I'm sure a million people have had these sorts of thoughts a million times before (as "In the Night Garden" first aired back in early 2007, and only now am I discovering it) but I feel they are worth voicing in this forum as it's cemented itself as such an important part of our lives (currently)...
For those of you unfamiliar with the series (for lack of 1-4 year old dependents during it's run) the format runs thusly -
Start of every episode - A field of sparkling stars appears (prompting Thomas to point and say "stars") accompanied by (quite beautiful) tinkly music (he zooms over to the TV to get a better look) followed by a shot of a random child tucked up snug in a fluffy duvet having a tiny circle traced around it's palm by random adult (presumably a parent/guardian - prompting Thomas to rapidly seek out nearest adult with outheld palm and wide-eyes requiring the same favour), meanwhile Sir Derek Jacobi explains that the child is safe and warm in bed while a small blue bear-like creature called "Iggle Piggle" (presumably a simile for the child's mind) drifts off in a tiny boat ("no bigger than your hand") through a black ocean to the "Night Garden"...so, and I'm guessing here, this is then Iggle Piggle's dream, which is a "just closing your eyes and imagining" sort of experience for the child (as they are in actuality sat with Mummy/Daddy/whoever on the sofa watching the TV - in Thomas' case already bathed and in bed clothes and clutching a cup of warm milk - although that sometimes comes earlier or later depending on how thirsty he is)...
Second section - Iggle Piggle's dream - he takes part in some sort of crazy adventure featuring most of the other characters in the show (if he knows them Thomas will point and say his version of their name - Upsey Daisy, for example, is "Daaaaysie")...during this stage there is often a thoughtful message (although not always, sometimes they just all jump around, but usually something) useful for 1-4 year olds imparted in a clever way (e.g. look - "Makka Pakka is cleaning the Tombliboos faces, how kind" - or - "Look at the Tombliboos putting on their seat belts, aren't they clever" - or - "Silly Pontipines trying to eat jelly while zooming around on the Ninky Nonk - what a mess") obviously everything turns out fine in the end...
Third Section - Bedtime begins - one of the Night Garden characters (it varies) goes to bed first and has a bedtime story (which is a hand-drawn summary of what happened in section two, emphasising the important plot points and behaviour/moral lessons)...
End of every episode - Everyone in the night garden dances around a bit and sings/honks/makes farting noises and then gradually heads off to bed (a familiar calming process involving lots of yawning and praise - viewing before last Thomas managed to pre-empt the Pontipines going to sleep by making the relevant tick-tock noise just before they popped up on screen - much to Mummy and Daddies surprise and delight), then once we have checked *everyone* in the garden is happily fast asleep, suddenly - "Wait a minute...someones not in bed"! It turns out that Iggle Piggle hasn't managed to find anywhere to sleep, eventually collapsing (with a squeak) on the grass, quite exhausted, but, Sir Derek explains - all is not lost - "Don't worry, Igglepiggle, it's time to go".
Last Shot - Cut back to Iggle Piggle, who is still in his little boat on the dark ocean, his dream finished, he floats off happy into the distance (and Thomas, usually yawning and eyes closing too, heads happily off upstairs to start his journey into his own little Night Garden)...
It's become a really important part of his little routine (not that he can't break it if we want to be out and about, but) you can tell when Mummy and Daddy have done everything to Thomas' satisfaction, and when they haven't...late lunch and Night Garden before his bath just didn't work quite as well yesterday evening! Take one episode of Night Garden right before bed, and any stropping just washes away into calm fascination, relaxation and finally sleep...
Night night, everyone... ;)
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