Welcome to 
Episode Guide!
Welcome to my episode guide for The Worst Witch! After I had had a few people ask me about what were in certain episodes I saw that there was a need for an episode guide. So I dug up my "Worst Witch" video from underneath my James Bond ones and took a brief look at all the episodes that I had on tape. I then compiled this episode guide, most of which I did from memory!
Special thanks must go to David Bryan who started off the episode guide! He provided most of the episode titles of the first series, the summaries from YTV's website (YTV is the TV station in Canada that co-produced and shows "The Worst Witch"), and he also contributed to some of the episode summaries (Series 1, Episodes 8, 11 and 13).
Special thanks must also go to Mike Burrell who wrote the summaries for Series 1, Episodes 1 and 2.
Also, special thanks to Catherine who wrote the summaries for Series 2, Episodes 6 and 7.
Special thanks also to Em and Georgie for correcting the name of the 3rd episode of the first series!
And finally, special thanks to Pierre J.-L. Plourde for providing the credit lists for all of the episodes!
This guide is by no means complete. I worked through it very quickly, and I was doing most of it from memory!
The first book, "The Worst Witch", is covered in Series 1, Episodes 1-5. The second book, "The Worst Witch Strikes Again", is covered in Series 1, Episodes 6 and 7. All the other episodes of Series 1 contain original plots.
The third book, "A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch", is covered in Series 2 Episodes 1-4. The fourth book, "The Worst Witch All at Sea", is covered in Series 2 Episodes 7 and 8. All the other episodes of Series 2 contain original plots.
WARNING! THIS EPISODE GUIDE CONTAINS SPOILERS!
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Series 1
Episode 1: Battle of the Broomsticks
YTV: Mildred makes a flying start at Miss. Cackle’s Academy, but comes crashing down amongst the dustbins, right under the nose of the terrifying Miss. Hardbroom.
We find Mildred walking through the forest on the first day of school, trying to find her way so she can make it on time. Ethel (who can already fly a broomstick) flies up behind her, and taunts her, reminding her that she wouldn't want to be late on the first day. Mildred accidentally hits Ethel in the face with a tree branch, though Ethel thought she did it on purpose (which I guess is what starts Ethel's hatred towards Mildred). Anyway, when Mildred arrives at the school (late), the gate is locked and so she has to try and fly over it on her broom, crashes horribly, breaking her broomstick and making a rather poor introduction for herself. Maud takes a liking to Mildred and decides to help her pass the upcoming broomstick-flying test, and she needs the help considering she's scared of heights (and the dark!). Also, a virtual reality broomstick flying training machine arrives at school, and so Mildred, Maud, Jadu and Ruby sneak down in the middle of the night to practice. The machine runs amuck, they get caught by Miss Hardbroom, and it looks certain that Mildred's going to fail and have to leave the academy. On the big day, they decide to hook up a walkie-talkie system, so that Ruby can give Mildred instructions as she's flying. Ethel rats them out, and Mildred's on her own. Her friends start encouraging chants towards "banana broom", and she manages to get a passing grade.
Episode 2: When We Feast at the Midnight Hour
Mildred and her friends can hardly stand the food they're given to eat at lunch, and she gets caught trying to dump it in the garbage bin by Miss Hardbroom (by spilling it all over her!) Miss Hardbroom of course takes the issue to Miss Cackle, who decides that she should eat whatever the girls are given to eat. Somehow (I can't remember this part very well), Mildred finds herself in the kitchen, and finds out that the cook is able to make incredibly good food (including pizza!) but isn't allowed to because of school policy. Meanwhile, Miss Cackle decides that the food the girls are getting is barely edible, and so sneaks down to the kitchen at night to have some pizza herself. In the end, Miss Cackle declares Saturday to be 'pizza day' and Mildred is applauded as a hero by the other girls.
Episode 3: A Pig in a Poke
In this episode, the witch’s cats arrive, but they’re one short..... Meanwhile, the caretaker’s nephew, Charlie, visits the academy, but he doesn’t believe that the witches are real..... Mildred ends up turning Ethel into a pig, which was bad enough, but it was suppose to have been a frog! Ethel then gets mistaken for an escaped pig from the local farm so she is taken there. The only person who knows the reversal spell is Charlie so he and Mildred rush to the farm to save Ethel. When they find her, Charlie casts the spell, but it ends up making Ethel go a little quackers.....
Episode 4: A Mean Hallowe’en
This is the first of a two-parter. Mildred fails a potion test, she was suppose to have made a laughing potion but instead, because she believed the potion should have been green, she ends up making an invisibility potion. She is sent to Miss. Cackle to explain..... Mildred then decides that it’s time to buck her ideas up and to make an effort to improve, which she does by passing the following potion test successfully. For the upcoming Hallowe’en celebrations, Mildred’s class has been asked to put on a broomstick display. However, only one of them actually has to fly in it, and Mildred is the one who is chosen. Her broom, which was damaged during her crash landing on her first day, isn’t up to the job, so Ethel lends Mildred hers, but she has evil intentions. At the display itself, Mildred crashes into the Grand Wizard, but it wasn’t her fault! Ethel had instructed her broom to make Mildred look stupid deliberately! However, everyone believes it is Mildred’s fault, so she decides to run away.....
Episode 5: Double Double Toil and Trouble
YTV: Mildred is temporarily rooted to the spot but, with the help of Miss. Drill and Maud Moonshine, she manages to save the school from invasion.
Mildred finds that not all of the witches in town are from the academy, some evil ones have shown up and are planning to take over the academy by turning everyone into frogs whilst they’re asleep! They discover her and they cast a spell on her making her unable to move. When they’re gone, Miss Drill comes to help her. Back at the academy, with some help from Maud, Mildred foils the evil witch’s plans, and gives them that shrinking feeling..... It turns out that their leader is none other than Miss Cackle’s twin sister, Agatha.....
Episode 6: Monkey Business
(This is the first episode which features Enid Nightshade, played by Jessica Fox)
YTV: A new girl arrives at Cackle’s academy and Mildred’s old friendship with Maud is put to the test.
It’s the start of the summer term, and it begins with Mildred having a dream that she is being put on trial for being the worst witch..... A new girl, Enid Nightshade, joins the academy, and Mildred is asked to show her around. However, this leaves little time for Mildred to spend with Maud..... Enid ends up getting Mildred into all sorts of trouble. Then Mildred discovers a monkey coming from Enid’s room. It turns out that the monkey is really a bit of a pussycat.....
Episode 7: Miss. Cackle’s Birthday Surprise
YTV: Mildred and Enid fly to freedom, perform a party turn and land on their feet again.
Enid is still getting Mildred into trouble. Mildred is warned that if she doesn’t behave, she may not be allowed to go on the half term trip..... Mildred does her very best to behave. No one believes she can manage it..... On the last day before the trip, Mildred feels that she can do it. It’s also Miss Cackle’s birthday. Just before they enter the hall for the celebrations, Enid drags Mildred into a cupboard and Ethel locks the door..... Mildred is upset, as she now believes that she won’t be going on the trip after all. They see a window from which they might be able to escape, but it’s too high. However, they find an old broomstick and decide to fly out. The window ends up leading straight to the hall where the birthday celebrations are taking place! Maud’s quick thinking means that if Mildred and Enid are to get away with it, they have to perform a display on the broomstick..... Afterwards, Mildred and Maud make up and all three witches become friends, and it’s confirmed that Mildred will be going on the school trip.....
Episode 8: The Great Outdoors
YTV: The half term camping holiday organised by Miss. Drill is to be a strictly ‘no magic’ trip. Unexpected results, however, mean that nobody is able to stick to this rule.
Mildred and the girls are forced into the woods by Miss. Drill and Miss. Hardbroom for their half term holiday. Arriving at their campsite, they find it occupied by Rocky Mountain Rangers, whom they share it with. The two groups also share in each other’s activities. Although the trip is intended to be magic free, Ethel’s evil heart once again forces Mildred’s friends to fight back, and chaos ensues.....
(I’m 99% sure that this episode was filmed in Canada. If you were wondering why, at the start of the episode the witches are split into two groups, I believe it was because not all of the actresses were able to go to Canada and so they were written out of the episode to go bird watching instead of camping.)
Episode 9: The Heat is On
YTV: Mildred and her class succumb to the summer’s heat. Miss. Bat retreats to the staff room cupboard, and Miss. Cackle sets a project involving cool drinks which has startling repercussions.
Miss. Hardbroom and Miss. Bat have a falling out. Meanwhile, the heat is getting to everyone. Miss. Cackle magic’s up a drink for the witches, and then sets them the task of recreating the drink, but they aren’t allowed to use magic. The witches try everything they can think of, even cheese! Eventually, Ethel and Drucilla decide not to work with the others and try to do it by themselves, but using magic..... Meanwhile, the others wonder whether or not flowers could be used to make the drink. With the help of Miss. Bat they find that they can and proceed to make the delicious drink! But, the night before the tasting, Ethel and Drucilla put something hot into the others drink..... On the day of the testing, the drink made by Mildred and her friends doesn’t go down to well. However, Ethel’s and Drucilla’s does go up quite well, with a little help of the Dr. Foster effect.....
Episode 10: Sorcery and Chips
Mildred is looking after ‘Bonzo’, who is Ruby’s cyberpet (well, at least it isn’t one of those ruddy Tamagotchis!). After the potion lab is destroyed, Bonzo goes missing..... Ethel’s dad, who’s on the board of directors, visits the academy, and convinces the teachers to set up a computer system. Bonzo makes his return, but he has been affected by magic as a result of the potion lab’s destruction..... Bonzo connects up to the computer system and uses it to hypnotise everyone to try and help him take over the world when the system is connected to the net..... Mildred, with some help from a third year, are able to break Miss. Hardbroom from the spell who then proceeds to defeat Bonzo just in time!
Episode 11: Let Them Eat Cake
After being foiled in a plot to steal sweets from Mildred and her friends, Ethel decides to lure them to an out-of-bounds tea room in the woods to get even. The girls meet a nature-loving businessman named Sam, who has trouble standing up to his overbearing boss. Meanwhile, Miss. Cackle is already at the tearoom, but she can’t let Miss. Hardbroom find her..... When they find out about Sam’s role in a web of deceit to swindle the tearoom’s owner out of her land, they also find out that his boss is planning to build a polluting factory on the land! They then help Sam stand up to his boss by driving Sam barking mad. And after avoiding the wrath of Miss. Hardbroom they gorge themselves on sweets!
(I have a feeling that this episode was also filmed in Canada. Why? Well, different film stock is used, that is, the picture looks more glossy than usual. Also, towards the start of the episode we learn that Ruby Cherrytree has the flu and so can’t come out with the other girls. Ruby also didn’t go on the camping trip in Episode 8. Ruby may have been written out of these episodes possibly because the actress that played her, Joanna Dyce, wasn’t able to go to Canada, but I can’t be certain about this.)
Episode 12: Sweet Talking Guys
The Grand Wizard visits the academy to give a lecture, and he’s accompanied by three trainee wizards, one of whom, “Loppy Luggs”, could be described as the Worst Wizard..... The trainee wizards decide to make their visit into a boys v. girls affair..... During the lecture they cast a spell which makes some of the girls raise their hands but then become unable to speak. Mildred ends up firing a rubber from a ruler, which hits the Grand Wizard’s head! She is then sent to her room.... The teachers organise a debate between the wizards and witches to find out who is better. The wizards get Loppy to make a potion which will give them an unfair advantage..... Mildred finds that she’s left her potion book in the potion lab and so goes there to get it. There she finds Loppy, who is really called Merlin..... She finds out from him what the wizards are up to. The potion they made helps them to speak more confidently! She takes some of the potion and enters the hall where the debate is taking place, where she then reveals what the wizards were up to! When the wizards leave, Merlin asks Mildred what the final score was. Mildred says that it was four all after extra time!
(Maybe we’ll have the penalty shoot out in the next series? This isn’t one of my favourite episodes. Why? Well, let’s just say that my surname isn’t “Green” for no reason.....)
Episode 13: A Bolt From the Blue
It’s the end of the year for the student witches, and Mildred’s incantations still don’t seem to work as well as intended. To cure a case of hay fever brought on by one of Mildred’s errors (“Exfoliatus!” “A CHOO!”) the other teachers give Miss. Cackle what they assume to be a remedy potion, but which is in fact a mislabelled experiment of Miss. Hardbroom’s. The other teachers make no mention of the mishap, even when Miss. Cackle’s behaviour takes a turn for the malicious. It is Mildred and company, however, who realise that it is not Miss. Cackle, but her evil twin back to cause more trouble. Mildred saves the day, for which she earns a raise in her final grade from C - - to A +.
(Maybe Agatha and her accomplices will be repuffified in the next series? Who knows.....)
Series 2
For most of the episodes in Series 2 I've included the Radio Times summary (the Radio Times is a TV listings magazine in the UK).
I've also included the summaries from CITV's website (CITV shows "The Worst Witch" in the UK).
I will complete the episode summaries sometime in the near future.
Episode 1: Old Hats and New Brooms
Radio Times: Mildred Hubble arrives for her second year at Cackle's Academy for Witches - and immediately finds herself in trouble.
CITV: It's a new school year at Cackle's Academy and second-year Mildred Hubble is trying to be nice to the new intake of first years. But new girl Sybil Hallow won't be won over. When Ethel trashes Mildred's room and lets Sybil take the blame, Mildred and her friends start to smell a rat. Will Ethel succeed in making everyone hate each other or will Sybil realise that Mildred's not such a bad witch after all?
(This is the first episode to feature Katy Allen as Ethel Hallow.)
It's the new year at Cackle's Academy for Witches, and new girl Sybil is feeling down and missing her mum.
Meanwhile, Mildred Hubble makes a perfect landing, however no-one notices it, they only ever seem to notice her when things go wrong. Meeting up with her friends they talk about the things that they've gotton over the summer. Then they find out that Ethel has changed quite a bit over the summer, she's had a "witchover"! Hardbroom appears and says that as Ethel's parents had agreed to it the matter was closed.
Miss Hardbroom then instructs the girls to welcome the new girls in the traditional manner. They all line up as Walkers Gate is opened and the first years walk in. The second and third years chant the same chant that was chanted at them when they started at the academy. Sybil is comforted by her friend as they walk in. Mildred, feeling sorry for Sybil, goes up and says "Hi" to her, only making her burst into tears again (Sybil had earlier been told by Ethel that Mildred was a nasty witch). Miss Hardbroom is not impressed, Mildred hasn't even been back 5 minutes and she's already causing trouble! However, her friends tell Miss Hardbroom that Mildred was only trying to be friendly. Miss Cackle tells Mildred to look after Sybil.
Meanwhile, Miss Cackle is having problems of her own. She can't find Miss Bat or Miss Gilbert. Miss Bat makes her entrance after her trip from Inner Mongolia, and she's even brought some sour yaks milk with her! Miss Cackle opens a letter from Miss Gilbert which says that she won't be joining them. Who will teach the second years? It's a choice between Miss Drill and Miss Bat, so she decides that they can share the job for now.....
Mildred is helping Sybil settle into her room, and as she does so she tells her a story about a first year who kept on crying and ended up getting turned into a frog, and there's a frog in the school pond that's probably her.....
Lessons begin. Ethel and Drucilla aren't too happy about Miss Hardbroom and Miss Bat sharing the teaching so they come up with a plan. First, they mess up the rooms of Mildred and her friends, take away some of their possessions that they got over the summer and leave a note signed "C & S". They also cast spells in classes to disrupt them. Mildred finds the note, could it really be Sybil and her friend that did this? There's one way to find out!
They search Sybil's room. As they are doing so, they find a picture of Sybil and Ethel together, and a letter addressed to "Sybil Hallow", which means that Sybil is Ethel's sister!
Miss Hardbroom turns up. It's now down to the teachers to sort everything out..... Mildred and her friend's holiday possessions are confiscated, they can have them back at the end of the term. Ethel and Drucilla looked pleased, but not for long, as Miss Cackle then tells them that she knows it was them responsible for disrupting the classes of Miss Drill and Miss Bat. They shall have to apologise in front of the school.....
After they have done so, Miss Cackle announces her decission about the teaching arrangements to the school. Miss Bat shall teach the first years for the first term, Miss Drill for the second term, and Miss Hardbroom will teach the second years as she is already used to them! This does not go down well with the second years, as Mildred says, "Here we go again....."
Episode 2: Alarms and Diversions
Radio Times: Mildred and her spell come to the rescue when an alarm system proves unreliable.
CITV: Miss Cackle decides that the emergency procedures at Cackle's Academy need to be reviewed and sets Mr Blossom the task of building a new alarm system. Meanwhile the feud between Mildred's gang and Ethel and Drusilla is continuing unabated and when Enid and Ethel try to out-magic each other with a wind spell a dangerous cyclone is created which sets off Mr Blossom's alarm for real.
