There's a voice, keeps on calling me.. (The Littlest Hobo)

Member Name: notallsoft

Product:	The Littlest Hobo
Date:	06/08/01 (2433 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great entertainment, timeless formual, fantastically nostalgic

Disadvantages: A bit soppy, Always a bittersweet ending, 'London' was more than one dog! I kid you not!

The littlest hobo was one of the only daytime TV programmes worth being off school for when I was ill as a child. The version I know and love, along with many other generation X-ers, was the colour 1979-85 series made in Canada by CTV's production wing, although there was an earlier series in black and white, and a 1958 movie, neither of which I've personally seen.

The premise of the series is simple: every episode, the dog arrives in a new place - he's a drifter, as the title suggests - makes friends with someone, child, adult or even whole family, and solves their problem. Then he leaves, to continue his endless drifting.

I suppose it's similar to Lassie in many ways, but despite being quite cutesy, avoids that sickly sweet feel. More like Skippy the Kangeroo, I suppose, as the title character in both these series have a bit of gumption to them.

The title music was recently used for a british TV ad, and every time I hear it that song brings back memories of lying tucked up on the couch, sipping hot blackcurrent for my tonsillitis, and watching "London" save lives.

"There's a voice that keeps on calling me.
Down the road. That's where I'll always be.
Oh, every stop I make, I make a new friend.
Can't stay for long. Just turn around, and I'm gone again.
Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down.
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep movin' on."

Summary: