Pingu Builds a Tower
Pingu - S4 - E19
Pingu, Pinga and Robby are looking at a picture of the Tower of Babel in a book. He spots some ice bricks nearby, and decides he wants to build a tower. Robby and Pinga agree to help. While Pingu puts the first few bricks into place, Pinga gets a brick to add. Pingu points to a big pile of bricks and sends Pinga over to get more. Robby flips a brick neatly into place with his nose. Pingu applauds. Robby shoves another brick across. Pingu can’t reach it from where he is standing on the tower and gets Pinga to lift it to him. Pinga gets several bricks together, stacked like a train. Robby then finds a plank and has an idea; they can use it to get the bricks up to Pingu who is on the top of the tower. He places the plank on a brick, like a seesaw. Pinga sees this and wants to try out the seesaw. Pinga then puts a brick on the end of the plank and Robby hits the other end of the plank with his tail. The brick flies into the air and lands in just the right spot on the tower. Pingu pats it into place. Robby and Pinga then set up a production line. Pinga pushes blocks on at one end and Robby flips them into the air. This process gets stopped when Pinga loads several blocks together and the plank snaps. While they’re wondering what to do, Pingg turns up. He’s amazed by what he sees. They explain what they’re building. Pingg thinks the idea is hilarious and has a good laugh at them, which annoys Pingu. Pingu makes a snowball and tosses it at Pingg, just missing. Pingg runs off. Robby then flips a brick up to Pingu, who catches it and puts it in place. While he’s doing this the seagull lands on the top of the tower next to Pingu. Pingu tries to shoo the seagull away; the seagull tries to peck Pingu. Pingu calls down to Robby, who tosses a fish up to the seagull. The seagull catches the fish and flies away. Pinga and Robby wave it goodbye. Pingu wants more bricks to lay, but Pinga and Robby can’t find any more. Then Pinga comes with several more. Robby is delighted until he sees where Pinga got them from – the bottom of their tower! The tower starts to wobble, and despite Robby’s attempts to stop it falling it crashes to the ground in a heap, with Pingu underneath. Robby thinks Pingu has been flattened in the fall but suddenly sees a flipper being waved for help. A relieved Robby pulls away some bricks so that Pingu can get out. Pinga brings the book and suggests they start again, but Pingu doesn’t think this is a very good idea and tosses the book away.
Pingu: Season 4 - 26 Episode s
4x1 - Pingu's Disadvantage
January 5, 1998
Pingu is out on his sledge. He sees some skis and an ice hockey stick lying at the bottom of an ice tower, stops to investigate and finds Pinga, Robby and Pingg playing hide and seek. Pinga has covered her eyes and is counting, while Robby and Pingg go to hide. When Pinga has finished counting, she turns and is about to go to look for the others when she sees Pingu. Pingu tells her where Robby and Pinng have hidden. Pinga calls out to them, and rushes back “home” before they can get there, so they lose. Pingu thinks this is funny, but Robby and Pingg are annoyed. They let Pingu join in, but he has to be the one doing the seeking, so Pingu counts while the others hide. There’s no sign of them when Pingu turns, so he goes to look. He hears Robby, and goes towards the sound. Robby hides behind a nearby ice tower as Pingu looks for him and goes past. He comfortably beats Pingu “home”. Pingg and Pinga are already there, so Pingu loses! Pingu, reluctantly, is seeker again. This time he cheats by turning while still counting so he can see where they go to hide. Despite this he can’t find them, and is puzzled. He spots a discarded ladder nearby, and props it up against a nearby ice tower so he can climb to the top to get a better view. While he’s climbing the ladder the others come out from behind the broken barrel that was near the ladder, and easily get home first. Pingu loses again! On the next turn he tries the same trick with the counting, but this time goes straight to the ladder and starts to climb. What he doesn’t know is that Pingg and the others have hatched a plan. Pingg has hidden behind the barrel where he was before, and sees exactly what Pingu is doing. When at the top of the tower, Pingu spots Robby’s tail sticking out, and goes to get down from the tower. Pingg, however, has removed the ladder, so Pingu is stuck on top of the tower. The others join Pingg at the bottom of the tower and, when Pingu asks, won’t put the ladder back. They then rub salt in the wound by getting home while Pingu can do nothing but watch. They all laugh at Pingu. Pingu then slides down the ice tower.
4x2 - Pingu Refuses To Help
January 6, 1998
Pingu and Pinga are in their bedroom. Pingu is reading, and nibbling on some cereal in a bowl, while Pinga plays with the bricks. Mother is in the kitchen, feeling a bit harassed. First the washing machine finishes, then the phone rings and then a pot on the stove starts to boil. She calls for help. Pingu ignores the call. Pinga responds and goes to the stove, but she’s too little to do anything about the pot. Mother comes over, sorts out the pot and then she and Pinga go to the washing machine. Mother unloads the washing into the basket, and calls to Pingu to come and help, but he doesn’t respond. Mother goes outside with Pinga. She’s just started hanging out the washing when Father arrives home. He greets Mother and Pinga. Mother tells him that Pingu’s not being very helpful, so Father goes to speak to Pingu about it. When Father reaches the bedroom, the door is shut and locked. Father bangs on the door and calls to Pingu, who just ignores it and continues with what he is doing. Mother, Father and Pinga confer, and then leave Pingu to it. Pingu finishes his bowl of cereal and decides he wants some more. He goes to the door, opens it, checks that the coast is clear, then goes to the cereal packet and puts some in his bowl. He then wonders why it’s so quiet and goes to look outside. Mother and Father are hanging out the washing, watched by Pinga. Feeling a bit left out, Pingu goes back inside. He checks the washing machine, and finds a small cloth that has been left behind. He rushes outside to give it to Mother, but she, Father and Pinga all ignore him. Pingu tries to get their attention, but they all turn away and go inside. Pingu looks inside, and sees Mother giving Pinga a heaped bowl of cereal. He disconsolately trudges back outside. The washing on the line starts to judder, and the line frays and then breaks. Pingu grabs the broken ends of the line, one in each hand, just in time to prevent the washing from falling to the ground. He struggles to keep his grip, and moans with the strain. Pinga hears him and goes outside to find out what’s going on, then rushes back in to tell Mother and Father what’s happened, but it was too late. They rush out and Father repairs the line while Pinga tries to cheer Pingu up. Mother then cheers Pingu up by giving him a big hug.
