The Animals of Farthing Wood (TV series)

The Animals of Farthing Wood is an animated television series based on the series of books of the same name by British author Colin Dann. The series follows a group of animals forced to leave their homes in Farthing Wood due to human development and seek refuge in the White Deer Park nature reserve.

The series was a co-production between the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and individual broadcasting companies from various European countries, including the BBC in the United Kingdom, TF1 in France, and Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) in Germany. It premiered in 1993 and ran for three seasons, concluding in 1995.

The show is notable for its often dark and dramatic storylines, which frequently feature the deaths of characters. While marketed towards children, the series tackled themes of survival, environmental destruction, prejudice, and the consequences of broken promises.

The main characters include Fox, the pragmatic leader of the group; Badger, the wise and elderly advisor; Toad, the comical and often impulsive amphibian; Mole, the timid and gentle digger; and Vixen, a resourceful and courageous female fox who becomes Fox's mate. The series depicts their journey across a dangerous landscape, encountering various challenges and threats, including predators, human activity, and natural disasters.

Each season of the show roughly corresponds to one of Dann's novels. The first season covers their journey to White Deer Park, the second focuses on establishing their new lives and dealing with internal conflicts, and the third depicts the animals' attempts to maintain peace and protect their home from external threats, particularly the growing population of grey squirrels.