The Winjin Pom
Encyclopedia
The Winjin' Pom is a television puppet
series about a talking British caravan
, renowned for his moaning, and five Australians who live and travel in him. The travellers who include Adelaide, Sydney, Bruce, Frazer and Darwin (respectively a wallaby
, an ostrich
, a spider
, a fruit bat
and a wombat
), are members of the Gullagaloona backpacker
s club and are on a mission to travel the world.
Discovering the caravan near London when lost, the travellers soon find the Winjin' Pom to be one of their biggest allies. A mafia
-like team headed by evil Hammond organ
playing vulture
J.G. Chicago soon discover the caravan's rare ability to speak and decide to hijack it in a sinister plot to make themselves rich.
Part of this mafia gang includes two villainous brothers (who happen to be crow
s). Ronnie and Reggie ("The Crows") relentlessly chase the caravan and follow the backpackers on their travels in an attempt to steal it always of course failing miserably.
The Winjin' Pom (that name is actually a pun on the "whinging pom" Aussie expression used to refer to a person of British origin who constantly complains about things he has to face) caravan is famous not only for talking but also for flying, something which occurs several episodes in after a hijack by The Crows. This talking-flying caravan was not seen by many people and the series did not air for long.
Written by Richard Carpenter the television series appears to be falsely aimed at teenagers, while it actually contains some impressive dialogues, that tend to vehiculate a certain grittiness now and then, making it somewhat similar in spirit to The Simpsons
TV show. The series particularly revolves around the friendly, joking banter on stereotype
s: the grumpy Brit and adventurous Australian.
The Winjin' Pom was broadcast in 1991 on commercial television and is owned by Spitting Image
Productions and HIT Entertainment PLC. It was directed by Steve Bendelack
and is not currently shown on any television network, nor is it available to own on video or DVD. Allegedly, the rights are available for purchase.
Adelaide: a boyish female wallaby
and the unofficial leader of the bunch; cranky and quick to retort, she's a real tomboy
and could be somewhat perceived as a feminist, compared to the more feminine Sydney. Adelaide is also skilled in mechanics and can be seen repairing Pom now and then. Named after Adelaide
, a city in Australia.
Sydney: a snobbish female ostrich
with a taste for bragging and luxury... She complains a lot, and equally seems to annoy the others in return. She's usually the first one to duck and cover in case of danger, usually stuffing her head into a fireman's bucket. She also insists on being referred to as a cassowary
, and not an ostrich... Named after Sydney, Australia's largest city.
Darwin: a middle-aged male wombat
, Darwin is probably the most sensitive of the group, being an amateur of poetry and a romantic mind. Gentle, naive to a fault, and easily bewildered, he seems to get a lot on Adelaide and Sydney's nerves, and as a result gets repeatedly scolded by the two female. Probably named after another city in Australia, which in turn was named after Charles Darwin
.
Frazer: a male fruit bat
with a laid-back attitude. A good-hearted, tolerant young guy, Frazer is a cricket
fanatic and has a taste for fresh fruits (in one episode, he can notably be seen smelling a banana just like one would smell a good cigar). He's also good friend with Bruce. Named after Charles Fraser
, a 19th century botanist and explorer of Australia. Also, in Australia, an island known as Frazer is home to living fruit bats.
Bruce: an enthusiastic, wise-cracking red-back spider
, Bruce's humor is just as deadly as his venom
... Though loyal to his friends, he is much of a troublemaker and tends to annoy them moderately, save for Frazer who seems to appreciate him. Upon meeting someone for the first time, Bruce's first question is usually "Can I bite him?"
J.G. Chicago : the heroes' main nemesis, a cold-hearted, calculating vulture
who seems to be a sort of powerful underworld boss. He is sustained by a complex medical apparatus and enjoys playing Hammond organ
. J.G. is bent on stealing the Winjin' Pom and using his special abilities for his own benefits.
Ronnie and Reggie, the Crow Twins: a pair of nasty but single-minded crows, Ronnie and Reggie are twin brothers, and J.G.'s snivelling, incompetent associates. They occasionally manage to hijack the Winjin' Pom, but systematically end up failing. Named after the Kray Twins
, a pair of existing criminals.
Howard: a male spotted hyena
and J.G.'s right hand. Somewhat clumsy and less evil that he'd want to let believe, he has a knack for putting himself into impossible situations. Poor Howard is also clearly terrified by J.G. and appears somewhat pathetic when he has to face his boss' outbursts of anger.
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
series about a talking British caravan
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
, renowned for his moaning, and five Australians who live and travel in him. The travellers who include Adelaide, Sydney, Bruce, Frazer and Darwin (respectively a wallaby
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
, an ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
, a spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
, a fruit bat
Fruit Bat
Fruit Bat can refer to:* Megabats, a species of bat which eats fruit* Les "Fruitbat" Carter, guitarist of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine* Fruit Bats , an American band...
and a wombat
Wombat
Wombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a short, stubby tail. They are adaptable in their habitat tolerances, and are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, as well as...
), are members of the Gullagaloona backpacker
Backpacking (travel)
Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used...
s club and are on a mission to travel the world.
Discovering the caravan near London when lost, the travellers soon find the Winjin' Pom to be one of their biggest allies. A mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
-like team headed by evil Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
playing vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
J.G. Chicago soon discover the caravan's rare ability to speak and decide to hijack it in a sinister plot to make themselves rich.
