Season 1 Plot
The first season of The Bellflower Bunnies, a children's animated series based on the Beechwood Bunny Tales books by Geneviève Huriet and Loïc Jouannigot, aired on France's TF1 network during the week of 24 December 2001, at 7:00 a.m. Central European Time. Consisting of four episodes, it was directed by French animator Moran Caouissin, produced by Patricia Robert, and written by Valérie Baranski. The music was composed by Baranski and Daniel Scott. A handful of crew members from this season would be carried over for future episodes. The episodes follow the adventures of the Bellflowers, a family of seven rabbits who live in the community of Beechwood Grove. The two adults, Papa Bramble and Aunt Zinnia, take care of their five children: Periwinkle, Poppy, Mistletoe, Dandelion and Violette. "Room to Move", the first episode in the official production order, deals with the family's move to their new house at Blueberry Hill. The first season has been broadcast on TF! Jeunesse, the children's service of TF1, as well as South Korea's Educational Broadcasting System, CBBC in the United Kingdom, and Germany's Kinderkanal and ZDF among others. Since early 2003, it has been made available on DVD in the United States, France, Germany and South Korea.
The Bellflower Bunnies Season 1 aired on December 24th, 2001.
Season 1 Episodes
1. Slide On
The Bellflower children are going on vacation to stay with Grandfather Theo and his dog Grumps. Mistletoe has an accident down the stairs and breaks his arm. Grumps and Mistletoe both feeling left out go on a journey to find the rare and legendary Snow Rose on Three Pine Hill. When Mistletoe realises he took his siblings' racing sled, he forgets the Snow Rose and joins his siblings in time for the race.
2. Room to Move
The Bellflower children suspect their father, Bramble, is keeping something secret from them. Bramble reveals they will move to a house called Blueberry Cottage. Everyone is excited, except Periwinkle, who misses the house already. A magpie named Magda tries to scare the bunnies out of the house but fails. After the family decorates the house, Periwinkle runs away. Bramble finds Periwinkle in a small tent and he accepts his new house when Bramble invites him to help build a workshop there. Bramble and Periwinkle warm up to their new neighbours and invite them to an enjoyable party.
3. Carnival
The Bellflower family prepare for the Venicette Annual Carnival but Dandelion is a bit young to join in, so the other children take full responsibility and Bramble agrees. The children drive in Bramble's "Super Carrot Mobile". At the carnival, two sneaky foxes Roderick and Marmaduke kidnap Dandelion for their dinner. The siblings follow a trail of radishes left by the foxes. After a tricking encounter with the foxes, the children find Dandelion and meet up with Bramble and Zinia and they all join in the parade.
4. Balloonatic Bunnies
Poppy's new flying invention is put to the test and Poppy reluctantly lets Violette be his co-pilot, but the glider gets wrecked. The Bellflower family rescues two guinea fowls Lizzi and Loti (the aviation contest judges) from their hot air balloon. As the children play in the ballon, Poppy inflates it and the rope breaks causing them to go airborne. Eventually they crash land into Darkwood Forest. After Poppy and Violette make up, all the siblings build a boat to and down the river they unite with their family and rebuild the glider.