The current witch trend has taken the entertainment industry by storm, with countless TV shows and movies featuring witches as their main characters. This newfound fascination with witchcraft has captivated audiences and sparked a renewed interest in the mystical world of spells and potions. One of the most popular witch series currently airing is "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," which follows the life of a teenage witch named Sabrina Spellman. The show takes a dark and thrilling approach to the world of witchcraft, incorporating elements of horror and the supernatural. With its gripping storyline and complex characters, "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" has garnered a large and dedicated fanbase. Another notable witch series is "Charmed," a reboot of the beloved 90s show.
But this got me thinking. There are a lot of examples of films or tv shows having certain elements altered when they’re dubbed for another country, ranging from basic name changes to even plot alterations. With that in mind, could there therefore exist a case of an American dub of a British film so different from the original that it requires a separate analysis? And wouldn’t you know it, I found said case. So today, let’s take a look at The Magic Roundabout as well as its American redub, which is so different, it doesn’t even have the same name: Doogal… Seriously, they don’t even use the word roundabout in this version. It’s either a carousel or a merry go round.
With that in mind, could there therefore exist a case of an American dub of a British film so different from the original that it requires a separate analysis. With the first act over before it began, Zebedee sends Dougal Doogal, Dylan, Ermintrude, a snail called Brian and a talking train off on a quest to gather three magical diamonds.
Another notable witch series is "Charmed," a reboot of the beloved 90s show. This new incarnation follows the lives of three sisters who discover they are powerful witches destined to protect innocents from supernatural threats. This modern take on the classic series has attracted both old fans and new viewers alike, with its fresh storyline and diverse cast.
The Magic Roundabout/Doogal
Once, while I was in America on holiday, I saw something on TV that greatly confused me: a trailer for the then upcoming Johnny English Reborn movie. Thing is, I’d already seen the trailer back home. But here it was different. Everyone in the film, besides Rowan Atkinson, had been redubbed despite the original voices being English. Well I looked into this and I discovered that American dubs of British media is far more common than you’d expect. For the most part, it’s done to swap out British lingo for more recognisable American terms.
Fun game to play in America: Use a sentence with the word “trousers” and look at the confusion on their face.
But this got me thinking. There are a lot of examples of films or tv shows having certain elements altered when they’re dubbed for another country, ranging from basic name changes to even plot alterations. With that in mind, could there therefore exist a case of an American dub of a British film so different from the original that it requires a separate analysis? And wouldn’t you know it, I found said case. So today, let’s take a look at The Magic Roundabout as well as its American redub, which is so different, it doesn’t even have the same name: Doogal… Seriously, they don’t even use the word roundabout in this version. It’s either a carousel or a merry go round.
Based on the classic British kids show (of which we have little memory of, so hey, unbiased review) it honestly does make sense they’d change the title at least seeing as it’d have no brand recognition in the states. But some of the changes…. Well, we’ll get to those. Now since we’re technically reviewing two movies (or at least two versions of the same movie) at once, this could get a little long and confusing. So please try to pay close attention.
The movies take place once again in that most curious of worlds where both humans and animals can talk yet the class system remains the same. Or at least it does for dogs since the main character: a skye terrier called Dougal/Doogal (Dougal = UK. Doogal = US. Hope that helps) is the only one with an owner.
He’s walking through the village as a rabbit called Dylan and a cow called Ermintrude are… giving us a rendition of “You Really Got Me”. Yeah, both films are jukebox musicals. Say what you want about Strange Magic, at least the songs actually tie in to what’s going on, here it’s just filler. Thankfully, the US version cuts most of these, leaving in the bare minimum. In fact, most of its soundtrack choices overall are better since the UK version often has very familiar musical scores that won’t fit the tone of a scene. So, points for that… Sadly, it then loses those points for then tacking on cartoon sound effects and a completely pointless narration from Judi Dench.
Barely nine minutes in, having not established anything, Dougal/Doogal accidentally damages a roundabout, resulting in it freezing over and sealing his owner and some townspeople inside. Instead of trying to… you know… melt the ice, he and his friends call upon the help of the wizard Zebedee: some kind of part man part spring monstrosity. Also, he’s voiced by Ian Mckellen, the only voice actor present in both versions thanks to the magic of star power.
