Q & Q Online

Words in the Dutch language that utilize the letter Q can be counted on one hand. This is what binds the title characters Aristides Quarles van Ispen (Eric van 't Wout) and Wilbur Quant (Martin Perels) together from the first moment the meet. Because nothing rhymes with Q either, composer Joop Stokkermans wrote no other lyrics (except the title) for the theme song (sung by then unknown Robert Long), creating the unforgettable chorus of 'Q, en Q, Huu huu huu, hu hu hu hu, hu huuuu, hu hu hu hu'. Thereby creating a theme impossible to shake from the mind, and naturally voted the best (read most memorable) Dutch TV tune ever.

Of the two initial sharers,Aristides is the smart rich man son with the flashy camera, Wilbur the long haired follower (and like all best friends, a copycat, taking up photography as well). Shortly after discovering they both have the most elusive of all letters in their name, the boys accidentally snap an eerie, out of focus picture of a human body in the woods. A murder caught on camera, or so the two young Sherlock's think. They are joined in their search for truth by Aristides' Grandpa (Bob de Lange) and Wilbur's older sister Juul (Maélys Morel) but find opposition from just about everybody else, ranging from skeptical parents to the local police.

Written by the incomparable Harrie Geelen during a break from "Kunt u mij de weg naar Hamelen vertellen, meneer?", "Q & Q" is still remembered as probably the most exciting and popular Dutch serial for children ever made. Of course one should take into account that there were only 2 channels available in the Netherlands at that time and of the meager amount of youth orientated programming by far the most was aimed at pre-schoolers. Grandpa and the Q's solved another mystery in a second series, screened in 1976, and a heavily condensed version of those 13 episodes was released in the cinema two years later (as were lots of seventies serials back when things like that were simply impossible to buy or rent).

However, it is this first season that is most fondly remembered, with that scary man with the yellow eyes (Ferd Hugas) whom everybody knew for sure had to be the killer, and comic relief provided by the Quant family housekeeper (Riet Wieland Los) and local handyman Pies (Lex Goudsmit). Successfully repeated in the early eighties and mid nineties, Q & Q gathered even more ardent fans. Even more recently clips have been shown on those popular I-Love-Talking-about-TV-Shows I–Hardly-Remember type programs. Suddenly "Q & Q" looked rather old fashioned and hilariously over the top. Times and technology had caught up on it, as two kids with an expensive camera and walkie talkies no longer seem so special when every one their age now carries a cellphone. But for everyone willing to travel back in their own past to watch a dear childhood memory, Q & Q still delivers. Once the mystery grabs you once more, you won't be able to turn off the recently released DVD set until you get to the end...

9 out of 10

After the phenomenal success of the first series of Q & Q, child stars Erik van't Wout and Martin Perels became instant teen idols. About two years later, looking slightly older and bearing the burden of fame, Runkum's best crime solvers return, still aided by Opa Quarles van Ispen (Bob de Lange) and joined by Akkie Swaan (daughter of a police inspector and privy to the latests information concerning the big case). As Akkie, 15 year old Tamar Baruch nearly acts the two leads off the small screen. There are as many differences as there are similarities between this season and the first: each a stand alone mini series, revolving around a crime that the two Q's accidentally stumble upon: in this case, Wilbur (Perels) inadvertently overhears the crooks arguing over the phone during the aftermath of a jewelry heist and cop-shooting.

With the exception of Lex Goudsmit, the entire cast returns, although not all of them have quite as much to do this time. One notable exception is Enny de Leeuwe, who only had one scene-stealing appearance in the first series as a blabbermouth landlady. This time she plays essentially the same part (although she's meant to be a different character), Mrs Fok, who's constant rambling and nosiness gets in the way of the investigation. Opa gets a (much younger) love interest this time around, timid librarian Ada Blom (Marlies van Alcmaer), leading him to force the Q's to address him as 'great-uncle' instead of 'grandpa'. Between the two of them, Bob de Lange and Enny de Leeuwe get to utter some typically witty Harrie Geelen dialog, while Marlies van Alcmaer is overheard performing poetry straight out of Geelen's other masterpiece, "Kunt u mij de weg naar Hamelen vertellen, meneer?".

