Who cannot help loving 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends'? While wonderfully made in every single way on its own merits, it is also one of those rarities that all the episodes of a series/show are of a consistently high standard. All of the series' adaptations of Beatrix Potter's timeless tales are great, and even that word doesn't do the series or the episodes justice, and are very faithful in detail and spirit to the original stories, a rarity.
Personally love all of Beatrix Potter's stories to bits, some a little better than others, but all of them are timeless, with simple and charming stories and colourful characters. It is a shame that not all of the stories were adapted, but all of the adaptations included in 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends' do their stories justice. All of the episodes do the stories justice and are remarkably faithful, without faithfulness bogging things down but actually working in their favour.
Even the animation adheres very closely to Potter's illustrations. To me "The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny", "The Tailor of Gloucester" and "The Tale of Samuel Whiskers" are the best of the series (may be some bias here, because they're my favourites as well as "The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck" and "The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher" of Beatrix Potter's stories), but as said all the episodes are great and all the stories are timeless in their own way. "The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse" is no exception.
It's wonderful on a visual level. Not just the animation, which are as said like Potter's illustrations come to life, being colourful, quaintly charming and carefully drawn, but also the charming and exquisitely filmed book-end live action scenes (though there is a preference for the other introduction), complete with splendid period detail and the scenery is just wondrous.
Forgot to say this but also love the use of animals that were clearly inspirations for Potter's stories, in the other introduction she directly calls a rabbit Peter, a dog Kep and a duck Jemima, and you see for examples a frog that one is reminded of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Mr. Tod for a fox, Mr. Brock for a badger, and Mrs. Tiggy Winkle for a hedgehog.
Music is equally memorable, being lushly orchestrated, understated, quaint, whimsical and melodic. The music accompanying the introduction and the exquisitely sung (by Miriam Stockley) rendition of "Perfect Day" particularly stand out, though all the music matches the action and visuals flawlessly and even enhances the impact.
Dialogue is beautifully written and again sticks very closely to the writing of the story, with a cosy, sweet and relaxing atmosphere. One is fully immersed in Beatrix Potter's world, and also some tension in "The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies". And the characters are as colourful as ever, especially in "The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse", with the intentionally repulsively loathsome and somewhat annoying Mr. Jackson standing out in particular.
Voice acting is very good, especially from Anna Massey and Richard Griffiths. Niamh Cusack is perfect as Beatrix Potter, and narrates soothingly and articulately.
Overall, 'The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends' is a consistently beautiful series and "The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and Mrs. Tittlemouse" doesn't disappoint. 10/10
