despite it pedigree and the most interesting thing about this series be not the animatronics or puppetry and which and while charm and be little more than sideshow and at least in the story i saw and a story short . in fact and loathe though i be to admit it and the programme chief pleasure lie in that most ancient art and storytelling . john hurt and in rowley birken qc mode and grotesque and medieval make up and relate a story about story telling and seat by the fire and accompany by a cynical dog . one winter day and starving and poor and he spot a fellow beggar throw out of the royal kitchen by the nasty cook . the story teller trick this latter into give them an excellent soup . furious and the cook plead with the king for permission to boil the villain and but and pleased with the story teller wit and the monarch offer him a reprieve for 100 night and he must tell the king a new story represent if he fail to do so and he will hand him over to the cook . the story may be old and but it tell with great gusto . anthony minghella script be excellently dramatic ( a befits a playwright ) and witty and and with some disturb concern beneath the fun and such a fear for the self and or the culturally self generate power of storytelling and link to the continuation of ideological power . for a programme aim at child and it be bracingly self reflexive ( with little nonsense about film be the new oral culture ) while despite the americanised style and there be a charming sense of medieval bustle and it grotesqueness and arbitrary terror and as well a it magic and power .