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The Genie From Down Under – It’s my Opal … (and I’ll cry if I want to) (1995)

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clip I'm the master!

Original classification rating: G. This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

The genies (Rhys Muldoon) and Baz (Glenn Meldrum) show Penelope (Alexandra Milman) that she is not really in control of them despite being their master. She orders that her room be cleaned of 'its useless mess and rubbish’ and whoosh – she is thrown out too. She wishes for a sparkling kitchen and she sparkles as well. Then Penelope is caught by Lady Diana (Anna Galvin) and Mossie (Monica Maughan) telling Bruce that he should start showing some respect. Lady Diana is appalled at her rudeness but when Penelope tries to use the Genie’s magic to get out of trouble, somehow her wishes don’t work out the way she wants.

Curator’s notes

by Annemaree O'Brien

Penelope is such an interesting character, and unusual for a children’s television series. A flawed hero, she can be quite unlikeable, but as writer-director Esben Storm says, these flaws make for some terrific comedy. He sees her as a little like the outrageous Eddy and Patsy characters in the BBC series Absolutely Fabulous (Esben Storm in A Television Comedy Study Guide ACTF 1996, p11). Self-centred snob Penelope is set up as deserving of the many insulting and funny things that happen.

‘Mossie’ the loyal housekeeper – a comic foil superbly played by Monica Maughan – never notices the strange things going on around her, but she gets some great lines.

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