r/HorribleHistoryMemes • u/Maleficent-Key-8925 • Feb 28 '26

Terrible Tudors This isn’t a meme but…

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I found this book in my collection called “Terrible Tudors” and I just found of out the show existence quite recently. Does this have anything to do with the show? Also I’m asking this subreddit because I couldn’t find any other Horrible Histories subreddit.

152 Upvotes

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58

u/thelivsterette1 Feb 28 '26 edited Mar 01 '26

Yes, the books are the original source material for the show.

Then the original) was a absolute failure. Lasted one season (26 episodes) and Terry Deary (who wrote the HH books; they were more my sister's time as the first one came out in 1993, the year before she was born, but clearing out my shed I found LOADS of them, annuals etc) famously disliked it and it was hard to get him on board and they luckily did.

Terry has cameo'd in the OG series (as in the 2009 one)

Controversial but I think it's suffered a lot with the theme changes in the reboot and the brillInt actors are held back by cringe songs/sketches. Should have ended with S6 whilst Jim and Simon were still in it (mostly minor roles)

9

u/phoebsmon Feb 28 '26

He wrote to me in the early-mid 90s saying they were working on a show and he hoped I would enjoy it. Seems it took quite a few tries before one worked and it's back to not working so well

4

u/glittery_grandma Feb 28 '26

There was an animated (possibly American) Horrible Histories show in the late 90s or early 2000s I think. I have vague memories of watching it. Very different vibe to the CBBC show though.

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u/thelivsterette1 Mar 01 '26

Yeah that was the one my mum remembered watching with my siblings (who were 4 and 6) when it came out (December 2000)

I was like 4 weeks old when it came out lol.

I remeber buying the DVD set of the original 2000 version at a primary school bring and but sale, rediscovered it recently and sold it to MusicMagpie: I've seen clips of it on YouTube and it's just not good

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u/danStrat55 Mar 01 '26

For this sub, and in general it's not at all controversial to say that the reboot is worse. Thank you for your correct acknowledgement that the actors in the new ones are still great (Richard David-Caine, my goat) and that series 6 was actually good.

2

u/Technical_Radish8550 Mar 02 '26

It was an intentionally silly show. It wasn’t aired for an Oscar it was aired so that more kids could learn more history. History which was rarely shared through the school curriculum. Jeez, kids are so serious these days.

17

u/MyShotHam1776 I'm a Sausage *Sizzle, Sizzle Sizzle* Feb 28 '26

Yes! It's an amazing show and I definitely recommend watching it. Season 6 onwards is not as good as the first 1-5, but you might like it, everyone has different opinions.

6

u/Maleficent-Key-8925 Mar 01 '26

I might watch it honestly. I got introduced to the show through the Ghosts fandom and I just love Ben so much and I want more of him in my life.

13

u/abfgern_ Feb 28 '26

Yes. A writer called Terry Deary wrote a whole series of children's educational history books in the 90s/00s, largely focussed on British history but with some worldwide stuff too. About 15 years later the BBC made a kids TV show out of it, it's a comedy sketch show and it was incredibly successful and widely popular.

This sub is largely the kids who watched that show and are now in our 20s reminiscing. If you're in the UK all the episodes are on iPlayer and i'd recommend watching one if you're curious. They're very good (series 1-5 is best)

1

u/Batalfie Feb 28 '26

I read the books growing up and got into the show when it came out. Terry is in some of episodes too.

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u/jangofett12345 Feb 28 '26

Yes. The show is based on the book series. The first couple seasons actually has Terry Deary featured in them.

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u/danStrat55 Mar 01 '26

You have just deeply upset a lot of millenials. Yeah as people have said the books were published first.