Agatha (co-production)

13 episodes x 10′

The fantastic adventures of a 6-year-old girl, Agatha, living with her parents, her older brother Julian, and her pet hamster Cyril in a small house in the suburbs. The real and the imagined criss-cross within the events the little girl takes part in, always teaching the young viewer different universal values.

The fantastic adventures of a 6-year-old girl, Agatha, living with her parents, her older brother Julian, and her pet hamster Cyril in a small house in the suburbs. The real and the imagined criss-cross within the events the little girl takes part in, always teaching the young viewer different universal values.

The series is directed at younger children, although it can be watched by children at many different ages. Every episode tells a different adventure of a 6-year-old girl, Agatha, who lives with her parents, her older brother Julian, and her pet hamster Cyril in a small house in the suburbs.

Every episode begins and ends in the (conventionally) real world, but its main part takes place in a world created by the girl’s imagination. The stories told in the series are related to events, objects or people from Agatha’s closest environment, therefore they may at first seem trivial. However, their deeper meaning teaches the young viewer different universal values, such as standing up for the weaker, tolerance for diversity, respect for experience and tradition, or care for the natural environment.

The films are different from a stereotypical children’s movie where evil must be properly punished. If there is evil in an episode, Agatha simply makes it good. Every adventure has a wrap-up containing a warning or a lesson, but it is conveyed in such a way that the young viewer does not feel preached at and is able to draw conclusions on their own.

Agatha is always accompanied by Cyril, a bit neurotic, yet funny pet hamster, be it in the real world or the fantasy one. However, as soon as the heroes get to the world created by the girl’s imagination, the roles get reversed; the hamster becomes Agatha’s protector instead of her pet. In every episode, the girl travels to an unknown location, usually with a creature she has just met, and the experienced and resourceful Cyril then becomes her supporter and guide. He often tones down the child’s enthusiasm and her will to know everything at any price, suggesting how he would act in a similar situation. When events become complicated enough for Agatha to be in real danger, Cyril transforms from the soft furry creature that he is into a determined protector of the child, able to sacrifice a lot in order to save the girl from a seemingly hopeless situation.

In the conclusion of each episode, Cyril the hamster is back in his little home, commenting on the episode in a rather sarcastic tone. His very complicated monologue is always accompanied by the show’s closing credits which muffle it a bit.

An important feature of the series is that it does not show characters that are completely and irrevocably negative. Even the omnipresent, allergenic Dust has the right to exist, provided it doesn’t impose too much on people; existence inside the vacuum cleaner bag is also existence (episode entitled “Dust”). If everything finds its way to its rightful place, even things that earlier appeared to be evil turn out to be good or at least neutral.