Bod – 1975
Writers
Joanne Cole
Michael Cole

Cast
John Le Mesurier
Maggie Henderson

Review by Ben J Marshall

Here Comes Bod…..,
This was a strange programme, with basic animation but nevertheless there was something about Bod that kept me amused as a kid. “Here comes Bod” the narrator would say, we’d hear a cheeky sounding theme tune played on a piccolo and see a boy with a bald head and an evil face wearing a yellow dress walking towards us! Yes really!!

Bod also had 4 friends: Aunt Flo, Frank the Postman, Farmer Barleymow and PC Copper (each had their own theme tune – courtesy of Derek Griffiths) every episode they would do something like go to the Park, the Beach etc. Then at the end we saw them walking away into the distance hearing that mischievous sounding piccolo again. BUT!! At the end of some episodes we were treated to a story about a frog called Alberto who had an animal band, basically whatever the problem was the frog would get his band to play some music……and the problem was solved and frog was always rewarded with a milkshake.

Finally we had a song and a game of snap before the end credits. All of this sounds insane, but I recently bought this on DVD and was relieved to find out that I am not mad and didn’t dream any of this up. Also I enjoyed seeing it again after all this time and I can honestly say my slightly mocking tones are nothing but affectionate.

Not many people know, but Michael and Joanna Cole who created Bod were Taoists. When you actually watch the cartoon (from 1975) it makes perfect sense. All the stories are about mindfulness, zen and being at one with your surroundings to find happiness. In this episode, we learn that change is good – the end of the old, triggers the beginning of the new.