Director Esben Storm
Starring Tamsin West, Sam Vandenberg, Rodney McLennan, Richard Moir & Bunney Brooke
Rated G
Score 6/6

Gribble and his partner evict the Twists from the Lighthouse, in order to build an amusement park. But with the help of some friendly ghosts, the Twists win the battle to save their home.

Alright, I suppose before I get to far into this to those Australians who grew up in the 90’s I probably should ask do you have a favourite episode of Round the Twist?

For those of you who might not be aware Round the Twist was an Australian children’s television comedy series about three children and their widower father, who live in a lighthouse by the Victorian coastline in the fictional town of Port Niranda. The storyline is about his children embarking on magical, fictional, and often scary adventures. The show was created by Patricia Edgar, Director of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF), and first went into production in 1989. There was 4 seasons that originally ran between April 6th 1990 ( April 4th 1989 according to IMDB)– May 2nd 2001 and Lighthouse Blues originally aired July 6th 1990 (July 4th 1989 according to IMDB).

Okay, maybe I should have watched the first episode instead of the thirteenth but it seemed like a good idea at the time. As for why I decided to revisit an Australian Children’s series that last aired about 19 years ago? Well the series you find, when you find a YouTube Channel supported by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation are kind of nostalgic.

Now it has been more then a few years since I had last seen an episode and I will admit that I was a little surprised to see that Frankie J Holden was cast as Harold Gribble because I have more memories of Mark Mitchell as Mr. Gribble.
The effects used for the ghosts especially towards the end of the episode do age it a little bit, but I suppose that’s understandable considering the episode had its 30th anniversary a few months ago. Lighthouse Blues is simply good fun (perhaps things where a little more menacing the first time I watched this) however, I still got a few chuckles out of Matron Gribble portrayed by Judith McGrath and Bronson portrayed by Rodney McLennan and their interactions with the ghosts. Of course there is the brilliant use of the song Danny Boy.

Now when I read this tribute about the late Bunney Brooke, I knew I had to include it. Frankie J. Holden, Round The Twist star said Brooke “Could play with the kids, be a serious actress opposite the adults and that night drink the crew under the table”.