To my utter delight, another couple of Let's Pretend episodes have recently popped on YouTube, so it's time to dissect one of these in a way that most people would consider utter madness. This particular episode of the long-running series hails from December 1984, a period of British life most famous for Do They Know It's Christmas? and Last Christmas battling it out for the number one spot. Oh sure, there were probably other more noteworthy news stories unfolding, but Curious British Telly has only ever been interested in pop culture.
Anyway, back to Let's Pretend. Broadcast on the 3rd December 1984, this edition of Let's Pretend is entitled The Broom and the Vacuum Cleaner - a truly no nonsense title which ties in nicely with the simplistic nature at the beating heart of the series. The pretenders for this episode are John Telfer - a man perhaps best known for his time on Bergerac - alongside Michael McNally, clad in a curiously short jumper which appears to have run out of thread before it was finished, and Lesia Melnyk, a dependable pair of hands when it comes to Let's Pretend.
I've completed several reviews of the series so far (see here and here) so I'm not going to bore you by hammering the format down your throat with a rolled up copy of the TV Times yet again. Instead, lets dive in by taking a look at the story
Another cautionary tale for the young viewers, The Broom and the Vacuum Cleaner - written by series stalwart Denis Bond - is very much in the vein of one of Aesop's fables. An intensely proud vacuum cleaner believes that he's the bee's knees when it comes to cleaning up, especially when compared to the limited impact of the broom. However, the vacuum cleaner soon discovers his limitations and learns the importance of teamwork between people with different skills. On the face of it, it's a simplistic, even laughably slight tale, but it's one which delivers an important 10-minute message for the young viewers on how society can pull together.
As for the pretenders, they're on excellent form. I interviewed John Telfer several years ago and he absolutely relished his time on Let's Pretend. It shows here, too, with his fantastic brio combining with Lesia Melnyk's equally sky-high enthusiasm - a particular delight for me is this section where, whilst still playing a broom and vacuum cleaner, they put on a cabaret-style dance. Simple pleasures, but I'll take what I can in the complex 2020s. Michael McNally is, as is customary with the musician role, shuffled into the background, but he's wearing some fantastic 1984 fashion as he tinkles the ivories and that's good enough for me.
Another excellent slice of children't lunchtime television from an era which is getting further and further away from us, The Broom and the Vacuum Cleaner is a shining example of entertainment on a shoestring budget. Is it any different to any other episode of Let's Pretend? No, not really, but they weren't designed to be binge watched one after the other. Children watched them once and probably never again, but as long as it sparked something in their curiosity for life, it was job done.
I'm yet to have anyone get in touch with old episodes of Let's Pretend, but remember I'm always on the look out for them. VHS and Betamax are both welcome. Thanks.
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