4x3 - Pingu the Mountaineer
January 7, 1998
Father is cleaning the motorized sled, and asks Pingu to go and find him a clean cloth from the shed. Pingu goes to look and isn’t having much success, but then he comes across an old rucksack. Inside the rucksack he finds a photo of Father and Grandfather in mountaineering gear, in front of a cairn of stones. Pingu drags the rucksack out, shows the photo to Father and asks if he can go up the mountain. Father initially says no, but then remembers how he felt about it and agrees, to Pingu’s delight. They get the gear, Pingu carrying the rope, and Mother waves them goodbye as they set off. Just as the reach the base of the mountain the trailing end of the rope catches between two rocks. Pingu tries flicking the rope in various ways to dislodge it, but it won’t budge. He then pulls on the rope as hard as he can. The rope finally comes free, and Pingu ends up sliding on his bottom right up to the base of the mountain. Father and Pingu rope up, and start to climb, with Father leading. Father is finding the going hard and starts to get very tired. He then realises that the reason he’s so tired is that Pingu has been letting himself be towed up by Father, and is not putting any effort into it himself. Father tells Pingu to do his own climbing. They come to an ice bridge over a crevasse and Pingu doesn’t want to cross. Father crosses and, after overcoming his reluctance, Pingu crosses as well. Father gives Pingu a hug, and points out how much closer to the top they are. When they reach the top Pingu is delighted, and can see their igloo in the distance. Father then takes a photo of himself and Pingu that’s similar to the one that Pingu found of Father and Grandfather.
4x4 - Pingu and the Big Fish
January 8, 1998
Mother is rolling out dough in the kitchen. Pinga is playing nearby. Pingu comes over and sees Pinga’s trumpet on the floor. He picks it up and blows it. Pinga tries to get her trumpet back from Pingu, but he won’t let go. When Pinga lets go, Pingu tosses the trumpet into the air over his shoulder, and it lands in Mother’s bowl of flour. Mother comforts Pinga, then tells Pingu off and tells him to go away. Pingu trudges outside and sees one of his neighbours telling another about his successful fishing trip. Pingu sees the bucket of fish that has been caught and has an idea. He rushes indoors and gets his fishing rod. On his way out Mother stops him, points to the clock and tells him not to be late back for supper. Pingu goes to a nearby pool and starts to fish. Pingo arrives and watches. Pingu has a bite, but hooks nothing, and Pingo laughs. Pingu is annoyed and shoves the rod at Pingo, telling him to try and do better. Pingo soon has a bite, but when he lifts the rod there’s a lobster hanging onto the bait, clacking its claws. The lobster drops back into the water, taking the fishhook with him. Then a big fish jumps from the water and splashes back in. They wonder how they can catch the fish, as the hook has gone. Then Pingu has a brainwave. He takes the handle from the bait bucket and uses it to make a large hook, which he ties onto the line. Pingu baits the hook and Pingo starts fishing again. There are lots of bubbles around the float but no bites. Later, as it’s getting dark, Father arrives home from work. He goes indoors and greets Mother and Pinga; Mother tells him that Pingu went out earlier but hasn’t yet returned. Father goes out on the sled to look for him, eventually finding him fishing at the pool with Pingo in attendance. While Father tells Pingu he should have been back home earlier, Pingu gets a bite, and it takes all three of them pulling together to land the large fish that Pingu has hooked. They proudly take the fish home, Mother cooks it and Pingu’s family and Pingo all enjoy a fish supper.
4x5 - Pingu Shows What He Can Do
January 9, 1998
Pingu and Pinga are playing outside the igloo with the bricks, seeing how high they can get a pile without them falling over. Pingi arrives on her scooter, and, unseen by Pingu, watches them playing. Pingu and Pinga laugh when a particularly high pile collapses. Pingi laughs as well; Pingu hears and is surprised to see her. Pingu pretends that he wasn’t enjoying the game, and tries to act macho. Pingi asks Pingu if he’ll come with her, on his scooter. Pingu abandons Pinga, leaving her to play on her own, and goes off on his scooter with Pingi. As they ride away he pretends that he’s on a motorbike by making appropriate engine noises. Mother comes outside, sees Pingu and Pingi riding away, and then sees that Pinga is playing on her own, so she joins her. As Pingi goes on ahead, Pingu hides behind a nearby ice column, then calls out to her. Pingi returns, stops near the ice column and looks around. Pingu comes out from behind the column on his scooter and rushes off. Pinga turns and follows him. They reach some abandoned igloos. Pingi gets off her scooter and enters one. Pingu follows, and then kisses her hand. Pingi responds by giving Pingu a big kiss on the cheek. Pingu is delighted, and exuberantly performs all sorts of tricks on his scooter, to Pingi’s amusement. They then ride around the igloos a bit more before making their way back to Pingu’s home. When they arrive they find Mother building a tower of bricks for Pinga, which Pinga then blows down, and they all laugh.
4x6 - Pingu Clears the Snow
January 9, 1998
When Pingu and Pinga get up and go outside, they discover that it’s snowed during the night, and everything outside is covered in snow. Father is clearing off the motorised sledge, and finding it heavy going. Pingu gets the snow shovel and starts to clear the snow away from around the sledge, as Father continues trying to clear the snow off it. Pingu also finds it heavy going, stops clearing the snow and thinks, and then goes inside the igloo. He returns brandishing the hair dryer. He starts to blow the snow off the front of the scooter, and has some success, but it’s not long before the dryer stops working and bursts apart. Pinga, who has been watching all this, calls excitedly to Mother, who rushes out. Mother is dismayed to see what has happened to the hair dryer. A bit later, Pingu is pondering the problem and goes out for a walk. He comes across a derelict abandoned igloo, and looks around. He has an idea, and starts to make repairs to the igloo. Robby comes along and offers to help, and it doesn’t take the two of them long to patch the igloo up, turning it into a weatherproof garage. Pingu and Robby are waiting when Father arrives home on the sledge that evening, and Pingu tells Father what they’ve done. Pingu and Robby get on the back of the sledge and Father drives to see the garage. Father is impressed and drives the sledge inside. It fits nicely. As Father comes out of the garage it starts to snow, and they congratulate themselves on a job well done.
