Bernard's Watch

"Bernard's Watch" was a television programme for children broadcast on CITV.

ynopsis

The first run told of a young boy called Bernard who was always late, until a postman gave him a magic watch which could stop time. He soon found out that the postman had magical powers, and that these watches were given to people who needed them. The rules of him keeping his watch were that he couldn't use it to commit crimes and couldn't be greedy.

The second run was significantly different. According to the opening sequence, the watch simply flew through Bernard's window which was how he obtained it. The character of the postman did not exist, and Bernard seemed to be the only person in the world who had such a watch. His best friend Nathan knew about the watch. To fit in with the children's shows of the present, Bernard hated girls and his teacher, and often used his watch to get the better of them.

Another difference was that now, if Bernard stopped time while touching someone else, they would not freeze.

Cast

1996-2001

Narrator - Liza Goddard
Bernard Beasley - David Peachey
Karen Hewitt - Phoebe Allen
Sam Vernon - Samantha Birch
Postman - Jack McKenzie
Vicar - Constance Lamb
Bernard (adult) - Jay Simon

2003-2004

Bernard Beasley - Ryan Watson
Nathan - Ezrah Roberts-Gray
Nicolette - Rosie Day
Mr Steel - Martin Ball
Ms Savage - Kay Purcell
Hayley - Katie Pearson
Crazy fans of the watch - Olivia, Craig

Episode Guide

Series 1: 1997
*Still Time
*A Bit More Time
*Time Out
*Time For Everything
*Giving Time

Series 2: 1998
*Plenty of Time
*Story Time
*Quailty Time
*Games Time
*Time Travel
*Show Time
*Time Tables
*Gnome Time
*Time to Spare
*Swim Time
*Old Time
*Space Time

Series 3: 1999
*Present Time
*Out of Time
*Time and Again
*Time to go Home
*Time Share
*The Time of Day
*Four Four Time
*Tee Time
*Visiting Time
*Borrowed Time
*Time, Gentleman
*Another Time
*Ending Time

Series 4: 2000
*Time Loop
*Wings of Time
*Helping Time
*The Right Time
*Time For a Change
*Time For an Ice Cream
*Time Slip
*Time to Remember
*Autograph Time
*Ignition Time
*Time to Heal
*Playtime
*Time's Up

Series 5: 2001
*Changing Times
*"'A Very Important Time
*Police Time
*Every Time
*Doing Time
*Running on Time
*Alien Times
*A Worrying Time
*Pool Time
*What's Time For?

Cultural Influences

* The Nickelodeon film "Clockstoppers", also follows the same premise of a watch with the ability to stop time.
* In "The Simpsons" Treehouse of Horror XIV short "Stop the World, I Wanna Goof Off" Bart and Milhouse get a magic watch with the power to stop time but use it to pull pranks on people.

External links

* [http://www.andrewnorriss.co.uk/ Website of 'Bernard's Watch' author, Andrew Norriss]
* [http://www.tv.com/bernards-watch/show/15965/summary.html Bernard's Watch at TV.com]
*imdb title|id=0171980|title=Bernard's Watch