Bernard Beasley is a boy who is late for everything. As a result a mysterious man gives him a watch which he can use to stop time. Stuff happens. Often with a moral.
A strangely soothing yet often surprisingly amusing programme. The earlier episodes, when Bernard was very young, were particularly like this as Bernard himself would have a relaxing day while people around him experienced the havoc he caused.
Bernard's Watch contains examples of:
- Alliterative Name: Bernard Beasley.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Lucy is frequently a cousin-variant to Bernard in Series 4.
- Bumbling Dad: Mr Beasley.
- Clock of Power: The titular watch allows Bernard to stop time for everyone except himself by clicking the button on top of it.
- Grenade Hot Potato: Played With. Bernard's Grandad is showing him some WW2 antiques including a grenade pin, the rest of the grenade drops out of a coat so Bernard stops time, takes the grenade outside, drops it in the park, goes back home and restarts time so the grenade can explode safely.
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Each episode of the original run had the word "time" in the title.
- It's All About Me: Mr Rattle (in the TV series) and Mrs Donaldson (in the novel) declare that the watch is for doing what they want when they steal it, but the watch ultimately runs down as it isn't meant to be used for crimes.
- Puppy Love: Bernard and Sam in Series 5. It is strongly implied that they get married later in life.
- Rule of Symbolism: In the TV series, after the watch stops working due to Mr Rattle's abuse of its power, the Postman visits Bernard at the turn of the Millennium to affirm that the new century brings new opportunities, which includes allowing him to "restore" the watch to working order.
- Time Police: The Postman makes sure the watch's owner doesn't use it to commit crimes. He also ensures that time loops don't occur (such as when Bernard's cousin Lucy kept trying to rewind the watch).
- Time Stands Still: The premise of the series.