4x7 - Pingu Has a Day Off
January 13, 1998
Pingu is at school, and the class are given the rest of the day off. As they set off home, Pingu asks if they’d like to play, but they’re all going to go home. When Pingu arrives home Mother is busy cleaning the floor, and suggests that Pingu might like to help. Pingu’s not too keen, so Mother suggests he could help with the washing, or chopping firewood. Pingu is not keen on these either, and he goes out on his sledge. He passes a signpost, and tosses a snowball at it, so that snow covers the directions. He passes Pingg’s house; Pingg is busy helping his father with the firewood and can’t come with Pingu. He then passes the fish stall, where Pingo is helping his grandfather. Pingo is also too busy to come with Pingu. He meets Pingi helping her mother push a sledge loaded with vegetables; she also can’t come with him. He reaches a pool, tosses in a stone and when nothing much happens lies down for a rest. He hears cawing, and sees the Mother Bird taking a fish to her chicks. This gets him thinking; about Mother cleaning the floor, about Pingg with the firewood, Pingo at the fish stall and Pingi pushing the sledge. He then sees the Mother Bird fly off with the fish bone, and sets off back home. On the way he goes straight past his friends, and rattles the signpost so that the snow is cleared from the directions, all without stopping. When he arrives home, Mother is still cleaning the floor. To her surprise he gets her to her feet and settles her in the chair with the paper, and starts cleaning the floor himself. Mother is delighted by Pingu’s change of heart.
4x8 - Pingu the Archer
January 14, 1998
Mother is cleaning and Pingu is playing when the phone rings. Mother asks Pingu to answer it; it’s Grandfather, who has found a bow and arrows outside his igloo. Pingu rushes over, and Grandfather gives him the bow and arrows. Pingu excitedly fires one into the air. Grandfather makes a target to aim at and suggests Pingu shoots at that. Pingu shoots and misses. He shoots another arrow and misses again. Grandfather tells Pingu to practice and goes inside for a cup of tea. He sits down to enjoy it, but he hasn’t seen Pingu’s mischievous look! Suddenly an arrow hits an apple in the fruit bowl, which is on the table in front of him. Then another arrow breaks a window. Grandfather is not amused and turns to go outside; a third arrow hits him on his behind. He phones Mother, angrily tells her what Pingu has done and sends Pingu home. When Pingu arrives home Mother is waiting, and takes the bow and arrows away from Pingu. Thinking to try and cheer him up, Mother asks Pingu to tidy up the firewood that is lying scattered around next to the igloo. She takes the bow and arrows and goes inside, leaving Pingu to get on with it. Pingu unhappily goes across to the wood to start, and then has an idea! He takes the broom, which is being held by the snowman, and uses it to quickly sweep all the wood into a neat pile. He then flicks the broom into the air and balances it on his beak, and starts to dance around. Mother comes out to see how Pingu is getting on, and is surprised to see the job done and Pingu dancing. Pingu finishes his dance, and flicks the broom back to the snowman. Mother claps, and gives Pingu a hug.
4x9 - Pingu Gets a Warning
January 17, 1998
Mother is in the kitchen mixing a cake. Pingu walks past carrying his kite, and tells her he’s going out to fly it. Mother pats him on the head, and he goes out. Outside, he pauses briefly to twirl the head round on the snowman, and then continues. Meanwhile, Pingo has been flying his kite nearby outside Pingu’s grouchy neighbor's igloo, but the kite suddenly crashes to the ground next to some washing on a line. The grouchy neighbor comes out of her igloo in a grouchy way, tells Pingo to go away and takes away his kite. He unhappily goes off and hides behind a nearby block of ice. Pingu goes past, blissfully unaware, and stops by the washing. He tests the wind, decides it’s ok and launches his kite. Pingo rushes back and tells Pingu what happened to him, but Pingu laughs it off and waves Pingo away. Pingo is watching worriedly from nearby when the grouchy neighbor suddenly rushes out from her igloo, brandishing a carpet beater, and tells them to go away in a grouchy way. Pingo runs away. The wind then falters. Pingu’s kite goes into a spin and then crashes on to the washing line, knocking off a towel. Pingu's idea is dismayed, and the grouchy neighbor gets very, grouchy. She throws the carpet beater to the ground, takes Pingu’s kite and stomps back towards her igloo. Pingo is quivering nearby as Pingu asks the grouchy neighbor to let him have his kite back. She refuses and marches into her igloo, slamming the door behind her. Pingo comes across, and he and Pingu talk about what to do next. The grouchy neighbor opens her igloo window and tells them to go away in a grouchy way. Pingu and Pingo then have a bright idea and go towards the igloo, watched worriedly through the window by the grouchy neighbor, who is wondering what they’re up to. Pingu replaces the fallen towel on the line, and they both then tidy up the mess surrounding the igloo. The grouchy neighbor comes out from her igloo in a grouchy way, causing Pingu to drop a bucket he’s been balancing on his head, and both Pingo and he run off. They stop and ask the grouchy neighbor if they can have their kites back but she says she never is going to give them back, and they trudge away to Pingu’s igloo. When they get there they see a ball lying outside the igloo, and gleefully play with this instead.
