The Worst Witch

- Season 1

(1998)

"Onward, ever striving onward, Proudly on our brooms we fly. Straight and true above the treetops Shadows on the moonlit sky." The strains of the school song can be heard echoing through the vaulted halls of the converted Gothic castle, which is Cackle's Academy. The young witches fly in on their broomsticks across the dark wooded slopes and over the school gates for the start of another year. Miss Hardbroom is taking a register of the first years as they arrive. She is very pleased to see Ethel Hallow come flying in and make a perfect landing, but has to inform Miss ...

Mildred Hubble and Maud Moonshine are now best of friends and, often to be found in their company, are Ruby and Jadu. Ethel and Drusilla however, are always trying to stir up trouble between them, taunting Maud Moonshine by calling her "Moonface" and delighting in telling Mildred how hopeless she is. Now that they are a few weeks into the term, homesickness is taking its toll of the first years. Miss Hardbroom makes everyone write a letter home, telling their parents that they are well and doing fine, which only makes everyone feel worse - apart from Ethel and ...

It's time for the presentation of the kittens - the black cat will sit decoratively on the end of each girl's broomstick when they fly. Mildred nearly doesn't get one at all, and when she does there are no black ones left, so she has to make do with a tabby. Meanwhile, Frank is looking after his nephew Charlie for a few days and brings him to the school. Charlie is fascinated by the girls but finds it hard to believe that they're really witches. When Ethel brags about her family portraits that adorn the walls, Charlie insults her lineage. He annoys her even more by ...

"Moonlight! Starlight! The Bogies will be out tonight! Give us a candle - give us a light! If you don't you'll get a fright. It's Punkie Night tonight! Time to meet - for a trick or treat! It's Punkie Night tonight! Punkie Night, Punkie Night, Punkie Night, tonight!" All of Mildred's attempts to revise her potion notes fail, and when Miss Hardbroom gives them the test of making a laughter potion, Mildred and Maud create one that's a slimy green colour - Ethel Hallow (who never worries about tests) makes one that's bright pink. Fearing the worst, they swallow the ...

A distressed Mildred runs off with Tabby in her bag, and stopping to rest in the valley below she comes upon a group of witches. They are planning to take over Cackle's Academy by turning everyone into frogs while they are asleep! Mildred, thinking on her feet, casts self-defense spell on the witches, but it doesn't stick. Miss Drill, meanwhile, has decided to take a ride in the forest. She is angry with the others for not taking her fears about "shifty" witches seriously. She comes across Mildred's things, and decides to investigate. To her surprise, she discovers ...

A new term and Mildred arrives back at school with trepidation. Thinking that some extra responsibility might do her some good, Miss Cackle asks Mildred to look after a new first year, Enid Nightshade. On the surface the new girl seems rather quiet - even dull. Mildred has been put on probation by Miss Cackle, and if she does one tiny thing wrong, she's out. She throws herself wholeheartedly into watching Enid and Maud feels left out. Meanwhile, Mr. Blossom has waged a war against a wayward fungus that has spread all over the school. One night, as he is skulking about...

Miss Cackle's birthday is a day of indescribable boredom where the girls are all expected to sing, recite or chant for her in the Great Hall. Maud is getting special coaching for her chanting and Ethel is playing solo violin. Mildred is starting to realize that looking after Enid is becoming a liability and Maud is feeling decidedly left out. On the morning of the birthday celebrations, Enid, determined not to sit through the whole interminable performance, drags a reluctant Mildred into a store cupboard. Eagle-eyed Ethel however, has spotted them and locks the door ...

It's half-term, and the girls are off on a "strictly no magic" camping trip with Miss Drill and Miss Hardbroom. Mildred soon breaks this rule, after she attempts to lighten their loads. After a lot muttering and moaning, the group arrive at their destination, only to find they have been double-booked with a team of Canadian boy scouts. Much to Miss Hardbroom's displeasure, the two groups decide to "embrace the democracy of the great outdoors" and share the campsite. The girls are getting along extremely well with the boys and Miss Drill is getting on even better with ...

A heatwave has struck Cackle's Academy and Miss Bat has let the girls practice their Chanting outside. The girls use it as an opportunity to sunbathe on the broomshed roof, until Miss Hardbroom catches them and punishes them by making them clear out the locker room. Meanwhile Miss Hardbroom is fed up with Miss Bat's irresponsible attitude to teaching and her habit of eating flowers. A row subsequently develops ending with Miss Bat locking herself in the staffroom cupboard until further notice. Miss Cackle magics the girls a refreshing summer drink, and then sets them ...

During a potion lesson to make the elixir of life, Mildred accidentally drops a cyberpup, lent to her by Ruby, into her cauldron. The potion froths and gurgles and overflows the sides of the cauldron. A creaking and groaning sound fills the classroom. The desk and floorboards are coming to life - as trees! The potion laboratory is wrecked. The cyberpup has also come to life - not harmless anymore, but spiky and ravenous and requiring endless attention. Miss Cackle seizes the opportunity for a complete modernization of the laboratory and decides to invite the Chair of ...

Mrs Cosie's tearoom is a haven of peace and comfort for Miss Cackle, full of delicious goodies. It is, however, strictly out-of-bounds to the girls of the Academy. This doesn't deter Mildred and her gang, who are keen to stem their hunger pangs and take advantage of a free cake promotion. Unseen by Miss Cackle, the girls settle down at a table where they overhear a plan to trick Miss Cosie into selling her tearooms so that a toxic incinerator can be built on the site. This would make life unbearable for the inhabitants of Miss Cackle's - to say nothing about the ...

The Chief Wizard, Egbert Hellibore, comes to give a talk to the girls on Spells, Potions, and Gourmet Cooking. The girls are given strict instructions about behaviour by Miss Cackle and H.B so that when the talk turns out to be really quite good fun, the girls have been so "drilled" that they clam up completely even when asked to join in. Hellibore presumes that they are lacking in confidence and need more practice at public speaking. He suggests a debate between the boys at his school for Wizards and, put on the spot, Miss Cackle has to agree. Ethel is chosen to be ...

It is nearly the end of Mildred's first year at Cackle's Academy. One night, there is a strange, fierce wind which blasts through the castle, rattling and shaking everything and giving Mildred and Maud bad nightmares. Next day, everything seems fine - except for Miss Cackle. She seems completely out of sorts. She is particularly irritated with Mildred and actually tells the staff that she is the Worst Witch in the school and that she is going to expel her. Miss Hardbroom is pleased to hear her opinion of Mildred confirmed, but strangely piqued about the expulsion - ...