In response to Miss Cackles request for a new alarm system, Frank Blossom builds one. When he comes to demonstrate it he suggests that everyone covers their eyes as it could get quite loud. The alarm is activated and the academy is filled with deafening.....silence! The alarm appears to have a malfunction.....
Later, in potions class, the second years are learning about finger sparks. Whilst applying the potion to their fingers Mildred gets distracted by Sybil who is outside the window having difficulty flying. Mildred spills far too much off the potion onto her hands! When it comes to her turn to practice her finger sparks she blasts a hole in the blackboard!
Sybil has failed her broomstick test! But she has been told that she can retake it as many times as she needs to until she pasts, even though students are usually expelled if they fail the broomstick test! Ethel has been told to give her lessons.
During lunch Enid decides to try the "Semolina Bowl Trick". When Miss Hardbroom spots it, no-one owns up to having done it, and so all of Mildred's gang have to do the washing up!
Whilst they are doing the washing up, the alarm goes off! Mildred says that shouldn't ask questions, they should just go straight to the courtyard, but it was just a false alarm and Miss Hardbroom tells them to go back and finish the washing up.
Miss Hardbroom suggest to Miss Cackle that there should be a fire drill, and Miss Cackle agrees. In the morning, the alarm sounds. On her way out, Mildred spots Miss Hardbroom in the yard surrounded by smoke! She decides to help her by picking up a bucket of water and flying down, but drops the bucket on Miss Hardbroom's head!
Miss Hardbroom is not imprrssed. It turns out that the smoke was just magic smoke and was there to add atmosphere to the procedings.
Later, Enid decides to cast a spell to send a whirlwind into Ethel's room. Ethel isn't worried about it at all, and decides to send it back, only stronger! But it gets out of control! the alarm is sounded, and this time it's for real!
Sybil is trapped in her room! Millie decides to get some of the finger spark potion and uses it to stop the whirlwind!
The emergency is over, and Mildred is awarded the Cackles academy medal for bravery!
Episode 3: It's a Frog's Life
Radio Times: When Mildred is turned into a frog, she meets another frog who used to be a powerful wizard.
CITV: Evil Ethel has turned Mildred into a frog and nobody knows where she is. In despair Mildred-frog goes to the pond for a quiet think about her predicament. There, astonishingly, she meets another English-croaking frog - a young wizard who was turned into a frog by a rival many years ago and has been stuck at the pond ever since.
The second years are having a broomstick flying lesson in the yard. However, Mildred and Ethel are arguing, and Mildred calls all Hallows weeds!
During the lesson, Mildred is having difficulty in getting Tabby to stay on her broom. Miss Hardbroom is not impressed and sends Mildred away to her room to sort Tabby out. Mildred goes to her room and falls asleep. Someone enters the room, leaves some weeds on the pillow, and casts a spell.....
When Mildred awakes she see's that Tabby has grown quite a bit, and she can jump a lot further than normal. She goes to the mirror to look at herself. She's been frogified! She's sure Miss Hardbroom had something to do with it. She hops into the corridor and Miss Hardbroom spots her and puts her into her bag.
People notice that Mildred is missing from potions class. Miss Hardbroom enters and puts Mildred into a jar. The lesson is in advanced invisibility. During the lesson Mildred tries to get Maud's and Enid's attention, but they can only hear a load of croaks! Maud is told to move the frog into a box in the cupboard. As she is doing this, Mildred escapes!
She goes straight for Ethel's and Drucilla's potion and becomes invisible. After everyone has left the room, Mildred hops away. As she starts to reappear, the teachers spot her and start to chase her! Mildred hops outside and makes her way to the pond.
At the pond, she finds another English-croaking frog! It turns out that he is actually a wizard called Algernon who was turned into a frog many years ago by a rival wizard, and then forgotton about! He can only be turned back into a wizard by a fellow wizard. Mildred promises to help him.....
Maud and Enid find the weeds on Mildred's pillow and suspect that Ethel had something to do with her disappearence. Mildred hops back to her room, and Maud and Enid work out that the frog is actually Mildred. They go to Ethel's room and confront her. Ethel restores Mildred, and then Miss Hardbroom enters. At first she doesn't believe Mildred's explanation for her absence (Ethel of course tries to make it seem that she had nothing to do with it). However, Mildred proves her story by telling Miss Hardbroom the contents of her bag.
Later that night, Mildred is looking out of her window towards the pond. She promises that she will get Algernon to a wizard so that he can be restored.....
Episode 4: Crumpets for Tea
Radio Times: Mildred tries to persuade Chief Wizard Hellibore to release Algernon from his enchantment.
CITV: Mildred tricks Drusilla in order to attend Wizard Hellibore's Master Class and persuade him to release Rowan Webb from his enchantment.
Mildred is talking to Algernon in the pond, and her friends spot her, and are concerned for her. Meanwhile, the teachers find out that Grand Wizard Hellibore is going to visit the academy to give a master class. But it is decided that Mildred and Ethel won't be allowed to go as punishment for what happened in the previous episode. Mildred tries to get Maud and Enid to swap places with her so that she can get Algernon to Hellibore, but they refuse. There's a cockroach in Ruby's room, everyone's afraid of it, excepts Drucilla who gets rid of it. One student is to be chosen to practise magic in the master class, normally Ethel would have been chosen, but as she isn't going they have a competition, which Maud wins. Mildred goes to get Algernon. She then tricks Drucilla into her room by saying that there's a beetle in it. She ties Drucilla up and goes to the master class in her place. Ethel goes to Mildred's room and discovers Drucilla! They go to the master class and tell them about what Mildred's done. Mildred comes forward and tells Hellibore about Algernon. When he hears Algernon's name he believes Mildred, and he then restores Algernon. He's pleased to be back to normal after all these years, but he has to sit down as he needs time to adapt. Mildred then asks Hellibore for crumpets for tea. Algernon adds some honey and everyone tucks in! A fly lands in Algernons honey and he's tempted to eat it, but Mildred shakes her head and Algernon decides that his fly eating days are over!
Episode 5: The Inspector Calls
Radio Times: A school inspector arrives at Cackle's Academy and is not impressed.
CITV: A Schools Inspector arrives at Cackle's Academy. She is not impressed by what she sees, but Sybil Hallow casts a dramatic spell and saves the school from closure.
There is too be an inspection of all the failing witch school's by OFWITCH! In the potion's lab, Mildred accidently breaks a jar of hicupping potion! Sybil admires Mildred, she's idolised her ever since she saved her from the whirlwind. She wished Mildred was her sister and not Ethel! The teachers learn that Cackle's is to be inspected! Fennala and Griselda talk to Sybil about her following Mildred. The inspector is going to be Mistress Hecketty Broomhead, who used to be Miss Hardbroom's personal tutor! Miss Bat decides to decorate her classroom. Old files are hidden from the inspector, and so is Mildred! Mildred's and Maud's bats are taken away as well. The inspector arrives. Fennala and Griselda talk to Sybil, and tell her that if she rescues Mildred's bats (which they believe Miss Hardbroom put in a chest) Mildred will be impressed. The inspector is not impressed by Miss Bat's decorations, she can tell that the classroom doesn't normally look like that. Sybil is in tears at the end of the lesson as she forgot the chanting words in front of the inspector! The academy looks like it's going to get a poor report. But before she goes, the inspector wants to see Mildred. Miss Hardbroom tries to hide Mildred. Sybil tries the rescue, but the bats aren't in the chest, instead there's a book called "The Forbidden Almanac of Anarchy and Spells". Miss Hardbroom enters the room and catches Sybil. The inspector then appears from nowhere! Sybil casts a spell from the book that turns the inspector back into a child. Miss Cackle then recognises her as one of her old classmates from many years ago, a classmate who had been expelled! She is turned back to normal in return for a good report for the school. Miss Hardbroom then produces the bats, which were concealed by magic in her handkerchief!
Episode 6: Animal Magic
Radio Times: Mildred and Merlin rescue Algernon after his spell-casting goes wrong.
CITV: Mildred and Merlin rescue Algernon Rowan-Webb when his spell casting goes awry.
It’s the first day of the Summer term and the girls return from their Christmas holidays.
Miss Hardbroom is so busy sorting out their heaps of luggage – "All I ever took to school fitted into a small suitcase!" that she pays no heed to Mrs Tapioca’s desperate complaints about a serious mouse problem in the kitchen.
A giant rat-sized and rather intelligent mouse - Mrs Tapioca calls him"Pierro" - is on the loose, stealing food and dodging all traps that Mr Blossom and the cook set up.
Meanwhile the girls have got problems of their own: It might be called the Summer term and they already have to wear their short-sleeved summer uniforms, but there’s a snowstorm raging outside - so badly that Mildred almost gets lost on her way to the broomshed and has to leave her broomstick in the hall. Before she can be told off by HB, Mrs Tapioca takes Mil down to the dungeons to give her some hot chocolate as she’s nearly frozen stiff. When greedy Dru complains that the other girls should get some chocolate, too, HB hands form two over to Miss Drill who forces them to do some tiresome gymnastics and a jogging tour through the school.
When Mil’s friends pass the entrance hall in this process, who is to enter but Egbert Helibore, disfroggified Algernon Rowan-Web - who stays with Helibore at the Wizard school - the three "sweettalking guys" we met in the first season - Merlin "Loppyluggs" Flagstaff as well as mean Barry Dragonsbane and Gary Grailsquest in tow.
The Wizards have lost their way in the snowstorm and decide to stay for a while - despite the freezing cold in the unheated school, the havoc caused by Mrs Tapioca’s giant mouse and the threats of Miss Bat to fix them some dinner using one of her Granny’s recipes... (We see quite a nice fit Miss Drill is throwing after having swallowed one of Miss Bat’s "Winterwarmer" sweets - the wizards witness it as well and decide to have some school dinner instead.)
Rowan-Web just loves the dingy school atmosphere (dinner is late and overcooked due to the mouse)- feels like being back at wizard college and gets inspired to spoil the girls by magicking up some treats for public benefit, involving bright fires in the usually deserted fireplaces. Miss Hardbroom is not pleased, but is cut short by Algernon’s revealing that he has inherited the ancient title of a "Master of the Rebels" and might order any sort nonsense to be performed.
Accordingly he calls a school assembly and declares that there should be an "upside-down-day" - much to the annoyance of Helibore and HB who gets told off for whispering to Miss Cackle by Fenny and Gris who are to be "teachers" that day and perform quite a good imitation of HB herself "A double detention and a thousand lines!!".
That means: no school, plenty of unwholesome food, games instead of lessons and a potions’class for the teachers, presided by Fenny and Gris, who have been able to name the book in the library that tells all about the "Master" title - thus proving HB was cheating when she proclaimed that there was no such title.
So the teachers grudgingly settle down to take a potions’ class - Helibore is teaming up with Rowan-Web, Miss Drill with Miss Bat and Miss Cackle with Miss Hardbroom - the latter complaining about the uselessness of the "Anti-gunge-potion" they are to make - it’s in none of the books - while Miss Cackle messes up their team-work potion by spilling too much blackroot juice into it when HB isn’t looking.
When they try to find out how Miss Bat and Miss Drill are getting on, those two promptly tell the "form-mistresses" Fenny and Gris that "Miss, Miss, Constance and Amelia are cheating!" Promptly those two "girls" get told off - as well as the "boys" Algernon and Helibore who have been quarrelling over their potion.
When all the "pupils" have been told to sip their potion, Fen and Gris want to test whether it works - by flinging green slimy jelly at the teachers. Needless to say, HB is the first one to get hit right in the face.
Meanwhile, the second years have to attend the games Barry and Gary have volunteered to run in the Great Hall. Those two guys are even more bad-tempered than usual for they got turned into ice statues when they annoyed Fen and Gris previously - so as those two are not present, they decide to pick on the second years - except for Ethel and Dru who have released the boys from the statue-spell.
Mildred and her friends accordingly have to play games like "Pass the parcel!" - which promptly explodes covering them in slime - and "Hide and Sack" - getting sacked in the dungeons where they hid and helped Mrs Tapioca to train her cat "Lightning" in mice-catching.
In the Great Hall, dinner is under way. HB and the wizards, still looking a bit jellified, pick a quarrel about whose fault the failure in the potion lab was. The two wizards finally get mad at each other and decide they will have a duel of shape-shifting to find out who is the best wizard - Miss Cackle tries in vain to talk them out of this plan.
The Contest then is held in the Great Hall in the presence of all the teachers and pupils.
Algernon and Helibore turn into all sorts of animals - rabbits, snakes, geese and mice - trying to frighten each other. In between, even Ethel gets magicked into quite a cute goose girl but is frightened off when Algernon turnes into a mouse.
As Helibore assumes the form of an owl, Algernon, still being a mouse, runs off . Of course everyone thinks he might get lost again as it happened when he was being a frog, unable to undo the spell himself, so they start chasing him.
Mil and Merlin follow him into the dungeons where Mrs Tapioca has just caught the giant mouse while her cat caught Algernon.
After being rescued and the spell being removed he admits that Egbert is the better wizard and that he himself will retire to some quiet place in the country - perhaps taking one apprentice to accompany him (Mildred and Merlin exchange meaningful glances).
Miss Hardbroom - scowling at Fenny and Gris - emphazises that the "Upside-down-day" should be over and Algernon agrees.
When Miss Cackle - having mysteriously found out about Barry, Gary, Ethel and Dru mistreating the second years - insists that they should apologize to Mil and her friends, Millie assures her that there are no hard feelings - at the same time offering her foes some of Miss Bat’s unforgettable Winterwarmers...
Episode 7: Carried Away
Radio Times: Mildred ignores an order and puts her cat and Miss Hardbroom in danger.
CITV: Mildred disobeys an order and lands her cat and Miss Hardbroom in danger.
Having a private talk to Millie in Miss Cackle’s office, the headmistress and HB tell her that she must give up her beloved cat Tabby, who has shown no sign of improvement and besides has got the wrong looks for being presented at broomstick displays. She is to have another cat, Ebony, which was left behind by Harriet Goodcharm when she joined Pentangle’s academy where they have owls instead of cats.
The teachers try to console Mildred that her flying will be improving when she wouldn’t be distracted by Tabby anymore and that she should be looking forward to the splendid holiday she and her friends will be having - Algernon, the wizard Mildred previously rescued from frogdom, has invited her and her friends to spend a week at his recently gained "Riverside Retreat".
Mildred starts to cry and tells her teachers that she will always love Tabby no matter what they said, because he was her friend - leaving with the substitute Ebony to seek comfort with her friends.
When she has left, Miss Cackle tries to persuade HB that she is overworked and should accompany them for the holidays.
"Mildred Hubble and the second years?" Miss Hardbroom definitely doesn’t tink she would get much of a rest when spending a week with them. Her arguments ("But I sleep almost every night, headmistress -six hours on weekends!") are put down by Miss Cackle who recommends her colleague should read a self-help book – " Brewing up for trouble - The curse of the Workoholic Witch".
So HB agrees on joining the second year and Miss Cackle for the trip - Mil and her friends are hardly pleased by this prospect, but Millie feels better when she manages to leave Ebony behind and smuggle Tabby into her cat basket to take him along.
Tabby, terryfied of flying, puts up quite some racket in his basket and is nearly discovered.
At the Riverside Retreat, the teachers are fortunately distracted by Algernon’s welcoming party (strawberry cheesecake does the trick with Miss Cackle and HB is too busy to order her girls around). Mildred is delighted to find that Merlin joined Algernon as an apprentice - he promises her to help with hiding and feeding Tabby, as the girls have to share one bedroom and Mil is afraid that Ethel will discover the cat-switching and tell the teachers.
Mildred’s friends sense that she is up to something. She doesn’t want to get them into trouble as well, so she won’t spill the beans. Maud, Enid and the others feel left out and suspect that Mildred is more interested in spending time with Merlin than with her friends and get quite mad at her.
During the welcoming feast, Algernon tells the girls the story about the magician who owned the place before him, but got swept down the rapids of the nearby river - his chest of treasures and tricks being lost in the course. He gives permission to playing and swimming in the river, but tells them that the boat at the beach is strictly out of bounds - due to the dangerous rapids. Therefore Mildred and Merlin think this would be the perfect hiding place for Tabby and put him into the miniature cabin of the boat.
While Ethel and Drusilla try to find out what Mil is up to, Mildred’s friends tease her about her secrets and her new "friend" - and Miss Cackle, sharing a bedroom with her colleague, and keeping an eye on her ("May I say, headmistress, that one doesn’t enjoy the feeling of being under constant observation?" – "Paranoia to a T, Constance!") tries to beat the need for relax and outchill into Miss Hardbroom’s head - telling her for a goodnight story that she would be "flat on her back" in no time if she wouldn’t stop working so hard.
The next morning, Miss Cackle tells the girls that Miss Hardbroom is off duty and should not be pestered. Accordingly she has to spend all the day on the beach, reading "The curse of the Workoholic Witch" and getting served with exotic ice cream treats by Merlin - enviously watched by the girls ("She’s got shades, she’s got legs, she’s got personal service!")
