Comments on: Pondering In the Night Garden…

By: David

David — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:30:35 +0000

A nice analysis. Don’t feel bad for reading between the lines. It just shows your brain’s working 🙂
Interesting you should mention Jacobi as the voice of God (then shy away from the analogy), given the obvious parallel between the Night Garden and Eden. Iggle Piggle as Adam and Upsy Daisy as Eve? A ‘tempting’ idea.
Interestingly enough, Daisy is a corruption of ‘day’s eye’, an eye-like flower that closes at night and opens with the breaking of day. The comparison is almost too delicious to ignore, though I suspect any connection is purely accidental.

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:38:27 +0000

I can only assume the melencholy nature of the music is what calms the mind and sends the kids AND me into that hypnotic state. Combined with Jacobi’s narrative and a plot you could summarise in 2 sentances amazingly stretched out over half an hour and the effect is almost debilitating.
Trust me, if you get stressed at work, take a break, watch 10 minutes of this on the iPlayer and you’ll soon be in a higher state of Zen tranquility!

By: Louis

Louis — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:08:35 +0000

One thing I noticed is the melancholy nature of the boat on the sea and Iggle Piggle’s character. Although the show is meant to be bright and cheerful, it is only so in the dream world. Iggle Piggle floats in the darkness (as far as we know this “real” world could ALWAYS be dark). He also floats on an empty sea, again this could be and “endless” ocean. I have a one year old and just started watching the show. Overall it is definitely finely crafted and a beautiful piece of work. I am, however, a bit cynical about just how much of the message is “innocent”. Iggle Piggle in an endless open sea of darkness with his entrance into a happy cheerful place only taking place once he goes to sleep and enters a dream world where he has a girlfriend and light and color, all of these things make me wonder if there is a darker message here? I am sure this is in large part due to me being an adult but still? Also, the main music is a powerful and sad, in my opinion, sort of tune. The show grabs me and I find myself watching it more intently than my daughter at times. It pulls at me emontionally and I feel the pull of melancholy whenever I hear the main musical theme at the beginning and end of the show. I often wonder if this is the same effect on my daughter? Does this tune create a longing for the next show? Lastly, the repetition of the characters motions, in particular the head nodding, is a bit spooky. Always three times, always in unison. That seems a bit too pedantic? I mean repeat nods of varying numbers and all characters nodding at different cadences? Anyways, I am probably reading to much into all of this considering the jaded nature of an adult view. But adults created this show. That’s what bugs me…

By: Mr Oz

Mr Oz — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:37:27 +0000

Regarding what appears to be a “…drawstring device near her belt. This is a similar device that you would find on a doll to pull to make them speak – so therefore Upsy-Daisy is definitely a toy come to life. They also share a common language and dialogue….”
i) The drawstring device is used to inflate her dress for dancing purposes. So it’s not necessarily evidence of toyhood.
ii) Upsy Daisy shares a language with the Tombliboos and Makka Pakka, which is composed solely of their (own) names. Ig Pig however has a voice that suggests he is the great grandson of Sweep – and he is The Visitor after all.
I too must take issue with the “just a kids’ prog” comment. I heard on the radio the makers of Night Garden talking about their other creation Tellietubbies, and being very defensive and indignant about the research and psychology put into their programs. A lot of academic research and thought goes into these things. Night Garden is beautiful, poignant, hypnotic, and very finely crafted.