4x10 - Pingu and the Magnet
January 20, 1998
Pingu is rummaging in the toy box, and finds a horseshoe magnet with a metal ball attaching. Holding the magnet he pulls the ball off with his other hand. He’s surprised when he lets go of the ball and it flies back and re-attaches itself to the magnet. He has another rummage in the toy box and finds a wooden ball, but can’t get it to attach to the magnet. Initially puzzled, he then has an idea and goes outside with the magnet and the two balls. He buries the magnet in the snow, smoothes off the snow and then draws a circle round the area with a stick he finds nearby. Pleased with the result, he picks up the two balls, holding one in each hand. Pingo then walks up and wonders what Pingu is doing. Pingo suggests that they play “toss the ball in the circle” and gives Pingo the wooden ball to use. They then move a few paces away. Pingo goes first, and his ball ends up inside the circle but right at the edge. Pingu’s throw stops short, but the ball wobbles and then rolls right into the centre of the circle. Pingo is astonished! They get their balls and have another go. This time Pingu goes first and overshoots the circle, but the ball rolls back and again stops in the middle. Pingo can’t believe it, and Pingu is convulsed by laughter. Mother then calls Pingu in, and Pingo goes over to examine the circle. Digging it up, he discovers the hidden magnet and realises what has been going on. He takes the magnet and buries it nearby, and then carefully covers up what he has done. Pingu then rushes out, and Pingu offers him the metal ball to use. Pingu throws his ball, which gets to the centre of the circle and then rolls out, ending up at the spot where Pingo has buried the magnet. Pingu can’t believe it! Pingo chortles, then gets Pingu’s ball for him and suggests he has another try. Pingu misses the circle, but the ball then rolls straight across the circle to where it was before. Pingu is annoyed! Pingo then tosses his ball and it ends up in the centre of the circle. He chortles, and Pingu is almost beside himself! Pingu goes over to investigate, digs a hole in the circle and is surprised that the magnet has gone. Pingo chortles, and just as Pingu realises what has been going on Father comes by on the motorised sledge and stops to speak to them. As he drives away the magnet uproots itself and attaches to the back of the sledge, to Pingu’s dismay. He and Pingo then make up.
4x11 - Pingu Gets Help
July 19, 1998
Pingu comes out of the igloo pulling an empty trolley while the snowman watches him (with its carrot nose fallen down). He puts some snow into it and takes it back into the igloo. He then comes out again, this time with a model sailboat. He sees the snowman and puts the carrot nose in its place and spins the head around. He then makes a small mound of snow, puts the boat on top and chuckles when it slides down the slope of the mound. He goes inside again, with the boat, and then emerges pulling the trolley that now contains the boat. He pulls the trolley to a nearby pool, and puts the boat into the pool. The boat doesn’t do very much, so he blows it to make it sail. He’s dismayed when the boat capsizes and almost sinks, so he takes it out of the pool and discovers that it has a hole in the bottom. Pingu sticks a plaster over the hole, puts the boat back in the water and blows at it. The boat sails away up the pool. Pingu follows it, and when the boat reaches the end of the pool blows it back down the pool. A stranger on skis comes by and asks Pingu what he is doing. Pingu explains, and as they watch the boat it sinks again, this time completely. Pingu goes to look for it but can’t see it, even after putting his head in the water. The stranger decides to help, and edges out over the pool on his skis to see if he can find and rescue the boat. In the process the skis break, and the stranger falls in and disappears under the water. Pingu gets rather anxious, and follows the bubble trail being made by the stranger up and down the pool. Suddenly the boat appears; the stranger has found it. The stranger gives Pingu his boat back and gets out of the pool. Pingu is delighted to have his boat back, and as the stranger happily walks away in the direction he came, Pingu waves him goodbye.
4x12 - Pingu in Paradise
November 20, 1998
Pingu and Pinga are playing hide-and-seek. Pingu hides in the toy box while Pinga is counting. Pinga looks for Pingu inside, can’t find him and goes to look outside. She can’t find him there, either. Mother then comes out to go shopping and Pinga tells her she can't find Pingu. Mother takes Pinga with her to the shops. After they have gone, Pingu peers out of the box and can’t see anyone. He feels tired, falls asleep in the box and has a dream. The toybox moves itself across the floor and the lid on the saucepan rattles about. A plate falls out of the cupboard but as it lands on the floor it morphs into two plates. Pingu suddenly wakes up. The telephone rings and Pingu goes to answer it. The receiver comes off in his hand and the body of the phone then falls off the wall and on to the floor. It turns into flowers, and the receiver that Pingu is holding also turns into a flower. A book and some toys jump out of the toybox and onto the floor. The book morphs into three and they start to dance, together with the lid of the saucepan. Some firewood joins in. The propellor on the toy plane starts to turn, and the plane takes off, does a couple of circuits inside and then flies out of the door. Pingu follows. He can’t see the plane anywhere. The snowman suddenly talks to Pingu and points. Pingu goes to where the snowman is pointing and sees some flowers growing in the snow. To Pingu’s surprise, one of the flowers then changes itself into a large tree. Blossom, and then fruit, form on the tree, and an apple falls off. Pingu eats the apple. Nearby he then sees a cascade of pink liquid (possibly milkshake). He goes across to it, produces a straw and drinks all the liquid. A fish flies up from the last of the liquid, lands on Pingu’s hand and then flies into Pingus mouth. Pingu swallows the fish, and then spots a number of giant lollipops sticking up in the ice a short distance away. He starts to lick a large pink lollipop, and is surprised when it moves away from him. Pingu then wakes, to find Mother and Pinga have returned from shopping. Pinga gives Pingu a pink lollipop she has brought back for him!
4x13 - Pingu's Dangerous Joke
January 21, 1999
Pingu is out walking. As he goes past a neighbour’s igloo he hears snoring. He throws a snowball at the igloo which lands on the bell, making it ring. Pingu then hides behind a nearby mound. The ringing of the bell wakes up the neighbour, who comes out to see who is there. He can’t see anyone, but then spots the snow on the doorbell. He brushes it off and angrily goes back inside. Pingu thinks this is very funny! Pingu walks on and arrives at Grandfather’s house, just in time to see Grandfather walking off, pulling his sledge. Pingu runs to get ahead of Grandfather, hides as Grandfather goes past, and then follows surreptitiously as Grandfather continues on. Grandfather reaches some old abandoned igloos and starts to collect odd scraps of wood, loading them into a box on his sledge. Pingu has an idea, and hides while Grandfather continues to search for wood. When Grandfather goes a bit further away, Pingu comes out and knocks the box of wood off the sledge, then hides again. Grandfather is surprised when he sees what has happened to his box, and tries to find out what caused the wood to fall off. He stops to examine the ice nearby. Pingu, meanwhile, has crept up to the top of a mound of ice next to where Grandfather is searching, and slides some ice down the mound, which lands at Grandfathers feet. Pingu chortles at Grandfather’s surprise. While Grandfather is consoling himself with a sandwich, a boulder of ice that Pingu loosened when he got the previous ice for sliding, starts to roll down the slope towards Grandfather. Pingu is dismayed and calls out a warning; Grandfather looks up, sees the boulder heading towards him and, dropping his sandwich, jumps out of the way just in time. His sandwich is totally squashed! Pingu slides down, and says he’s sorry when Grandfather tells him off for playing such a thoughtless trick. Pingu then picks up the box of wood he knocked off the sledge earlier, puts it on the sledge and helps Grandfather to get it home.