Mildred and Merlin nick some kippers and Mildred tries to get rid of the others to give Tabby his breakfast. When everybody except HB leaves for dinner, Mil sneaks off to the boat, but is being persued by Ethel and Dru who have grown suspicious because of the fishy smell. She pretends that she meant to take the boat to look for the treasure, but that she has given up the plan when Drusilla reminded her of the rapids. Mildred then chucks the kippers into the boat and then the girls return to the house.
HB, having heard the cry of the agonized Tabby, who can’t get at his food because he is still in the cabin, sets off to investigate. She discovers the cat in the boat and means to go and tell off Mildred, when she slips on the kipper and bangs her head on the floor - accordingly losing consciousness.
Ethel and Dru have sneaked back and set the boat adrift - thus meaning to force Mildred to own up about the cat they have heard mewing in the boat so that he could be rescued by the teachers. They do not, however, notice that Miss Hardbroom is on board as well.
When they tell Mildred that the boat is drifting towards the rapids, she and Merlin race to the beach - only to see the boat vanishing in the distance.
Mildred’s desperate face is the last scene we get to see of this cliffhanger ep...
Episode 8: The Dragon's Hoard
Radio Times: Merlin accidentally sets a Dragon Lord free from captivity.
CITV: Mildred rescues Miss Hardbroom from plunging down the rapids but while she does so Merlin accidentally sets a Dragon Lord free from captivity.
Episode 9: The Genius of the Lamp
CITV: Sybil and Clarence are left with Bat and Drill while the rest of the school are away on a trip. Fed up with P.E. and chanting, they manufacture a magic lamp in an attempt to make all Sybil's wishes come true. The side effects are disastrous and the castle and all in it are nearly destroyed - until Clarice has an inspiration!
Episode 10: Up in the Air
CITV: Caretaker Frank Blossom's visiting nephew Charlie is desperate to join Cackle's as a pupil. Miss Hardbroom sets him a tricky entry test and Mildred and her gang vow to help him out - with a bit of unauthorised magic - and as usual chaos ensues. Will Mildred's magic meddling hamper Charlie's chances for good or can they come up with another plan that will help Charlie get his wish?
Episode 11: Fair is Foul and Fouls are Fair
Radio Times: Miss Drill introduces the girls to basketball but when she organises a "friendly" match things don't go as planned.
CITV: Miss Drill tries to introduce the girls to basketball and arranges a friendly match with the "Hevversham Hevvies". The opposition, however, are tough and ruthless and walk all over Cackle's Academy - until the girls decide to show that they have all the necessary magic to produce a win from thin air.
Episode 12: Green Fingers and Thumbs
Radio Times: Frank faces an unscrupulous rival in the gardening contest.
CITV: It's time for the Annual Village Garden Show and Frank Blossom is convinced that this is the year for his marrows. But he hasn't bargained on the sinister Terry Root who will let nothing stand in the way of victory. When Mr Blossom's marrows are destroyed in a midnight raid, Mildred and her friends think they might be able to help him out with a magic growing potion. But evil Ethel has her own plans for magic mayhem and soon the Garden Show is in disarray.
Episode 13: The Millennium Bug
Radio Times: Pop star Amanda Honeydew wants to buy the castle and turn it into a theme park, spurring Miss Hardbroom to resign in protest.
CITV: Cackle's Academy is expecting a visit from a very famous former pupil - pop star Amanda Honeydew from The Spell Girls - as part of its 1,000 birthday celebrations. But it soon emerges that Amanda has bought the castle so that Mr Hallow (school governor and father of Ethel and Sybil) can purchase a "school of the future" - a plan that makes Miss Hardbroom resign on the spot. The girls are furious and determined to put Amanda off the castle - by whatever means. Will Amanda be scared away or will the girls face next term in an unfamiliar new school - without Miss Hardbroom…?
Series 3
Details and credit lists for episodes will be added when available. Updates will take place on most Fridays. I can not gurantee an update to this guide every Friday as I'm very busy at the moment!
Here's what everything that's included for each episode (where available) is (detailed episode summaries will come sometime in the future, hopefully not too long!):
YTV: Summary of episode on YTV's website.
CITV: Summary of episode on CITV's website.
Radio Times: Episodes 1 to 7 and Christmas Special - Summary of episode in Radio Times magazine. Episodes 8 to 13 - Summary of episode on Radio Times website.
Radio Times Choice: For each day the Radio Times selects a few programmes and writes a bit more about them! (They only did this for the first episode of the series though!)
Credit List: A good cast is worth repeating! (As is a good crew!)
Episode 1: Secret Society
YTV: MILDRED AND HER FRIENDS TRY TO JOIN ETHEL'S CAULDRON CLUB, BUT MILDRED FAILS THE INITIATION TEST. FENELLA AND GRISELDA, HOWEVER, COME TO THE RESCUE AND THE DANGEROUS OLD BOOKS SOCIETY-"DOBS"-IS FORMED.
CITV: Mildred Hubble returns for her third year at Cackle's Academy for Witches. As usual, things do not go according to plan.
Radio Times: Mildred returns for her third year at Cackle's Academy, and, as usual, things are not going according to plan.
Radio Times Choice: As a new term starts at Cackle's Academy for Trainee Witches the search is on for a replacement for Miss Bat who has decided to stay with her Undertone Chanting Guru in Inner Mongolia. Enter Miss Crotchet (played by former Liver Bird Polly James) who is, frankly, as nutty as a fruitcake. But the disaster-prone trainee witch Mildred Hubble is still there, as is the horrid Miss Hardbroom in this excellent adaptation of Jill Murphy's wonderful books.
Episode 2: An Unforgettable Experience
YTV: MILDRED, MAUD, ETHEL AND DRUSILLA ARE SENT ON WORK EXPERIENCE TO MRS. COSIE'S CAFE AND LEARN ALL THERE IS TO LEARN ABOUT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS.
