Mini TV Review – The Demon Headmaster (2019)

Recently I have been watching the new series of The Demon Headmaster; and it was absolutely brilliant! Based on the children’s book series of the same name by Gillian Cross; The Demon Headmaster is a follow up TV series to the original classic. Lizzie Warren (Ellie Botterill) is a pupil at Hazelbrook Academy, and is stunned by how much it has improved since she was last there; with all signs of improvement directed by the new Headmaster (Nicholas Gleaves). As a fan of the original series, this was a must see for me, and it didn’t disappoint. The opening music sounds weird; and the new headmaster is a very different persona to that of Terrence Hardiman; but it’s surprising how quickly it all grows on you. Gleaves is Amazing, and is backed up by this wonderful cast of students, including a standout performance from Lori Stott as Angelika. The story starts out very gently, but builds suspense right up to the final episode, with plans failing at the feet of a Headmaster who is always one step ahead. It incorporates the modern world nicely, and is backed up with that extra hint of both psychology and science. I did though find it weird that in a world with drones accessible to the public, why this show reverted to CGI? Anyway, that’s a small note on what has been a thoroughly enjoyable TV series, easily one of my standout shows from 2019. I hope there’s going to be a second series, and a DVD release!