It is very easy to see why 'Faerie Tale Theatre' is so highly regarded by many people. It is not a perfect series, with some imperfections here and there in individual episodes, but there is a huge amount to like and it is difficult not to get any enjoyment out of them.
As seen in all my reviews of the individual episodes, which goes into a good amount of detail as what worked in the episode and what didn't quite. Many of their adaptations of various well-known and well-loved fairy tales are charming, clever and sometimes funny, a few even emotionally moving. 'Faerie Tale Theatre' puts its own magical spin (whether playing for laughs or straight) on the best of the episodes while still capturing the essence of the stories (much more faithful than anything by Disney, speaking as a fan), while also giving further enjoyment in seeing talented performers in early roles or in roles that are departures from their usual roles.
Favourite episodes of 'Faerie Tale Theatre' are-: "Hansel and Gretel", "The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers", "The Princess and the Pea", "The Three Little Pigs", "The Snow Queen", "Rumpelstiltskin", "The Pied Piper of Hamelin", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "The Dancing Princesses" and "Cinderella".
Least favourite episodes, while still not bad at all are "Rip Van Winkle" (the worst looking and scripted of the series) and "The Princess Who Had Never Laughed". Other lesser episodes, though there is not a misfire in the whole of 'Faerie Tale Theatre', are-: "Puss in Boots", "Pinocchio", "Beauty and the Beast", "The Nightingale" and "Jack and the Beanstalk".
Visually, mostly 'Faerie Tale Theatre' does well with its low budget. Episodes that actually look good are in particular "The Snow Queen", "Hansel and Gretel", "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" and "Cinderella". There are a few episodes that don't fare so well, particularly "Rip Van Winkle", the toads in "Thumbelina", the effects in "The Little Mermaid", the ghoulish make-up in "The Nightingale" and the cow and the giant in "Jack and the Beanstalk".
Throughout the whole series the music is great, apart from the random and misplaced mole's song in "Thumbelina". Shelley Duval does wonders with the introductions and proves that she wasn't that bad an actress, especially in "Rumpelstiltskin".
Really enjoyed the writing on the most part, with the few exceptions being "Rip Van Winkle" and some overdone innuendo in "Sleeping Beauty". Some episodes are very funny, especially "The Three Little Pigs", "The Frog Prince", "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "Little Red Riding Hood", while there are darker toned ones like "The Snow Queen", "Snow White", "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" and "The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers" as well as some poignant ones like "The Snow Queen" and "The Little Mermaid".
Most of the acting is great. Highlights are Robin Williams, Herve Villechaize, Malcolm McDowell, Burgess Meredith, Klaus Kinski, Vanessa Redgrave, Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, James Earl Jones, Leonard Nimoy, Jean Stapleton, Joan Collins, Jeff Goldblum, Lesley Ann Warren and Lee Remick.
A few didn't work so well for me. They were Paul Reubens, Elliot Gould, Brock Peters, Matthew Broderick, Robert Carradine, Edward James Olmos and the waste of Anjelica Huston in "Beauty and the Beast".
Check out the greatest moments/reunion episode "Grimm Party". That is entertaining and has a nice invented story.
Overall, flawed but still timeless. 8/10 Bethany Cox
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