The choice of a kiss scene is typically Round the Twist, combining the yuck factor (kissing is most definitely included in this category for a young audience) with the ridiculous.

Writer Paul Jennings described the writing of this scene as difficult, as it was seen as too serious and too romantic by co-writer and director Esben Storm. Jennings struggled with ideas to create more humour in the scene without losing the romantic theme altogether but nothing was working until he had a brainwave. At the time he was also writing a book on spoonerisms, (Spooner or Later, 1999) using the accidental transposition of parts of words to create funny results, and he realised that this was the answer to the problems in the scene.

Round the Twist synopsis

Linda (Joelene Crnogorac) is attracted to Andrew (Eamonn Kelly), a mysterious new boy at school who never removes his gloves. Andrew lives on an island with his grumpy father Mr Shelford (Peter Bensley). Linda discovers Andrew’s hands are covered with fingernails and more are growing each day – just one symptom of a mysterious ailment that culminates in Andrew no longer being able to walk. When Andrew leaps from the wheelchair into the sea to save his father, Linda discovers the truth – he has turned into a merman. It’s time for him to join his mermaid mother (Cheryle Street). Andrew and Linda say a sad goodbye.

Round the Twist curator's notes

This episode is quite different from many others in the Round the Twist series. While it still has lots of humour, it is more serious and is a romantic and rather sad story.

Round the Twist Series Two first went to air on the ABC on 20 March 1993.

Notes by Annemaree O'Brien