4x14 - Pingu the Pilot
January 22, 1999
Pingu is telling Pinga all about the plane in the book he is looking at when he hears a buzzing sound. They run outside, and wave excitedly at a plane as it flies overhead. Pingu rushes back inside and gets his toy plane out of the toybox. Pinga follows Pingu inside, and they have an excited chat. Pingu flies his plane, which crashes into the wall and then falls into the soup that is simmering in a saucepan on the stove. The saucepan falls off the stove, spilling the soup all over the floor. Mother, who is making the children’s beds, hears the clatter and goes to investigate. She angrily tells Pingu to go and play outside. Outside, Pingu wonders what to do. He has an idea, rushes into the shed, and a lot of banging is then heard. Pinga comes out to see where Pingu is, hears all the noise coming from the shed and goes to investigate. She excitedly discovers that Pingu is busy converting his sledge into a plane. Pretending to be flying, she rushes back indoors and gets her rabbit from the toybox, then runs back. They both get onto the sledge, and then wonder how to make it fly. Just then, Father arrives on his motorised sled, and asks them what they’re doing. They excitedly tell him, and then wonder why he then goes into the shed. He emerges with a small sail, which he attaches to their sledge at the back, and then gives Pingu his hat to wear. The wind gets up, and the sledge slides away. Pingu and Pinga excitedly sail about, pretending they’re flying. Mother hears the commotion and comes to find out what is going on. She and Father then watch as the children enjoy themselves on the sledge.
4x15 - Pingu Teases Pinga
January 23, 1999
Mother comes out to inspect the washing, and checks on Pingu and Pinga who are playing outside, Pingu with his train and Pinga with her rabbit. Pingu is a little bored, and decides to tease Pinga, by taking her rabbit and putting it out of her reach on the snowman. Pinga is distraught, and Mother tells Pingu to give the rabbit back to Pinga, which he does. Mother then goes back inside with the washing, wakes up Father who is dozing in a chair, and tells him to iron the washing. As Father gets started on the ironing, Mother goes past with a package that she tells him she’s going out to deliver. Pingu and Pinga clamour to go with Mother, but she says she’s going by herself. As she walks off Pingu, who’s annoyed at not being allowed to go with her, grabs Pinga’s rabbit and puts it on the snowman again. Pinga asks him to give it back, but Pingu refuses. Pinga makes a snowball and throws it at Pingu. The snowball hits Pingu on the head. Pingu is annoyed, and chases Pinga indoors. Pinga grabs hold of the table leg and Pingu can’t drag her loose. The commotion wakes Father, who has dozed off while doing the ironing, and he tells them to stop it. Speaking together, Pingu and Pinga each try to blame the other. Father tells them to be quiet and to go outside. Pingu sticks his tongue out at Pinga, Pinga sticks out her tongue back, and they both go outside, followed by Father. Pingu gives Pinga back her rabbit, to Fathers approval. Father goes back inside. Pingu walks away, then gets annoyed when Pinga sticks her tongue out and blows a raspberry at him. In revenge, he goes back, grabs the rabbit and puts it back on the snowman. As Pinga tries to go back indoors, Pingu rushes ahead and shuts the door with his back against it so she can’t get inside. Pinga makes another snowball and throws it at Pingu. The snowball misses Pingu but hits the doorbell, making it ring. The bell wakes Father, who has dozed off at the ironing board again! He goes outside, but can’t see any sign of Pingu and Pinga, who have run away. Father looks around and sees the rabbit on the snowman, so he goes across and takes it off, putting it on the ground. He then sees Pingu’s train nearby, and he puts this right on the top of the snowman, where it will be out of Pingu’s reach. Father then goes back indoors. Pingu and Pinga reappear, and Pinga is delighted to get her rabbit back, but Pingu isn’t happy to find his train on the top of the snowman, out of reach. When asked by Pingu, Pinga denies doing it. Pingu tries to get his train but can’t, and Father, who is listening at the door, is amused. Father goes out, talks to Pingu and Pinga about the error of their ways and gives Pingu back his train. Pingu apologises to Pinga, Pinga apologizes to Pingu, and they both snuggle up happily to Father. Features Pingu, Pinga, Father and Mother.
4x16 - Pingu's Wish
July 26, 1999
When Pingu is out, he sees a poster fr a magic show and pretends that he’s the magician performing. On the way home he finds a magic wand, and conjures up a hat and four flowers. Pingo comes by and asks Pingu what he’s doing. Pingu turns to Pingo, and while he explains, the hat and flowers disappear. When Pingo says he can’t see anything, Pingu turns and is amazed that the hat and flowers aren’t there. Pingo consoles Pingu, and they walk on together. They reach the toyshop. On display is a magic box that Pingu decides he really wants. He rushes home to ask Mother, but she tells him he’ll have to wait till Christmas. Pingu plods unhappily out. After he’s gone, Mother realises how far away Christmas is and has a change of heart, so she rings Father and tells him to get the magic box on his way home. When Pingu arrives back at the toyshop, he’s dismayed to find that the box has gone, so he goes back home again. When he arrives, Mother and Father are waiting. Father puts on a top hat and pretends to be a magician. He then tells Pingu to cover his eyes. Mother goes and gets a Christmas tree and a wrapped present from where they were hidden. Father makes some more magic sounds and tells Pingu he can now look. Pingu is amazed to see the tree and a present, and on opening the present is really delighted to find that it’s the magic box that he wanted.
