Wonders In Letterland Episode 10: Back To Square One

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UK Air Date06/06/1985, 4.20pm
Repeat ScreeningN/A
Copyright YearMCMLXXXV (1985)
VTR Dateunknown
Fremantle Archive Ref31221
Runtime00:20:04:23
Consecutive Episode Number10
IMDB LinkEpisode page

T. Bag (Tallulah Bag)Elizabeth Estensen
T. ShirtJohn Hasler
DebbieJennie Stallwood
The Gardener/
Shopkeeper
Jim Norton

CastingSonia Higgins
Make UpPearl Rashbass
Costume DesignerRaymond Childe
Graphic DesignerAlex Forbes
Stage ManagerBobby Webber
Production AssistantPat Lees
Song ByTerry Trower
Written ByLee Pressman
Grant Cathro
DesignerJohn Plant
Executive ProducerMarjorie Sigley
ProducersCharles Warren
Leon Thau
DirectorLeon Thau

Debbie and T-shirt run back through the lands to get back to the start to put the letters on the chest but when they try nothing happens. T-Bag then reveals that she has the golden letter T’s in her T-Bag so she has won the game as Debbie can not get all the letters. Will Debbie be able to get the golden T’s and complete the legend on the magic chest?
The High-T Website synopsis

If you would like to contribute your favourite/funniest etc quotes from this episode please contact me.

Back to the start of the game

T-Shirt: Uh-oh.
Debbie: T-Shirt.
T-Shirt: Now I've gone and done it.
Debbie: What?
T-Shirt: Pinched her precious T-Plant. Without this she's really in trouble and she'll be absolutely thunderous.
Debbie: Well we'd better make sure it's no use to her ever again, break it up.
T-Shirt: Oh I don't know.
Debbie: Give it to me (Debbie breaks the T-Plant up and throws it away). What will we do now? Where will we go?
T-Shirt: There aren't anymore lands to go to.
Debbie: Well that must mean I've collected all the letters, we'll go back to the start of the game, fill in the spaces and read that legend.
T-Shirt: Right, which way?
Debbie: Well I suppose back the way we came, this way.
T-Bag: T-Shirt. (T-Bag appears). Stay where you are. One step further I shall unleash such fury upon you you'll wish you'd never been born.
Debbie: T-Shirt.
T-Bag: T-Shirt do as I say, grab her, I want those letters.
Debbie: T-Shirt.
T-Bag: T-Shirt.
T-Shirt: Let's do a deal.
T-Bag: I don't do deals.
T-Shirt: Alright then I won't tell you.
T-Bag: Tell me what?
T-Shirt: Oh nothing, you don't want to know.
T-Bag: Tell me, what is it?
T-Shirt: Oh just that you're standing on an ant's nest.
T-Bag: Arrggghhh, I hate ants, oh no, argh, arh. (Debbie and T-Shirt runs off). Very clever, how far do they think they'll get little fools? I'll get just ahead of them (T-Bag tries to disappear but her magic is not working). Erh, (T-Bag tries to disappear again but nothing happens)drat it, without my T-Plant my powers have disappeared. Well there's only one thing for it.
(T-Bag runs off to chase Debbie and T-Shirt).

Added: 04/04/2015

All the missing golden letters

Gardener: Oh steady there, steady. Oh, dear, oh me, oh my, oh my.
Debbie: Hello, it's you.
Gardener: Debbie, how are you? It's wonderful to see you again.
Debbie: Oh and you too.
Gardener: Wonderful. Oh look out there, arrghhh.
Debbie: What's wrong?
Gardener: Look, look there, it's that wicked little devil T-Shirt.
Debbie: Oh no, it's alright.
T-Shirt: I'm a friend, I'm on your side now.
Debbie: No time to explain all that, we must hurry.
Gardener: Why? What's up? What's happening?
Debbie: It's her. She's after us.
Gardener: Her?
Debbie: Her, T-Bag.
Gardener: Oh dear, oh me, oh my, oh my.
Debbie: She's right behind us, I've found all the missing golden letters and she's wild with anger. Oh what are we going to do, she'll be here at any minute.
Gardener: There's only one thing to do.
Debbie & T-Shirt: What?
Gardener: Shhhhhh.
(Debbie, T-Shirt and the Gardener hide behind the hedges just as T-Bag rushes in).
T-Bag: Arrrrrrggggghhhhhh, now I've got you. Where are you? Where are you, you nasty little show-off smarty-pants and you wicked traitorous little rat? Where? Curses! Cake crumbs, sugar cubes and crumpets, I'll winkle you out wherever are you? You can't hide from me forever, and when I find you... beware!

Added: 06/06/2015

Quite an adventure

(T-Bag is crying).
Debbie: T-Bag.
T-Bag: Me, The High-T, defeated and humiliated by a mere slip of a girl. I can't stand the Indigni-T!
Debbie: Your wickedness was bound to catch you up sooner or later. It was terrible of you to keep that chest locked up.
T-Bag: But now everyone will know how to read and I'll have no power over them.
Debbie: Of course, they'll be free.
T-Bag: I feel helpless, I feel so... ordinary.
Gardener: There's nothing wrong with that. Look at me, I'm ordinary, nothing wrong with being ordinary, that's what makes us all extraordinary. Huh, you can see that can't you? Hmm, mmm.
T-Bag: Oh shut up.
Debbie: You'll just have to get used to living without magic, that's all.
T-Shirt: Tell you what, I'll be very generous and give you one more chance.
T-Bag: What?
T-Shirt: I've still got my magic, you can come and work for me.
T-Bag: Your magic! Don't be absurd, what good is your magic? Why you can't so much as....
(T-Shirt blinks and T-Bag's voice disappears).
T-Shirt: Leave her to me, I'll soon put her in her place.
(T-Shirt uses his magic and T-Bag disappears).
Debbie: Where's she gone?
T-Shirt: Back to the T-Square where she belongs and there she'll stay with me to keep an eye on her. Better go now, must make sure she's not up to any mischief. Bye.
Debbie: T-Shirt, thank you. Oh will I ever see you again?
(T-Shirt disappears).
Gardener: Well Debbie, it's been quite an adventure.
Debbie: Oh yes.
(Debbie then thinks back on the adventure she has had in all the lands of the board game).

