Line #55 WesternAnimation/WatershipDown1999


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/watershipdown199cartoon.jpg]]
2
3	A British-Canadian animated children's series based on the novel ''Literature/WatershipDown''. It aired for three seasons from 1999–2001 on Creator/{{YTV}} in Canada, and Creator/{{CITV}} in the UK, though the latter did not broadcast the third season.
4
5	The first two seasons adapt the basic plot of the novel, following a group of rabbits who leave their endangered warren in search for a new home.
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7	In the first two seasons, it primarily changes aspects of the characters and story to make it [[LighterAndSofter a little less grim]] e.g. [[GenderFlip making Blackberry female]] to add more diversity to the predominantly male cast. It has an all-star voice cast of well-known British actors and comedians, including Phil Jupitus, Creator/RikMayall, Creator/StephenFry, Jane Horrocks, Creator/DawnFrench and even Creator/JohnHurt returned, but voiced Woundwort instead of Hazel. The third season [[AdaptationExpansion uses original storylines, having overtaken the end of the novel]], and is darker in tone.
8	----
9	!!Contains examples of:
10	%%* ActionGirl: Spartina. [[spoiler:Bark also qualifies, as she reappears in the finale to fight Woundwort and the Darkhaven rabbits.]]
11	* AdaptationalRelationshipOverhaul: In the book and most other adaptations, Woundwort only interacts with Hazel once and has no idea that he is speaking to the leader of the Watership Down warren, having mistakenly assumed that Bigwig was their chief rabbit. In the series, Woundwort meets Hazel ''before'' Bigwig's infiltration into Efrafa, and he is fully aware from the start that Hazel leads the rival warren. Though he and Bigwig still have their rivalry, Woundwort only considers the latter a minor nuisance, while Hazel is his true ArchEnemy.
12	* AdaptationExpansion:
13	** The series at its best did allow for some interesting stories that are true to the original book while reflecting modern attitudes. For example, there is the main plot of episode 2 where Hazel notes that it's unfair that Blackberry, the only doe, has to do all the burrow digging, the traditional task of her sex, and he and Fiver have to find a way to make the other bucks do their bit.
14	** After the show finished adapting the novel at the end of season 2, it used original storylines for its third season.
15	* AdaptationalDiversity: Following in the footsteps of the 1978 film, Woundwort is portrayed as half-blind, and Blackberry is portrayed as female. Late in the series, Campion is heavily scarred causing him to be half-blind and, due to damage to one ear, possibly half-deaf as well.
16	* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Kehaar is much more friendly than in the film and book and stays with the rabbits much longer than he does in the film and original novel. Much like the film, he has moments where he gets noisy, looney, energetic, silly, and hyperactive, and unlike the book and film, [[spoiler:he becomes so connected with the rabbits that he actually abandons his own kind to live with the rabbits as their secret weapon.]]
17	%%* AffablyEvil: Cowslip.
18	* ArtShift: The characters were redesigned for season three. Some changes were barely noticeable, others were drastic. Bigwig, in particular, looks like he's been LockedIntoStrangeness...which would make sense since he did just get out of a fight with Woundwort, but nobody says anything about it. Gets even more noticeable when they flash back to previous episodes using the old designs.
19	** Likewise with the movie, Dandelion's stories shift to a more stylized animation, with El-ahrairah and other characters being drawn as colored outlines.
20	%%* AscendedExtra: Hannah, Hawkbit, Silverweed, and Campion. Though they dumped several other extras.
21	%%* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Darkhaven.
22	* BewareTheNiceOnes: In the final few episodes, Hazel fights against Efrafa and Darkhaven. In the last episode he even goes toe-to-toe with Woundwort.
23	* {{Bowdlerise}}: El-ahrairah was changed to "Elarah", though this one is justified by a bunch of kids probably not being able to pronounce "El-ahrairah." (Too bad "Elarah" means "enemy prince" in Lapine.)
24	* CanonForeigner: Captain Broom, all of the Darkhaven rabbits. Other characters, like Primrose and Captain Moss, are perhaps adapted versions of previously existing characters.
25	** As mentioned below, Primrose is the character Hyzenthlay; they just changed it to "Primrose" because the writers thought that kids would have a hard time pronouncing the original name.
26	* CastingGag:
27	** Creator/JohnHurt, who provided the voice for Hazel, the protagonist, in the film, would later go on to do the voice for Woundwort, the BigBad, in the TV series.
28	** Creator/RichardBriers, who voiced Fiver in the film, also voiced Captain Broom in a few episodes.
29	** In the Japanese dub of the TV series, Bigwig is voiced by Creator/JojiNakata, who already voiced another [[Manga/SgtFrog military critter before]].