The UK version had Kylie Minogue, Ray Winston and Jim Broadbent. Why did their star power fail?
Zebedee (something Spellchecker recognises as a real word for some reason) reveals that the magic roundabout doubled as a prison for his evil icy opposite… sigh… Zeebad… How clever. I can’t be the only one who thought he should be called Zobedee, right?
(Why should he be called that?)
You know, Hippity Hoppity. Bibbity Bobbity. Zebedee Zobedee. Would have made sense.
Zeebad sets about his plans of freezing the world with the help of his newfound henchman, Sam the soldier: a toy soldier animatronic that fell off the roundabout which he gave sentience. Because apparently Zeebad’s ice powers work on the same principle as Elsa’s.
With the first act over before it began, Zebedee sends Dougal/Doogal, Dylan, Ermintrude, a snail called Brian and a talking train off on a quest to gather three magical diamonds. If they get them first, they’ll be able to imprison Zeebad again. If Zeebad gets them first, he’ll be able to use them to FREEZE THE SUN!
(That last part sounds kinda awesome)
Believe me, it’s not.
From here on out, the plot’s pretty predictable. Heroes vs villains. Treasure hunt plotline. Basic stuff. The problem is, we aren’t invested because as you may have noticed, we haven’t had any time to connect with the characters. Dougal/Doogal goes on and on about how he’s worried about his owner, yet we find it hard sympathising since we know nothing about either of them or their relationship.
Speaking of characters, you’ll notice some stark contrasts between versions. Take Ermintrude for example. In the UK version, we get an opera loving aristocratic Joanna Lumley performance. In the US, we get a Whoopi Goldberg-esque character played by Whoopi Goldberg.
How come Whoopi Goldberg can only play herself and Guinan?
The redub is something of a double-edged sword though, as the UK Zeebad played by Tom Baker is a typical dark and growly villain we’ve seen fifty thousand times. The US Zeebad played by Jon Stewart is more of a jokey, casual villain, which in all honesty is my preferred kind of villain. And he does have some occasionally funny lines.
Comedy for that matter varies. The UK version has some pretty lame lines or at some points no jokes at all. The US adds in extra dialogue that while at times gets annoying, does result in a good line. For example there’s a scene in Zeebad’s ice lair (of which all exterior shots are cut in the US version. So far, the strangest edit they’ve done) where Sam is polishing some ice weapons. UK version: complete silence. US version: we get a self-aware bit where Sam says “nice weapons sir. I just hope we never have to fight anyone at room temperature”.
But the double-edged sword strikes again. The UK version has its own self-aware bit where the heroes meet a mute moose that they try to communicate with. Ermintrude says “whoever heard of a talking moose?” prompting the train to say “says the talking cow”. Again, a funny line. But it’s ruined in the US version as the moose is now voiced by Kevin Smith. Even so, Ermintrude’s line is still there… and yet Train’s isn’t. In fact, most of Train’s lines have been removed. You went through the trouble of getting Chevy Chase to redub him and then take away most of his parts in the script? Why? My only theory is it’s because Train is the easiest to redub as he hasn’t got a mouth and they didn’t wanna waste the opportunity.
So far then, a mixed bag both sides. They’re neck and neck. What’s the one thing that’s gonna separate them? Whelp, there’s one factor you need to consider with the US version. At the time, Shrek was immensely popular. Therefore, everyone in Hollywood was working on the principle of: Fantasy Setting + Pop Culture References + Fart Jokes = Ka-Ching.
As such, the moose now has a flatulence problem and there’s references scattered throughout. And I don’t mean there’s a subtle wink here and there. They’re everywhere! 50% of the dialogue is just them talking about films, TV, celebrities, etc, sometimes at complete random. Seeing as I don’t have nearly enough time to make fun of them all, here’s a list of all the things they reference and expect very little kids to know about. Enjoy!
