Ig's good!    (30.05.10)
  

   The Hound is a sucker for a good stop-motion series. And he loves
   him some dino-fun, too, so "Igam Ogam" is a new prehistoric
   preschool series that certainly ticks a couple of big grinning
   boxes...

   That's Igam, above. Or Ig, as she's called by the narrator (the
   lovely Ruth Jones). Ig is a jolly young cavegirl who lives on a
   strange topsy-turvy planet. Her pals include a banana-infatuated
   monkey called Roley, and a lickysaurus dinosaur pup called
   Doggie, Birdie is a small blue pterodactyl and Triple Tog her
   talking saber-toothed tiger duvet ("tog", "duvet", geddit?).
   And they're watched over by a big green fatherly dinosaur
   known as Big Daddy. If that all sounds a little off the wall, well,
   it is. And delightfully so. If you kick back and let Ig run amok
   around your living room you'll have great fun. She's a terrifically
   playful little lead, full of fun and energy and demands.
   The gal uses toddler-speech to converse with her pals, firing
   off simple remarks, war cries, and instant reactions to events.
   And they're usually accompanied by an accusing finger,
   or a precocious scowl.

   The 26 x10mins series was created by Andrew Offiler and produced
   by Calon TV, in Cardiff, working in coproduction with Five, S4C and
   ZDF Enterprises. Calon are the name to watch right now, what with
   the delightful Hana's Helpine already in the bag. That show was
   nudging at the door of The Hound's Top Ten Toons list, at the end
   of last year.

   

   "Want it!"

   "Igam Ogam" has been beautifully designed by Tim Farrington.
   Ig's cave bedroom is lit by a bunch of cool blue glowing crystal
   shards that poke out of the walls. And there's always a puffing
   volcano or two in the background. Ig has this wicked little habit
   of dragging Triple Tog around by the tail behind her, whilst he
   moans and mopes. It's a fab idea. Kids can often be so wonderfully
   cruel, as their enthusiasm takes hold...
   
   Oh, and by the way, "igam ogam" means "zig-zag", in Welsh.

   With HOT Animation in decline, and Cosgrove Hall gone to the
   four winds, it's great to see that we can still produce fab
   stop-motion shows like this, here in the UK. The series is
   currently airing weekdays on Five as part of their Milshake! kids
   scheduling, and it's recommended viewing, for sure...

                                                         More: Igam Ogam on Five
   

 
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