Mr Majeika (1986-1988)

Starring: Stanley Baxter

Mr Majeika was based on a series of children's books, written by Humphrey Carpenter. Mr Majeika (played the wonderful Stanley Baxter) is an uncontrollable wizard from the planet Walpurgis who had failed his O-level sorcery exam for the seventeenth time resulting in him being sent to "Britland". After literally dropping into the sleepy village of Much Barty, he finds a post at St Barty's School as Class Three's new form-teacher, where he quickly befriends two of the children, Melanie Brace-Girdle and Thomas Grey. Mr Majeika tries really hard to behave himself on Earth and is being watched carefully by the Worshipful Wizard of Walpurgis, but he finds that magic is becoming necessary in his day to day life. Together with his magic Majeika, Melanie and Thomas end up having some incredible adventures, however a spoilt and horrid boy called Hamish Bigmore (who caused the resignation of the previous class teacher and frightened off the other 79 applicants for the post) is jealous of their fun and tries to stop it at every turn, but never fear as one waggle of Mr Majeika's tuft of grey hair is all it takes for Bigmore to be put firmly in his place. It was full of innocent fun, totally charming and is extremely underrated!