Figure 1.--Here are the Ferrals with an especially nice pooch. The dog is called Snobs. The boy on the left is Marian. The traditionally uniformed local boys are the school bullies.

One of our readers has mentioned this Australian TV orogram to us, but we have few details at this time. The boys in the local school wear blue school shorts. There were 26 30 minute episodes made. It was produced by Australian Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd. The Executive Producers were Noel Price, Kris Noble, and Nick Wilson. The writers were Graeme Koetsveld, Robert Greenberg, Mark and Shirrefs. The series was distributed by Nine Network, Channel 5, Southern Star. The series was set in the beautiful ommunity on Sydney's northern beaches. The shows tell the story of unlikely friends. Abby is the daughter of a well-to-do middle class traditional family. Marian is a boy from a group of trendy parets who are almost nomads and are called the Ferrals. Their arrival disturbs the peace of the community. It is also the source of the plots for the shows various episodes. The costuming is used to point up the difference in the communities - the Ferals and boys from the local school. A Scottish reader in 2004 reports that the program is being shown locally and has proved very popular. Hopefully our Australian readers will provide some details on some of the episodes.

TV-ology

There were 26 30 minute episodes made. It was produced by Australian Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd. The Executive Producers were Noel Price, Kris Noble, and Nick Wilson. The writers were Graeme Koetsveld, Robert Greenberg, Mark and Shirrefs. The series was distributed by Nine Network, Channel 5, Southern Star.

Channel 5

Channel 5 is an interesting company working on children's television. It is a British TV company which co-produced both "Snobss" and "Don't Blame the Koalas". Both were aimed at primary school children. Channel 5 is reportedly for some promissing factual formats for this age group. The company is interested in other ideas hybrid formats aimed at Saturday and Sunday mornings children television, especially programs that mix some factual content with entertainment, drama and animation that appeal with children. Channel 5 is also interested in co-producing programs with minority language Channels, pay Channels and overseas broadcasters. Channel 5 has worked with Gaelic Television Service (Scotland), Channel 9 (Australia), various French Channels, Nickelodeon (United Kingdom), and TV Ontario (Canada).

Setting

The series was set in a community along Sydney's beautiful northern beaches.

Chronology

The series has a contemporary setting, but we are not sure when it was made. One reader believes it was made in 2001/02.

Plot

The shows tell the story of unlikely friends. Abby is the daughter of a well-to-do middle class traditional family. Marian is a boy from a group of trendy parents who are almost nomads and are called the Ferrals. The Australian term is "traveller" which is used to describe mifrant worker families. Their arrival disturbs the peace of the previously tranquil community. It is also the source of the plots for the shows various episodes. The costuming is used to point up the difference in the communities - the Ferals and boys from the local school. Like "Don't Blame the Koalas" it's about incomers trying to fit in. This seems to be a theme of Australian Childrens TV. Hopefully our Australian readers will provide some details on some of the episodes.

Episodes

The still here is from the first episode when Marian and family first arrive and meet the school bullies (fugure 1). Marian also meets Abbie (who he nicknames Spike) later. Most episodes show Abbie/Spike and Snobs thwarting the bullies. set in a well to-do neighbourhood of Sydney. In one episode, Spike and Marian start up their own canteen to protest the prices at the school tuck shop (snack bar) prices, but their business venture of course does not go smoothly. In another episode auditions are held for the grade six school play. Marian and Spike try out and are thus occupied and unable to help Pia when her vegetable patch is vandalized.

Costuming

The boys in the local school wear maroon blazers with crests and dark blue school shorts with blue kneesocks. Grey shorts were the most common, but a number of schools in Australia and New Zealand did wear blue shorts. The Ferrals wear rough casual clothes and are generally unkempt as shown in the scene here (figure 1). I assume that they had to get the local school uniform--but have no details on the episoides at this time. A reader writes, "I think Marian, the traveller boy, gets to attend the school but doesn't have to wear the uniform. It was the same here in Scotland when we had travellers passing through. They were not required to but a uniform they might only wear for a short period. Now a lot of them are settled or educated at home." I think the girls in the school like Abbie wear white socks not blue like the boys in this still (figure 1). This distinction was common at Australian schools, but at some schools they wore the same color socks as the boys.

Syndication

A Scottish reader in 2004 reports that the program is being shown locally and has proved very popular. He writes, "I don't really watch it but the kids here like it. It's taken over the slot on Sunday morning from Don't Blame the Koalas, another Australian import." A French freader tells us that in 2004 it was being shown on French TV.

Reader Comment

An Australian reader writes, "I have heard of this series but never have had the chance to watch it. By the look of the posh school uniforms I would accertain the era to be 1996 onwards as the shorts are a tad baggy on the long haired schoolboy. [HBC note: I am not sure the school is a posh private school. I think it may be a local state school with a traditional uniform.]

Created: Matrch 7, 2004
Last updated: 10:53 PM 6/18/2004