30	* CerebusSyndrome: After the show runs out of source material from the novel at the end of season 2, the tone of the show... changed a bit. It got [[DarkerAndEdgier much more violent]] and upped the drama quotient, as well as making some downright strange decisions such as giving some characters the ability to control each other's minds and introducing magic.
31	* CheerfulChild: Pipkin is not only portrayed as very young, but his timid nature is removed as well, making him this.
32	* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Bark the ''lendri'', after being befriended in ''The Orchard'', returns in the finale to help defend Watership against Woundwort and Darkhaven.]]
33	%%* ChristmasEpisode: Except they call it [[YouMeanXMas the Feast of Frith]].
34	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Blackavar was a minor character for the first season, a rarely seen background character for the second season, and disappeared altogether for the third season. And Captain Holly just vanished 2 episodes after his first appearance, though he would sometimes reappear in much later episodes.
35	%%* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Captain Broom.
36	* CollapsingLair: Subverted. [[spoiler: The lair is actually a cavern that the Watership Down rabbits use as secret route to Efrafa.]]
37	%%* DeadpanSnarker: Hawkbit.
38	%%* DefrostingIceQueen: [[spoiler: Spartina.]]
39	%%* DidIJustSayThatOutLoud: Of the LoveConfession brand.
40	* DiegeticSoundtrackUsage: In "The secret of Redstone" a human police officer is whistling the theme commonly played during El-ahrah stories.
41	%%* DirtyCoward: Vervain, PlayedForLaughs.
42	%%* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler: Campion]]
43	* {{Disneyfication}}: The TV series changes aspects of the characters and story (gender flipping Blackberry and aging Pipkin down for younger audiences, for example). In effect, it radically changes or waters down the original story's drama and conflict.
44	* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler: Woundwort. Subverted as he survives.]]
45	%%* DoubleAgent: [[spoiler: Campion, Spartina.]]
46	%%* DumbMuscle: Granite.
47	* FriendToAllLivingThings: Excluding "Elil" (predators) Pipkin is known to be exceptionally good at befriending animals of other species.
48	* GenderFlip: Blackberry is a doe, for [[TheSmurfettePrinciple some reason]].
49	* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:Bark. We first meet her staring out of the darkness, growling, ''"Long-ears,"'' like most of the ''elil''. She then reveals herself and advances on Hazel and Bigwig. Quite understandably, they run for their lives. It turns out she was only trying to offer them an apple and a paw in friendship. Later subverted; Bark turns out to be ''too'' nice to an injured Fiver. See ImTakingHimHomeWithMe below.]]
50	%%* GoryDiscretionShot: Invoked all the time to avoid on screen deaths of characters.
51	%%* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Silverweed, Spartina.]] Even [[spoiler:Woundwort]] considers a HeelFaceTurn. Too bad it's right before [[spoiler: [[HeelFaceDoorSlam the Watership Down rabbits attack Efrafa]]]].
52	%%* HoldingBackThePhlebotinum: The magic subplot.
53	%%* IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim: Why Fiver and co decide to spare Vervain.
54	* ImTakingHimHomeWithMe: A rare all-animal example. [[spoiler:[[NonMaliciousMonster Bark the badger]] captures an injured Fiver. She's the [[SoleSurvivor last survivor]] of a badger colony and she's desperately lonely, so instead of eating Fiver, she ''adopts'' him. HilarityEnsues.]]
55	-->''"You stay here with Bark. Friends - for ''always!'' [[UnwantedAssistance Apple?]]"''
56	%%* IndustrialGhetto: Darkhaven.
57	* IOweYouMyLife: [[spoiler: After being healed by Blackberry, Granite shows her and Campion a way out of Darkhaven (it doesn't work). However, he stays loyal to Woundwort, even when he gets saved by Campion ''en route'' to Watership Down.]]
58	%%* ItIsNotYourTime: The Black Rabbit tells this to [[spoiler: Campion]].
59	* {{Jerkass}}: [[spoiler:Katerina, like many other gulls in the Big Water, She is very rude and egotistic, and takes pleasure in bullying the Puffins. She is also disagreeable as shown when she disapproved of Kehaar's friendship with the rabbits at Watership Down.]]
60	* KilledOffForReal: Subverted, as in the first two seasons as no on screen deaths occur involving any of the lapine characters. Averted in season 3 where characters like Aspen are clearly shown to meet grim fates.
61	* LeftForDead: [[spoiler: Woundwort.]] Also [[spoiler: Campion, and justifiably so. After all, ''a freakin' boulder'' fell directly on top of him...]]
62	* {{Leitmotif}}: Woundwort's theme, which seems to be played everywhere it's even remotely applicable.
63	* LighterAndSofter: Than the movie and the book series it was based on (though Season 3 attempts to be more DarkerAndEdgier). Not only do all the major characters survive, it's also in little things like how Fiver is actually allowed to ''smile'' in a sustained manner.