4x17 - Pingu is Curious
November 27, 1999
Pingu is asleep in bed, and is woken by Mother and Pinga singing “Happy Birthday”. When he gets up and goes into the kitchen he finds a large parcel waiting for him. He wants to open it, but Mother tells him he has to wait until 12 o’clock. Pingu goes outside, paces up and down for a short while and then notices that Mother and Pinga are about to go out. As they leave, Pingu is sitting by the door nonchalantly looking at a book. Mother asks him if he’d like to come with her and Pinga, but he says that he’ll stay and read the book. Once Mother and Pinga have gone he rushes inside to the parcel, and looks at it from several angles, including from under the table. Forgetting he’s under the table he gets up and bangs his head, and while rubbing it is dismayed to see that he’s knocked over a flower vase, and that the water inside has run all over the parcel. He puts the parcel on the stove to dry it off, and sets about clearing up all the water that was spilt. On finishing, he remembers that the parcel is still on the stove and takes it off, but it’s very hot and he drops it on the floor. Pingu blows on his hands to cool them, and then notices that the parcel is somewhat battered. He straightens it up, and then goes to get a drill so he can make a hole in the parcel to see what’s inside. While he’s looking, he hears Mother and Pinga returning. As they come in, Pingu goes out with the drill hidden behind him so that Mother and Pinga don’t see it. Pinga notices that a patch has appeared on the outside of the parcel, follows Pingu outside and sees him toss the drill into the shed. She asks him what he was doing, but Pingu tells her he wasn’t doing anything. When 12 o’clock arrives, Mother opens the parcel while Pingu, Father, Pinga and Grandfather watch. Inside the parcel is a very battered birthday cake! They’re surprised to see the state that the cake is in, but Father and Grandfather sample it and say that it tastes good, so everyone is happy.
4x18 - Pingu Gets Organized
December 8, 1999
There’s nobody in when Father gets home from work. The igloo is in a mess, with toys all over the floor and cooking stuff not put away. As he starts to tidy up, Pingu comes in. Father asks Pingu to put away the toys, and gets on with clearing up the cooking stuff himself. Pingu tosses all the toys into the toy box, and tells Father that he’ll go and tidy up the bedroom. While Pingu is in the bedroom Pinga arrives. She rummages in the toy box and, tossing toys out of the way, emerges with Pingu’s toy engine. She goes outside to play with it. Father is there, hanging up the washing. Pinga shows him the toy she’s got, and makes it go in a circle round herself. Pingu comes out from the bedroom and is a bit niggled to find toys left out on the floor. He puts them away, goes outside, and is even more annoyed to find Pinga with his engine. He grabs it from her, which makes Pinga distraught. Father comes over to mediate, and whispers something to Pingu. Pingu thinks this is a good idea, gives the engine back to Pinga and goes back indoors. He soon comes back out, pulling a truck full of toys, and he and Father build a ramp to slide the toys down. Pinga, meanwhile, is building with the bricks. Pingu makes a tunnel at the bottom of the ramp, and he and Father slide all sorts of toys down the ramp, but none go through the tunnel! Finally, Father rolls the engine down the ramp, and Pingu is delighted when it rolls through the tunnel. Father goes inside, and initially is not very happy when he finds the toy box on its side with the toys spilling out. However, on reflection he realises that children will always make a mess and decides not to worry about it.
4x19 - Pingu Builds a Tower
January 1, 2000
Pingu, Pinga and Robby are looking at a picture of the Tower of Babel in a book. He spots some ice bricks nearby, and decides he wants to build a tower. Robby and Pinga agree to help. While Pingu puts the first few bricks into place, Pinga gets a brick to add. Pingu points to a big pile of bricks and sends Pinga over to get more. Robby flips a brick neatly into place with his nose. Pingu applauds. Robby shoves another brick across. Pingu can’t reach it from where he is standing on the tower and gets Pinga to lift it to him. Pinga gets several bricks together, stacked like a train. Robby then finds a plank and has an idea; they can use it to get the bricks up to Pingu who is on the top of the tower. He places the plank on a brick, like a seesaw. Pinga sees this and wants to try out the seesaw. Pinga then puts a brick on the end of the plank and Robby hits the other end of the plank with his tail. The brick flies into the air and lands in just the right spot on the tower. Pingu pats it into place. Robby and Pinga then set up a production line. Pinga pushes blocks on at one end and Robby flips them into the air. This process gets stopped when Pinga loads several blocks together and the plank snaps. While they’re wondering what to do, Pingg turns up. He’s amazed by what he sees. They explain what they’re building. Pingg thinks the idea is hilarious and has a good laugh at them, which annoys Pingu. Pingu makes a snowball and tosses it at Pingg, just missing. Pingg runs off. Robby then flips a brick up to Pingu, who catches it and puts it in place. While he’s doing this the seagull lands on the top of the tower next to Pingu. Pingu tries to shoo the seagull away; the seagull tries to peck Pingu. Pingu calls down to Robby, who tosses a fish up to the seagull. The seagull catches the fish and flies away. Pinga and Robby wave it goodbye. Pingu wants more bricks to lay, but Pinga and Robby can’t find any more. Then Pinga comes with several more. Robby is delighted until he sees where Pinga got them from – the bottom of their tower! The tower starts to wobble, and despite Robby’s attempts to stop it falling it crashes to the ground in a heap, with Pingu underneath. Robby thinks Pingu has been flattened in the fall but suddenly sees a flipper being waved for help. A relieved Robby pulls away some bricks so that Pingu can get out. Pinga brings the book and suggests they start again, but Pingu doesn’t think this is a very good idea and tosses the book away.
