THE SECRET WORLD OF POLLY FLINT is another British children's TV show written by the great Helen Cresswell, who was at her creative peak in this era. As usual, the show mixes together two of Cresswell's favourite themes, time travel and dysfunctional family life. Polly Flint is a friendless loner sent off to stay with her aunt after her father is involved in a mining accident. She explores the local countryside and encounters strange characters in the woods, linked to a local maypole.
This six-parter is notable for featuring one of Cresswell's most friendless and isolated protagonists (unlike MOONDIAL, she doesn't even have any ghost kid friends here). At least there's a ghostly dog, Boris, for her to hang around with. The depiction of her fraught family life is well done (you think the mother's strict until you meet the aunt!) while the time travel elements are handled in an interesting way, and there's good value from Don Henderson's creepy tramp. The story is a real slow burner, with stuff only really "happening" in the final episode, but the evocation of era makes it a must for me.
This six-parter is notable for featuring one of Cresswell's most friendless and isolated protagonists (unlike MOONDIAL, she doesn't even have any ghost kid friends here). At least there's a ghostly dog, Boris, for her to hang around with. The depiction of her fraught family life is well done (you think the mother's strict until you meet the aunt!) while the time travel elements are handled in an interesting way, and there's good value from Don Henderson's creepy tramp. The story is a real slow burner, with stuff only really "happening" in the final episode, but the evocation of era makes it a must for me.