64	%%* LoveAtFirstSight: [[ShesAManInJapan Blackberry]] and [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday Campion]]. [[NotThatTheresAnythingWrongWithThat Yeah.]] Not to mention Hazel and Primrose and Bigwig and [[spoiler: Spartina]]. It seems to be the generally accepted pattern for bunny romances.
65	%%* MindControlEyes: They glow.
66	* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Bark, despite being "soft" ''elil'' (a predator), very much takes a shine to Fiver and wants to befriend the rabbits. [[TheWoobie She tells them she's quite sorry she's a badger.]] (Even the novels hinted this wasn't totally out of the realm of possibility: El-ahrairah himself once entered the service of a badger named Old Brock in exchange for a favor, though the trickster had to resort to his wits to get himself back ''out'' of it again).
67	%%* NeverSayDie: Played straight in the first two seasons.
68	%%** Subverted in the third season but only in occasions where nobody actually dies.
69	* NiceMeanAndInBetween:
70	** Hazel, Fiver and Bigwig fall into this. Fiver plays the 'nice' role as he's always the friendliest and optimistic of the three. Bigwig plays the 'mean' role due to his strict and stubborn behaviour and can be rather harsh in his role as Captain of Owlsa. And Hazel plays the 'in-between' due to him being a caring and friendly leader but is more serious than Fiver and can be arguementative with Bigwig.
71	** Hawkbit, Dandelion and Pipkin also play this straight. Pipkin fills in the 'nice' role as he is very caring and a FriendToAllLivingThings. Hawkbit plays the 'mean' due to being a grump and very snarky. Dandelion is the 'in-between' due to being a friendly storyteller but also has moments of snark.
72	*** In season 3, due to becoming Captain of the Junior Owlsa, Pipkin hangs out less with Hawkbit and Dandelion, and Strawberry takes his place in the 'nice' role.
73	** Woundwort's three main Owlsa officers even play this. Captain Campion is the nicest of them who, not only is the first to turn against Woundwort, but even prior to that was shown to be the most merciful of the officers. Captain Vervain is definitely the meanest due to his ruthless and slimy demeanour and is the only one who remains loyal to Woundwort. And Captain Moss mediates between the two, though this is mainly due to being him being a more minor character. It takes longer for him to make a HeelFaceTurn than Campion and isn't as merciful but he's also far less ruthless than Vervain.
74	%%* NoEnding
75	* NoisyNature: Most of the predators growl or screech all the time while on screen [[spoiler:Even the non-predatory Bark]]. Woundwort also gets very unrabbity growling noises when he's annoyed.
76	* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Campion, who somehow managed to ''[[FirstLawOfResurrection push off a boulder that fell on him]].'']]
77	%%** [[spoiler: Woundwort.]]
78	%%* PetTheDog: Woundwort, especially apparent in his treatment of Pipkin.
79	* PityTheKidnapper: Subverted in the case of Bark the badger in ''The Orchard''. [[spoiler:She wasn't kidnapping Fiver, she was trying to rescue him, and she ''already'' was pitiable: she only wanted to befriend the rabbits, and regretted being born ''elil''. When the Watership rescue party finally arrives, they administer a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown on poor Bark until Fiver, of all rabbits, rises to her defense. She ends up a strong ally of the warren.]]
80	* PropheciesRhymeAllTheTime: Fiver's visions are more Seuss-esque in this adaptation.
81	%%* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: Everyone in Darkhaven, except arguably Spartina.
82	* RedShirt: Early in the third season, a new rabbit named Aspen is introduced. He is killed off six minutes later.
83	* RunningGag: Kehaar keeps offering rabbits [[ComicallyMissingThePoint fish]] as ComfortFood. Pipkin finally calls him on it in Season 2:
84	-->'''Pipkin:''' ...[[UnwantedAssistance And please don't offer me fish to make up for it!]]
85	-->'''Kehaar:''' Okaaaay. rolls eyes and flies off Wabbits.
86	* StrangerInAFamiliarLand: When Kehaar returns to the “big water”, he quickly realizes that, following his time with the rabbits, he no longer fits in with the other gulls, who are all greedy bullies who only look out for themselves and mock him for showing empathy towards other creatures.
87	%%* SurroundedByIdiots: Blackberry gives this impression when she's trying to direct the bucks' grudging attempts to dig.
88	%%* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler: Campion for Woundwort]], and [[spoiler: Silverweed for Hannah]].
89	%%* ThoseTwoGuys: Hawkbit and Dandelion. Also, Hannah and Kehaar.
90	* TitleMontage: While the intro uses original footage, the UK intro is this, using clips from the show.
91	%%* WideEyedIdealist: [[WeHardlyKnewYe Aspen.]]

Context WesternAnimation / WatershipDown1999