Rainbow: Zippy Sets Them Up!

• Cert:
• Cat.no: PTDVD 8115
• Running time: 96 minutes
• Year: varies
• Pressing: 2001
• Region(s): 0, PAL
• Chapters: 7
• Sound: Mono
• Languages: English
• Subtitles: None
• Fullscreen: 4:3
• 16:9-Enhanced: No
• Macrovision: Yes
• Disc Format: DVD 5
• Price: £9.99
• Extras: None

Cast:

Geoffrey, Zippy, Bungle, George, Rod, Jane, Freddy/Roger

And so the groovy drum solo that followed – and in fact the whole programmeitself – made this probably the ultimate student television experience tocure a night out on the beer, or a perfect excuse to skip morning lectures,even if it didn’t start until midday.

For anyone not up to speed, the programme is about an odd bunch who live in ahouse. The only human is Geoffrey, then there’s a talking bear called Bunglewho walks around naked by day but at bedtime has to put his pyjamas on. Georgeis a pink male hippo who just may or may not be gay and finally comes Zippy,a weird orange creature with a zip for a mouth. Who can tell WHAT he really is?

Each episode lasts around 13 minutes and features a lot of play acting,songs and the occasional moral to be learned, with bizarre rainbow-inspiredcartoon clips between scenes. If you’re really lucky, you’ll catch a glimpseof Rod, Jane and Freddy, the latter of which was replaced with Roger earlyon, who later went on to appear in that great soap Eldorado as Bunny.

There are seven episodes on this disc :

• Zipman and Bobbin: The caped crusader has nothing to fear asZippy and George turn into a version of the daring duo and Geoffrey playsthe Joker! He’s no Jack Nicholson!
• Zippy’s in Love: Zippy falls for a Children’s ITV presenter calledDebbie, even to the point of having wet dreams about her and getting mercilesslyteased by the others. Just wait until his love poem gets read out on air… Ifhe can get her to visit him, how can I persuade Kate Russell to do the same? 🙂
• Hot Day: It’s a long hot summer (when did we last have one of those?)and some old dear with ginger hair pops round to tell a story. Bungle’s shyabout everyone seeing him in his swimming trunks, but the rest of the timehe’s naked(!)
• Zippy Sets Them Up!: Zippy makes promises of being helpful, buthe’s not normally like this and so it arouses suspicion. Naturally, his bluffis called.
• Bungle’s High and Mighty Day: It’s time for a cross-over as Bunglegets an invitation to Sooty’s birthday party. As it’s addressed only to him,his big head gets even bigger, forcing Geoffrey to share a bed with Zippy andGeorge.
• Zippy Wants to be a Comedian: Morecambe and Wise fans take note asLittle Ern pays a visit to the Rainbow household to teach him the tricks ofthe trade.
• George’s Secret Wish: For all the speculation it could be a seasonpass to the Manchester Mardi Gras, or a pink feather scarf if the 2002 RainbowCalendar is anything to go by.