- Blue Man Group
- Snickers
- Three Musketeers (the chocolate bar. Not the group)
- Looney Tunes
- Halo
- Mission Impossible
- The Little Engine That Could
- Arthurian Legend
- Lord of the Rings
- Pimp My Ride
- Art Garfunkel (had to look that one up)
- Humvees
- King Kong
- Tomb Raider
- Pink Floyd
- Soul Train
- The Shining
- Michael Jackson’s Thriller
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Budweiser
- Dawn of the Dead
- The Matrix
- The Wu-Tang Clan
- Hammer Time
- Karate Kid
- Harry Potter
- CSI
- Indiana Jones
- Star Wars
- Austin Powers
- Star Trek
- Thomas the tank engine
- The Apprentice
- The Terminator
- Paul McCartney
- David Beckham
At least there’s one positive to this move. It allowed you to discover Art Garfunkel.
I haven’t seen something this dated since when I looked at my calendar this morning. Nobody’s able to get any characterisation in simply because there’s too much pop culture. Granted there wasn’t much characterisation in the UK version to begin with, but at least it was easier to differentiate between actual dialogue and stuff they’re quoting.
The Magic Roundabout is… Ok at best. It’s your basic kids adventure. You can show it to your very little kids and it’ll keep them distracted for an hour and fifteen minutes. Doogal meanwhile is a testament to the earlier 2000s. Everything bad about that era of film is here… Which is why out of the two, it is the one I recommend.
Like I said, The Magic Roundabout is ok. It’s a harmless, mostly brainless kids film. Doogal is bad, a special kind of bad that only comes along once in a while. You can’t help but laugh at how awful this came out. They added some clips at the end showing the voice actors doing the recordings and it’s clear they’re having fun while doing this. It sorta has the same feel as an Abridged series. The difference being that rather laughing at how they’ve added self-awareness to something that played it straight, you’re laughing at how they managed to mess up what was supposed to be a simple redub job so badly.
It’s probably funnier if you have seen the UK version before the US version, but I still maintain that Doogal has to be seen to be believed.
Fun game to play in America: Use a sentence with the word “trousers” and look at the confusion on their face.
In addition to these TV shows, there have been numerous witch movies released in recent years. One example is "The Witch," a critically acclaimed horror film set in 17th century New England. This atmospheric and chilling movie explores the themes of religious hysteria and witchcraft, leaving audiences in awe of its dark and unsettling story. The current witch series and movies have tapped into a desire for escapism and exploration of the supernatural. From the popularity of "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" to the resurgence of "Charmed" and the success of movies like "The Witch," witches have become a prominent and intriguing figure in contemporary entertainment. As audiences continue to embrace these witch series and films, it will be interesting to see how the trend evolves and what new stories and perspectives will emerge in the magical world of witches..
Reviews for "The Emotional Journey of the Witch: Examining Character Development in the Current Witch Series"
1. Sarah - 2 stars
I was really excited to start "The Current Witch" series, as I had heard great things about it. However, I was sorely disappointed. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult for me to connect with them. Additionally, the plot was predictable and I found myself bored by the lack of originality. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this series to others looking for an engaging and captivating read.
2. Sam - 1 star
I couldn't get through the first book of "The Current Witch" series. The writing style was choppy and the pacing was off, making it a struggle to stay engaged. The protagonist was whiny and annoying, and it felt like the author was trying too hard to make her relatable. The world-building was also lacking, leaving me confused and uninterested in the story. I ended up giving up on the series altogether, as it just wasn't for me.
3. Emily - 3 stars
While "The Current Witch" series had an intriguing premise, the execution fell flat for me. The writing was mediocre at best, with awkward dialogue and repetitive descriptions. The love triangle subplot felt forced and cliché, adding nothing substantial to the story. Despite this, I did find some enjoyment in the unique magical elements introduced. However, I don't think I will continue with the series, as there are other more well-crafted fantasy novels out there.
4. Jason - 2 stars
I was disappointed with "The Current Witch" series. The overall plot lacked coherence and direction, making it difficult for me to follow and invest in the story. The characters were forgettable and lacked development, which prevented me from forming any attachment to them. Additionally, the use of tropes and predictable twists further contributed to my lack of enjoyment. Overall, I found the series to be lackluster and would not recommend it to fans of the fantasy genre.