When we look to the past, looking for references on children's series, it is more than likely that many looks will turn to 'David, the Gnome', a series that has been considered as an educational reference that marked the childhood of a whole generation. Undoubtedly it is one of the animated series that stood out most in the 80s, just at the time when TVE began to include it in its programming.
'David, the gnome' was released in 1985, although it had a good number of replacements in successive years that showed the good reception it had among its spectators. The success of fiction, of a single season of 26 episodes lasting about 20 minutes each one, caused the realization of a good number of sequels, both in television series format and in animated films, although none got us to forget the adventures of the original story. Currently, Clan TV has the broadcasting rights of 'David, the Gnome' although the series is also available on DVD.
Who is David, the Gnome?
'David, the Gnome' shows the secrets and the day-to-day life of the gnomes, 15 cm tall beings that live in nature, live in family and ensure the welfare of the environment. The series focuses on the character of David, a 399-year-old gnome, who works as a doctor and lives in a burrow under a tree with his wife Lisa. Both characters stand out for having a kind and pleasant personality and will show the spectators the peculiarities of their species.
Throughout the series, the audience observes the problems that arise in the day to day of the protagonists, the way in which David helps different beings who are in danger or how is their relationship with the trolls, its main enemies that annoy those who live in the forest. The series is characterized by the critical tone it maintains with human beings, making them responsible for many of the ecological disasters that have negative effects for the beings with whom David and Lisa coexist daily.
What can we expect from the series?
If, for one reason, 'David, the gnome' stood out, it is because of that commitment to transmit positive values towards nature that was carried out since its first episode. It is a series that was intended awaken an ecological feeling among its spectators, showing what life is like for animals and plants so that their audience understood their importance in the world and thus learned to respect them.
Some of the actions of human beings, those that threaten the environment, always they were questioned through some plot of the series, in which it was implied that because of man, many beings of nature could be injured. In addition, the spectators could also find in the trolls, clumsy and careless beings, that human representation that always found the reprobation of their acts in the attitude of the Gnomes.
The series also stood out for that pleasant relationship that the gnomes maintained between them and the positive attitude with which the characters faced the different adventures that lay ahead, where love and respect were very present. Perhaps this is one of the characteristics that stood out most of the personality of its protagonists, which also valued the importance of intelligence to solve the problems that surrounded them.
Last but not least, 'David, the gnome' was able to show how essential anyone could be regardless of size, something that made clear the head of the series through the phrase "Nobody is better for being bigger." This was the great idea that managed to convey fiction, thanks to its ability to teach the skills of its protagonists although they were only 15 centimeters tall.
In the chapter exposed in this article, the first of the series, we are introduced to the main characters with whom the spectators will live the adventures of 'David, the gnome', in addition to making a brief description of how these particular beings are. The prologue also shows some negative aspects derived from the human race, which negatively affect nature and contrast sharply with the philosophy of life that Gnomes like David and Lisa carry out.
'David, the Gnome', taking care of nature
'David, the Gnome' is one of those series that a whole generation is able to remember seeing in their childhood. The fiction had an ending that marked its viewers, which showed how David and Lisa became trees after living 400 years that corresponded to him. It became one of the saddest television events and once again demonstrated the acceptance that the series had had among its audience.
Another feature that stands out from fiction, as with many cartoon series of the time, is the value of its soundtrack, which helped to put music to the childhood of many children. After its issuance in Spain, 'David, the Gnome' was exported abroad, becoming available in countries such as the United States, Portugal or Australia. Even today, fiction has an outstanding educational value, aimed primarily at those who want their children to grow up maintaining a remarkable commitment to the nature that surrounds them.