4x20 - Pingu The King
January 30, 2000
Pingu is shovelling snow outside the igloo when he has an idea. He’ll build a castle. Pingu builds castle like ramparts round the igloo, and a nearby abandoned door becomes a drawbridge. He goes indoors, makes himself a paper crown, and sets out the kitchen chairs and table for the throne room. Pinga comes and asks Pingu what he’s doing. Pingu visualises himself as the king and explains. Pinga decides she wants to be queen and goes to the toy box. While Pinga is rummaging, Pingu is making a royal carpet with a cloth he gets from the cupboard. Pinga returns wearing a crown, and Pingu bows to her and invites her to sit on her throne. Pingu sits on his throne, and has another idea; he needs some subjects. He goes to the phone and, visualising knights wearing armour in battle, invites his friends over to join in the game. Pingo and Pingg arrive, and come in when the drawbridge is let down. They chortle when they see Pingu and Pinga on their thrones. Pingu acts all imperious, and gets annoyed when Pingo and Pingg don’t respond as he thinks they should, and clouts Pingo on the head, to his surprise. After some more ordering about from Pingu, Pingo goes and gets a carton of drink and a mug from the sideboard, pours some drink into the mug and gives it to Pinga, and gives the carton to Pingu. Pingu and Pinga both have a drink. Pingu tosses the carton to Pingo and Pingg, and it bounces off their heads onto the floor. Pingo goes to have a drink himself, and is not very happy to find the carton empty! Pingu now imagines himself in a coach, and orders Pingo to get it. Pingo bows to Pingu, and gets the toy truck. Pingu gets off his throne and into the truck, envisages himself being driven in the coach and orders them to pull the truck. Pingo gets annoyed and decides he’s had enough, and unceremoniously dumps Pingu out of the truck and onto the floor. While Pinga helps Pingu recover, Pingo and Pingg go outside. Pingg makes a snowball and throws it at Pingu, hitting him on the head. Somewhat dazed, Pingu imagines his castle falling down, takes off his battered crown and throws it in the bin.
4x21 - Pingu the Baker
February 2, 2000
Pingu walks past a shop with a large cake on display, sees it is a bakery and decides to have a look. He looks in the keyhole in surprise, and sees the baker mixing something in a bowl. There’s a good smell in the shop. The baker goes to the oven, slides out some bread he’s baking, and then returns it to cook some more. He sees Pingu and greets him. A table full of delicious looking cakes and other similar goodies then amazes Pingu. The baker shows Pingu how to make the baking mixture; while he’s getting the yeast to put in Pingu can’t resist sneaking a taste. The baker shows Pingu what to do with the yeast, and then takes the bread he’s baked out of the oven. He presents Pingu with a baker’s hat. Pingu is very excited, thanks the baker and rushes off home to do some baking himself. He gets all the ingredients out, and finds a bowl to mix them in. Pinga comes out of the bedroom, comes over and asks Pingu what he’s doing. Pingu explains, settles down to do the mixing and then realises he needs a whisk to stir the mixture with. He asks Pinga to get it for him, which she does. Pingu starts to mix in the ingredients, but can’t get much out of the first packet and throws it away in disgust. The packet hits the wall and the contents splatter. Pingu compensates by putting all the contents of the other packets he’s got into the mixture, and stirs vigorously, spilling quite a lot of the mixture in the process. He then goes to add the yeast, can’t remember how much, and ends up adding nearly all of it. The mixture gets another good stir, and he tries it. It’s rather good! Pinga wants a taste as well, so he lets her have a lick off the whisk. Pingu puts the whisk in the mixture. It moves around, preventing Pingu from grabbing it, and then disappears under the surface. Pingu is annoyed and shouts at the bowl; the whisk shoots out and Pingu catches it. Pingu gets a pan, tips in the mixture, and puts the pan in the oven. He then notices the mess he’s made and, with Pinga’s help, clears up. They’re then both a bit alarmed when the stove starts rattling, and the stove door bulges out, and take refuge in the toy box. Mother and Father arrive home on the motorised sled, and are puzzled by what the stove is doing when they walk in. Suddenly the stove door bangs open and the baked bread is thrown out. They all go over to inspect it, and rather enjoy the aroma being given off.
4x22 - Pingu and the Doll
March 3, 2000
Pingu is pretending to be a Red Indian, and is outside doing a dance round a pole, to which he’s tied his teddy bear. He goes in, and sees Pinga playing with her teddy bear. Pinga puts her bear on a chair. Pingu has an idea, goes outside to get a rope, and lassos Pinga’s bear. As he pulls it towards him, Pinga grabs hold, and a tug of war ensues which ends up with the arm being pulled off the bear, Pinga with the arm and Pingu with the armless bear. Pinga is rather annoyed at this and confronts Pingu, who ignores her. She grabs back her bear and, as Pingu reacts, clouts him on the head with it. Pingu grabs back the bear, and Pingu and Pinga shout at each other. Pinga then goes to tell Mother, who is in the bedroom making the beds. On the way she spots Pingu’s toy yacht, picks it up and then throws it down, breaking off the mast. She laughs, and sticks her tongue out at Pingu. Pingu is annoyed and throws down the bear. Pinga runs to Mother as Pingu chases after Pinga, and they proceed to have a heated argument as Mother watches. They all go back into the main room and Mother sees the damage caused to the bear and yacht, as the argument erupts again. Mother sends Pingu out, and calms Pinga down by sewing the arm back on her bear and giving her a lollipop. Pinga then goes outside, shows Pingu that Mother has repaired her bear, and noisily licks her lollipop. Pingu gets his bear from the pole and gives it a hug. He then has a thought, rips off the bear’s leg and rushes inside to sadly show Mother what has happened to his bear. Mother is sorry for him and sews the leg of the bear back on. After a bit more “acting”, Pingu gets the message across to Mother that he’d like a lollipop as well, and she gives him one! Pingu rushes out to show Pinga, and they happily lick their lollipops.