Part of this mafia gang includes two villainous brothers (who happen to be crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s). Ronnie and Reggie ("The Crows") relentlessly chase the caravan and follow the backpackers on their travels in an attempt to steal it always of course failing miserably.
The Winjin' Pom (that name is actually a pun on the "whinging pom" Aussie expression used to refer to a person of British origin who constantly complains about things he has to face) caravan is famous not only for talking but also for flying, something which occurs several episodes in after a hijack by The Crows. This talking-flying caravan was not seen by many people and the series did not air for long.
Written by Richard Carpenter the television series appears to be falsely aimed at teenagers, while it actually contains some impressive dialogues, that tend to vehiculate a certain grittiness now and then, making it somewhat similar in spirit to The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
TV show. The series particularly revolves around the friendly, joking banter on stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s: the grumpy Brit and adventurous Australian.
The Winjin' Pom was broadcast in 1991 on commercial television and is owned by Spitting Image
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
Productions and HIT Entertainment PLC. It was directed by Steve Bendelack
Steve Bendelack
Steve Bendelack is a British film and television director, who has worked primarily on a range of highly-acclaimed comedy programmes.Originally an assistant to Peter Fluck and Roger Law on satirical TV puppet show Spitting Image, Bendelack went on to direct the show in later years...
and is not currently shown on any television network, nor is it available to own on video or DVD. Allegedly, the rights are available for purchase.
Main characters
The Winjin' Pom: a talking, flying (and moaning) British van who acts as a vetust way of transport for the protagonists. Depressive, pessimistic and prone to self-pitying, Pom tends to see about anything under a negative aspect, but he is nonetheless loyal to his friends, and it is often up to him to save the day when they're in a pinch.Adelaide: a boyish female wallaby
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
and the unofficial leader of the bunch; cranky and quick to retort, she's a real tomboy
Tomboy
A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
and could be somewhat perceived as a feminist, compared to the more feminine Sydney. Adelaide is also skilled in mechanics and can be seen repairing Pom now and then. Named after Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, a city in Australia.
Sydney: a snobbish female ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
with a taste for bragging and luxury... She complains a lot, and equally seems to annoy the others in return. She's usually the first one to duck and cover in case of danger, usually stuffing her head into a fireman's bucket. She also insists on being referred to as a cassowary
Cassowary
The cassowaries are ratites, very large flightless birds in the genus Casuarius native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeastern Australia. There are three extant species recognized today...
, and not an ostrich... Named after Sydney, Australia's largest city.
Darwin: a middle-aged male wombat
Wombat
Wombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a short, stubby tail. They are adaptable in their habitat tolerances, and are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, as well as...
, Darwin is probably the most sensitive of the group, being an amateur of poetry and a romantic mind. Gentle, naive to a fault, and easily bewildered, he seems to get a lot on Adelaide and Sydney's nerves, and as a result gets repeatedly scolded by the two female. Probably named after another city in Australia, which in turn was named after Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
.
Frazer: a male fruit bat
Fruit Bat
Fruit Bat can refer to:* Megabats, a species of bat which eats fruit* Les "Fruitbat" Carter, guitarist of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine* Fruit Bats , an American band...
with a laid-back attitude. A good-hearted, tolerant young guy, Frazer is a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
fanatic and has a taste for fresh fruits (in one episode, he can notably be seen smelling a banana just like one would smell a good cigar). He's also good friend with Bruce. Named after Charles Fraser
Charles Fraser
Charles Fraser may refer to:* Charles Fraser , botanist and explorer of Australia* Charles Fraser , ice hockey player* Charles Fraser , missionary with the Scottish Missionary Society to Russian Tatary...
, a 19th century botanist and explorer of Australia. Also, in Australia, an island known as Frazer is home to living fruit bats.
Bruce: an enthusiastic, wise-cracking red-back spider
Red-back spider
The Redback spider is a potentially dangerous spider endemic to Australia. It is a member of the genus Latrodectus, or widow family of spiders, which are found throughout the world. The female is easily recognisable by her black body with a prominent red stripe on the upper side of her abdomen...
, Bruce's humor is just as deadly as his venom
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
... Though loyal to his friends, he is much of a troublemaker and tends to annoy them moderately, save for Frazer who seems to appreciate him. Upon meeting someone for the first time, Bruce's first question is usually "Can I bite him?"
J.G. Chicago : the heroes' main nemesis, a cold-hearted, calculating vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
who seems to be a sort of powerful underworld boss. He is sustained by a complex medical apparatus and enjoys playing Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
. J.G. is bent on stealing the Winjin' Pom and using his special abilities for his own benefits.
Ronnie and Reggie, the Crow Twins: a pair of nasty but single-minded crows, Ronnie and Reggie are twin brothers, and J.G.'s snivelling, incompetent associates. They occasionally manage to hijack the Winjin' Pom, but systematically end up failing. Named after the Kray Twins
Kray twins
Reginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
, a pair of existing criminals.
Howard: a male spotted hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
and J.G.'s right hand. Somewhat clumsy and less evil that he'd want to let believe, he has a knack for putting himself into impossible situations. Poor Howard is also clearly terrified by J.G. and appears somewhat pathetic when he has to face his boss' outbursts of anger.