CITV: Mildred and Maud are sent on work experience to learn more than they need to know about the restaurant business.
Radio Times: Mildred and Maud learn too much about Mrs Cosie's cafe.
Episode 3: Which Witch is Which?
YTV: RUBY USES HER APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE TO UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE PAST BUT DISASTER VERY NEARLY ENSUES AND IT IS ONLY THANKS TO MILDRED'S QUICK THINKING THAT THE CASTLE IS SAVED.
CITV: Two witches from the past very nearly cause the downfall of the Academy.
Radio Times: Two witches from the past threaten to bring down the academy.
Episode 4: The Witchy Hour
YTV: CACKLE'S ACADEMY TAKES PART IN A RADIO QUIZ SHOW AGAINST THE GIRLS FROM THE DREADED PENTANGLE'S SCHOOL. MISS HARDBROOM REFUSES TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT IN THE END SHE SAVES THE ACADEMY FROM HUMILIATION.
CITV: The girls of Cackle's Academy take part in a radio quiz against the dreaded Pentangle's School.
Radio Times: The girls compete in a radio quiz against Pentangle's School.
Episode 5: Learning the Hard Way
YTV: MISS CACKLE'S YOUNG NIECE, GABRIELLE GRIBBLE, COMES TO THE ACADEMY FOR TEACHING PRACTICE AND MILDRED HUBBLE AND HER FRIENDS TEACH HER FAR MORE THAN SHE EVER LEARNED AT WITCH TRAINING COLLEGE.
CITV: A trainee teacher comes to the Academy and learns more from Mildred Hubble and her friends than she ever did at Witch Training College.
Radio Times: A trainee teacher has a lot to learn from Mildred and her friends.
Episode 6: The Hair Witch Project
YTV: IT'S TIME FOR THE DREADED THIRD YEAR WITCH PROJECT. NERVES ARE FRAYED AND UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIPS FORGED. THE FINAL DEMONSTRATION IN THE GREAT HALL NEARLY ENDS IN DISASTER, BUT ALL THE GIRLS WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THE DAY MEMORABLE.
CITV: It's time for the dreaded Third Year Witch Project. Nerves are frayed and unlikely partnerships forged.
Radio Times: Nerves are frayed by the advent of a project for the third-year pupils.
Episode 7: Just Like Clockwork
YTV: MISS HECKETTY BROOMHEAD RETURNS TO CACKLE'S ACADEMY TO TAKE OVER WHILE MISS CACKLE GOES TO LOOK AFTER HER SICK AUNT.
CITV: Mistress Hecketty Broomhead makes a return visit to Cackle's Academy, but her insistence of rigid time-keeping proves to be her undoing.
Radio Times: The obsessively punctual Mistress Broomhead's return to Cackle's Academy results in chaos.
Christmas Special: Cinderella in Boots
YTV: CACKLE'S ACADEMY IS STAGING A PLAY FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE IS AS MUCH DRAMA OFF STAGE AS THERE IS ON AND ONLY WITH THE HELP OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MAGIC DOES THE WHOLE PRODUCTION END AS IT SHOULD WITH CINDERELLA GETTING HER PRINCE.
CITV: Cackle's Academy is staging a Pantomime for the Christmas season. Needless to say there is as much drama off stage as there is on stage!
Radio Times: Preparations for the panto provide as much drama as the stage show itself.
Episode 8: Art Wars
YTV: MILDRED DISCOVERS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WHICH SHE IS NOT WORST AT- DRAWING. ETHEL, HOWEVER, WHO CAN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT OF ANYBODY BEING BETTER THAN HER AT ANYTHING, IS DETERMINED TO THWART MILDRED.
CITV: Mildred discovers that there is something which she is not worst at - drawing - but Ethel is determined to thwart Mildred and very nearly succeeds.
Radio Times: Mildred discovers that there is something she isn't the worst at - drawing. But Ethel, not wanting anyone to do better than herself, is determined to thwart Mildred.
(Credit list for this episode is currently unavailable.)
Episode 9: Power Drill
CITV: The girls decide to cheer up Miss Drill by making a potion which gives her temporary witchly powers. Unfortunately they overdo the mixture!
Radio Times: The girls decide to cheer up Miss Drill by making her a potion granting her temporary witchly powers. Unfortunately they overdo the mixture, transforming their PE teacher into a witch who gives everyone a run for their money.
Episode 10: Better Dead Than Co-Ed
CITV: There is a rumour of a merger between Cackle's Academy and Camelot College.
Radio Times: A rumour begins to spread that a merger is imminent between Cackle's Academy and Camelot College.
Episode 11: The Lost Chord
CITV: While the third years are away at Camelot College, Miss Crochet is flattered by the admiration she receives from Professor Von Raffenberg, but he is an imposter!
Radio Times: Miss Crochet is flattered by the admiration she receives from Professor Von Raffenberg, who claims to be an international conductor of music. However all is not what it seems.
Episode 12: Unfairground
CITV: A crackdown on discipline leads to a revolt amongst the Third Years. The start of an underground newspaper, campaigning for pupil rights has dire results for Mildred and Jadu.
Radio Times: A crackdown on discipline leads to a revolt amongst the third years and the birth of an underground newspaper campaigning for pupil rights which results in dire consequences for Mildred and Jadu.
Episode 13: The Uninvited
CITV: Mildred and Jadu have been suspended and will be out of the Academy at the end of term. The future looks bleak until Mildred manages to use her new found artistic talents with fantastic success.
Radio Times: Mildred and Jadu are suspended and are to be withdrawn from the Academy at the end of term. The future seems bleak until Mildred's new-found artistic talents save the day.
This page was last updated on 3rd February 2001.
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