Inept Police officers Mudde (Stem van Oom Dagobert) and Drak (Pipo de Clown) get more involved this time, but never come close to the main suspect, played by Belgian stunt coordinator Hammie de Beukelaer, who is being stalked by four menacing 'Kung Fu Chinamen' (or the Dalton brothers as the boys dub them). It is here where the series seems most dated (since seventies fashion and hairstyles are all the rage again). The way the main characters react to seeing the four orientals is quite un-PC. None of them gets an on screen credit, either, even though they appear in nearly every episode.

With a hard to crack mystery, several sub plots surrounding the preparations for the centennial celebration of their (fictional) hometown and a couple of red herrings involving more new characters, this series proved to be quite difficult to keep track of and almost begged for a repeat viewing. But at the time most people had never of video recorders and owing to some sort of audio problem, these episodes have never been televised again. However, the negative was blown up and the 337 minute running time cut down to a mere 87(!) in order to release "Q & Q, Kunst en Vliegwerk" theatrically in 1978. Naturally, this abridged version was even more difficult to understand.

One copy of the movie was restored in 2004 and given a special screening for hard core Q & Q fans, with almost every surviving cast and crew member attending. From this and several other surviving copies, Bridge Entertainment, having already released the first season on DVD to great success, managed to produce a presentable version of series two (with only the end titles on most episodes missing) in 2005. Sadly, Martin Perels, who had been suffering from a brain tumor, passed away just before this missing piece of the puzzle became public at last.

9 out of 10

I watched it when I was 9 years old and I bought the DVD's to watch with my children. Season 1 was a success for all involved. The pace is somewhat slower than in these days, but that's not a bad thing.Hurgas is terrific and scary as the bad guy. When I saw him in other shows over the years, I always thought back to his Zanek role. As a grown up I could enjoy more the roles from Bob de Lange, Cor van den Brink and Riet Wieland Los. Especially De Lange's humor is much more appreciated as an adult viewer. The second season is more troublesome, although the three already mentioned adults were great yet again. The plot, well two plots actually who appear to have nothing in common, is a bit difficult for children. Way to much time is wasted on the rehearsal of a play of which we never see the end result. The young actors had already lost their spontaneity and were much more directed, leading to wooden performances. Adding child actress Tamar Baruch was a nice touch, but her lines made it seem she was 26 instead of 11 or 12, with her talks about emancipation of women. It is said that KRO television never repeated this season because of problems with the audio track. Seeing it now I wonder whether it had anything to do with some swearing by the adult actors and maybe the fact that the network was not so pleased with the end result. After all, a third season was never even considered which was strange, given the series extreme high ratings. If you want to remember this for all it's sweetness and nice memories, stick to the first series.

This series was aired when I was about 13 years of age. And I found it breathtaking! A photograph, made by accident by two boys (Aristides Quarles van Ispen and Wilbur Quant), seems to reveal a dead person. The two boys start a search for the identity of the deceased, and of course for the murderer. No-one believes them at first, only grandfather Quarles van Ispen helps them in their search.

The "Q en Q" title refers to the first character of the last names of both boys. Q is rarely used in Dutch language.

Of course the good-looking elder sister Juultje Quant (Maélys Morel) was an important reason for a 13-years old boy to watch the show. I immediately fell in love with her! The show was aired by Dutch public broadcast (KRO). In 2004 the complete series was released on DVD.

Recently I bought the Q & Q DVD box of the first series. I had watched it before, but only once. I remembered some of it. But lots of it was new to me. And having finished watching it in two afternoons, it surprised me that it was enjoyable, although some of the techniques are old fashioned, and some of the scenes are very slow, I really liked it. Sometimes when you watch films, series ,etc, from the 70's it is dated beyond belief. This, fortunately , wasn't. What I really liked was the interaction of Aristides and his grand-father with some of the characters, as the policeman, who boasts a strange way of laughing, and Wilbur's dad, when coming up with a slogan for the soft drink campaign.

What did struck me that , everyone smoked like a chimney. But then smoking was commonly accepted!