4x23 - Pingu Helps Grandfather
March 4, 2000
Pingu’s family are all at home. Pingu is reading a comic, Pinga is playing doctors, with her teddy as the patient, Father is reading the paper and Mother is knitting. The phone rings. Father answers. It’s Grandfather, who’s had a fall putting up a picture and broken his foot! When Father has rung off and told the family what has happened to Grandfather, he and Mother have a discussion. Pingu goes and sits on the motorised sled, ready to go. The discussion shows no sign of ending, so Pingu calls out to hurry them up. They briefly stop talking, and then resume. Pingu is fed up with waiting, so he gets off the sled and starts walking to Grandfather’s house, muttering to himself. Father gets onto the sled and calls to Mother and Pinga. They come, and then Mother says she’s forgotten something and goes back in to get it. She returns wearing her floral hat. Father moans about the delay, but then Pinga also says she’s forgotten something and goes to get it, coming back carrying her doctor’s bag. Mother and Pinga get on the sled and Father asks if they’re ready to go. They both nod, but then Father can’t start the sled! He also goes back inside and returns, sheepishly showing Mother and Pinga the sled starter key, which he’d forgotten. Mother and Pinga both laugh, and they all set off on the sled. By now Pingu has reached Grandfather’s house. He enters, and commiserates with Grandfather. He then sees the smashed picture on the floor and the stilts, one broken, that Grandfather was using to get high enough, and has an idea. He splints Grandfathers foot using the broken stilt, tying it on with some cloth. Father, Mother and Pinga arrive. Pinga rushes in to help and is surprised to find Grandfather standing, with his foot splinted and using the unbroken stilt as a crutch. They take Grandfather to the hospital. A doctor takes Grandfather inside to be treated, while the others wait outside. Pingu brushes away a tear as Grandfather goes in, and is consoled by Mother. Grandfather then comes out in a wheelchair, with his foot and the broken stilt both neatly bandaged up. Grandfather gives the stilts to Pingu, who gets on them and walks around, to everyone’s amusement.
4x24 - Pingu on a Bad Day
April 5, 2000
Pingu is woken by the alarm clock, and knocks it off the table trying to turn it off. The clock breaks, and Pingu huddles back under the blanket. Mother calls to Pinga and him to come to have breakfast. Pinga gets up, sees Pingu still huddled in bed and rushes to tell Mother. Mother calls again, and Pingu sleepily gets up. He stretches, and then trips over the broken clock, falling flat on his face, which amuses Pinga. He goes into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and then breaks a mug while trying to get it down from the shelf. Mother, who has been putting Pingu’s lunch into his satchel, tells him he’s too late to have any breakfast, and sends him off to school. Father leaves just as Pingu gets outside, so he can’t get a lift and has to go on his sledge under his own steam. On the way to school he hits a bump in the snow and gets thrown off the sledge (which breaks), landing headfirst in the snow. At school, he falls asleep during the lesson, and is laughed at by the rest of the class when he has to be woken up. When he gets home, he tosses his satchel on the table and then vents his frustration by jumping and sitting on Pinga’s rabbit. Pinga can’t get him off the rabbit so she goes and tells Mother. Mother asks Pingu what's wrong, but he can't answer, and gives Pinga an ice-lolly to cheer her up. Pingu wants to have a lick but Pinga won’t let him. Pingu pleads with Mother, who relents and gives him an ice cream cone. As he’s tucking in, the ice cream falls out of the cone and onto the floor. Pinga laughs, as her ice-lolly is still ok. Pingu is annoyed, but picks up the ice cream and puts it back in the cone. Pinga turns to go out, trips over the clock and drops her ice-lolly, which melts. She asks Pingu if she can have some of his ice cream, but he won’t let her, so she chases him round the room, with Pingu teasing her by holding out the cone to her and then taking it away.
4x25 - Pingu Loses the Bet
April 7, 2000
Pingu is going out on his sledge, but before he gets very far Mother calls to him to stop, and asks him to take Pinga with him. He’s not happy about this but does so reluctantly. They stop at a fairground stall, where the main prize for throwing balls at six cans, and knocking all the cans down, is a large teddy bear. With his three balls, Pingu knocks all the tins down, and wins the bear. Pinga wants to have it, but Pingu won’t give it to her. The stallholder sees what’s happening and wonders what to do. He has an idea, and suggests that Pingu and Pinga compete for the bear by throwing at the tins against one another. Pingu and Pinga agree, but what Pingu doesn’t know is that the stallholder has used a magnet to hold Pingu’s cans onto the shelf! Pinga completely misses the cans with her first throw, and hits a nearby snowman. With his first throw, Pingu knocks down four tins. Pinga gets closer, but still misses, with her next throw. Pingu gets one more tin on his second throw. Pinga gets one tin on her third throw, and Pingu is gleeful. He takes his last throw and hits the remaining tin full on, but is amazed when it doesn’t fall down. He’s even more amazed when Pinga has another throw – the stallholder has sneaked her an extra ball when Pingu wasn’t watching! She hits the tins. Only one falls initially, but the rest soon topple with a bit of help from the stallholder. Pingu has lost, and regretfully gives Pinga the bear, which she cuddles. Pingu and Pinga then go home, and wave goodbye to the stallholder as they leave.
4x26 - Pingu and His Cup
April 9, 2000
Pingu is competing in the sports day, and has already failed in his first event. He runs up for the high jump, trips on a bump in the snow and crashes into the jump, dislodging the bar. The bar lands on his head! Pingo and Robby then both successfully knock the ball through the ring. Pingu skies his ball; it hits the schoolmaster on the head, and stops just short of the ring. Pingu gets his third cross on the scoreboard in three tries. In the sledge race, at the start Pingu just can’t get his sledge to go, and Robby (on a tray) and Pingo disappear into the distance. Pingu then manages to start by pushing his sledge, catches up, and has a narrow lead over Pingo at the turn. On the way back, Pingo hits a rock in the snow when trying hard to catch up with Pingu and his sledge goes out of control. He crashes head first into the snow, and his sledge shatters. Pingu stops and goes back to help. At the finish, they’re wondering where they all are, and then Robby appears on his tray and finishes first. Pingu and Pingo then arrive together (both on Pingu’s sledge), cross the finish line and crash into the first aid tent, which falls on top of them. The schoolmaster marks up the scoreboard with success for Robby, and fails for Pingu and Pingo. Pingo, on a crutch, then explains to the schoolmaster what has happened, and Pingu has his fail erased and is given three successes! He is awarded the cup, has his photograph taken holding it, and rushes home, but no-one is about! He puts the cup on the stove and goes looking, eventually finding Father sawing wood. He excitedly explains to Father about his win and rushes inside to get the cup to show him, but the cup has melted! Pingu is aghast, but then remembers the photograph that was taken with him holding the cup, and shows Father that instead.