series the plots were less realistic and more cartoony (which is a good thing) than this new series with the episode where Dennis goes under his bed and finds a tooth fairy kingdom being a particular favourite of mine and among the things which got me into the Beano in the first place.

Me too! The last time I saw an episode of the newer series - the one recently uploaded to Beano.com - it involved Dennis unintentionally making the entire town think aliens had invaded, while innocently filming a sci-fi home movie. The episode I saw before that revolved around Dennis attempting not to get his mum's new curtains damaged. Seriously, wut?

I have seen a few episodes from the newer series from what I can remember it was an alright cartoon but it didnt really stand out for me from other modern cartoons. But this new series is being released in 2013 the last series ended in 2010 there is a 3 years difference it may as well be a new reboot.

ISTR the softy reboot originally being billed as a 'third series' when it was at the announcement stage. (Disclaimer: May have been read on Wikipedia.) It's not as drastic as a twelve-year difference, but they've paid a heavy price for a serious market research failure in the meantime.

Basically, this blows the field wide open. I spent much of 2011 congratulating the Beano for removing undesirable elements which were introduced specifically to tie in with the TV series, but what's going to happen now? Is the comic going to backslide to fit in with the same old rubbish, or is the BBC going to waive some of its regulations to fit in with the comic?

[Jonny Whizz]

I must admit that I never really watched the 2009 Dennis series. I think was I put off by Dennis' new voice, which sounded way off kilter to me (in my opinion his voice sounded too Northern). However, I did enjoy the earlier 1990s TV series which seemed much more in keeping with the comic, and had some very funny plots and ideas. I was another who came to the Beano via the 1996 series - the first episode I remember watching was the one where Dennis menaced everyone by putting 'Jellyo' in the town water supply, which I found hilarious and it inspired me to start getting the Beano.

Ideally, it would be nice if the BBC allowed the Dennis in the TV series to be just as much of a menace as he is in the comic, but I suspect that will be too much to hope for - I'm not aware of the BBC relaxing any regulations regarding their children's output. I really don't want to see all that was bad about the TV-style revamp return - the worst feature was Dennis being de-menaced (and I don't think you can't convincingly argue that the pre-2009 Dennis the Menace wasn't working), but I was also glad to see the back of the dull faded backgrounds and the cheesy catchphrases such as 'Plan D and G'. I also hope that any new characters introduced are good - don't forget that both Sergeant Slipper and the Colonel were introduced in the 1996 TV series.

[Tin Can Tommy]

To be honest Dennis wasn't particularly menacing in the old 90s TV series, moreso than the new TV series but neither of them involve Dennis just riding through Beanotown menacing everyone for no good reason like he has been doing in the Beano recently.

I have high hopes for this new series I hope the plots are more wacky and cartoony like in the old series. That recent story arc in the Beano with Dennis going to America and saving the world from an asteroid is the sort of thing i'd like to see in this new series less grounded in reality and more fantasy elements such as Aliens, fairies, Frankenstein-esque monsters, giant robots, evil barbers and brainwashing mall music all my favourites from the 90s Dennis series. I really feel like watching it again now but unfortunately dont have my DVDs at hand.

I do think BBC's strict children's TV regulation are something of an urban myth. If you watch childrens cartoons (admittedly the shows im thinking of are on Cartoon Network not BBC) nowadays they are full of misbehaving children, mild innuendo, cartoon violence and gross-out humour. Saying the new Dennis' series was more politically correct than the oldone due to regulations is ludicrous i doubt regulations have really been tightened since the 90s and the 90s Dennis series seemed to get away with much more.

[swirlythingy]

evil barbers

That particular one is one of the two on the DVD free with The Beano and the Dandy Celebrate Dennis the Menace. Watching it for the first time in ten years was quite an experience.

Sure, there was loads of menacing and wacky stuff and funny jokes in it, but I'd forgotten the animation was so cheapskate! That's one thing, I suppose, we do have Red Kite to thank for.

I do think BBC's strict children's TV regulation are something of an urban myth. If you watch childrens cartoons (admittedly the shows im thinking of are on Cartoon Network not BBC) nowadays they are full of misbehaving children, mild innuendo, cartoon violence and gross-out humour. Saying the new Dennis' series was more politically correct than the oldone due to regulations is ludicrous i doubt regulations have really been tightened since the 90s and the 90s Dennis series seemed to get away with much more.

...You do realise that saying that makes things worse, not better? It's nice to be able to think DC Thomson's hand was forced by the BBC, as opposed to doing a complete Nick Clegg and abandoning any principles to chase publicity.

Alan Digby himself said (yeah, yeah, it's from the Daily Fail, but in the absence of conflicting proof I'm gonna assume those are genuine Digby quotes) that "certain compliance rules... particularly on the BBC" were to blame.