Added: 04/04/2020

Time for me to shut up shop

Shopkeeper: Young lady... Young lady... lady... lady... lady... lady... Young lady.
Debbie: Oh.
Shopkeeper: Time to go I'm afraid.
Debbie: Ohhh.
Shopkeeper: Yes it's an unforgettable little game, don't you agree?
Debbie: It's fantastic, it is, how much is it?
Shopkeeper: Oh it's not for sale I'm afraid. Not for sale.
Debbie: Now I see.
Shopkeeper: I tell you what you can come back and play it again anytime you like, and I have lots of other games you can play as well.
Debbie: Oh could I?
Shopkeeper: Of course, anytime at all.
Debbie: Thanks.
Thomas: Granddad.
Shopkeeper: Ah.
Thomas: Granddad.
Shopkeeper: Thomas, huh, home from school, h-hmm.
Debbie: T-Shirt?
Thomas: You what?
Debbie: Oh, I'm sorry.
Shopkeeper: And I'm sorry I'm afraid I'll have to rush you along now, time for me to shut up shop.
Debbie: Right erm, well, goodbye.
Shopkeeper: Bye.
Thomas: Bye.

Added: 04/04/2012

"Spliced-Shots"
Straight after Debbie and T. Bag finish singing 'Ignorance is Bliss', there is a cut from a two-shot of the two actresses to a two-shot of T.Shirt and the Gardener. In the first frame after cutting to T. Shirt and the Gardener, the pair are standing pretty much upright, and in the next frame, The Gardener is slightly hunched over twiddling his thumbs, while the actual shot appears to be slightly higher, the scene then carries on. Going through it frame-by-frame, it seems that when the shot cuts together, an edit has been made where there was possibly two takes spliced together. This one is very difficult to spot, you probably need software with which to watch video frame-by-frame to actually see it.

"Alternate Memories"
When Debbie thinks back on her adventures, she sees Rascally Roger looking at his treasure and Fife O' Clock tending to the clock, these are from scenes Debbie does not appear in so are not from Debbie's perspective, so they can not be her memories.

For more mistakes from other episodes, please see the Nitpicker's Guide

  • According to the Fremantle Archives this episode was titled 'Debbie's Journey Home'.
  • The DVD release of this series gives the alternative episode title of 'Debbie's Journey Home'.
  • Jim Norton is credited on this episode's credits as 'Gardener/Shopkeeper' which is the reverse of how he is credited in episode 1. He is never credited as 'Thomas' Grandfather'
  • When Debbie remembers her adventures she does not remember anything from episode 2.
  • The badge on Thomas's school blazer is a cross between an upside down golden letter T and an upright letter V.

  • When Debbie and T-Shirt run back through the lands of the board game, Vic the Vampire calls out 'Good luck Debbie' (from episode 7) and they also encounter Rascally Roger who tries to block their way (from episode 6).
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 6: Debbie In The Land Of R)
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 7: Debbie In The Land Of V)
  • T-Bag's explorer's hat from episode four can be seen in the curiosity shop hanging from one of the shelves in the background.
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 4: Debbie In The Land Of I)
  • T-Bag's Jester's hat from episode nine can be seen in the curiosity shop hanging from one of the shelves in the background.
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 9: Debbie In The Land Of E)
  • Thomas' Grandfather is mentioned in T-Bag Bounces Back When Thomas and Debbie enter the curiosity shop.
    (T-Bag Bounces Back, Episode 1: The Ousting Of Major Happy)
  • Debbie tells Major Happy in the first episode of T-Bag Bounces Back that she has beaten T-Bag twice before, indicating the end of this series and the end of T-Bag Strikes Again.
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 10: The Magic Garden)
    (T-Bag Bounces Back, Episode 1: The Ousting Of Major Happy)
  • Debbie and T-Shirt run through the lands of the board game, Sally and T-Shirt also do this during T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom.
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 10: The Pearls Of Wisdom)
  • Debbie tricks T-Bag into parting with her golden letter T's so she can complete the legend of the chest. These are first seen earlier in the series.
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 2: Debbie In The Land Of B)
  • T-Bag often refers to herself as ‘The High-T’ as she does during this episode. This is mostly spoken by Tallulah Bag but is said once by Tabatha Bag.
    (Wonders in Letterland, Episode 5: Debbie In The Land Of P)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 1: The Town Clock)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 3: Ben And Bunty Badshott)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 9: Charlie Chuckles)
    (T-Bag Strikes Again, Episode 10: The Magic Garden)
    (Turn on to T-Bag, Episode 10: Turn On To T-Bag)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 1: The Stone Circle)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 3: Lost In Space)
    (T. Bag and The Revenge of the T. Set, Episode 4: Turkish Delight)
    (T. Bag's Christmas Carol)
    (T. Bag and The Pearls of Wisdom, Episode 1: Any Old Port)