Keeping Up Appearances: Difference between revisions
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'''''Keeping Up Appearances''''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[British sitcom|sitcom]] starring [[Patricia Routledge]] as eccentric, social-climbing snob [[Hyacinth Bucket]]. It was created and written by [[Roy Clarke]], and aired on [[BBC One|BBC1]] from 1990 to 1995, spanning five series and 44 episodes; four of which are Christmas specials. |
'''''Keeping Up Appearances''''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[British sitcom|sitcom]] starring [[Patricia Routledge]] as eccentric, social-climbing snob [[Hyacinth Bucket]]. It was created and written by [[Roy Clarke]], and aired on [[BBC One|BBC1]] from 1990 to 1995, spanning five series and 44 episodes; four of which are Christmas specials. |
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Recently it came 12th in the 2004 ''[[Britain's Best Sitcom]]'' poll that aired on [[BBC 2]]. It is regularly repeated on [[BBC 1]] and on [[G.O.L.D.]], and all five series — including Christmas specials — are available on [[DVD]]. The show has been |
Recently it came 12th in the 2004 ''[[Britain's Best Sitcom]]'' poll that aired on [[BBC 2]]. It is regularly repeated on [[BBC 1]] and on [[G.O.L.D.]], and all five series — including Christmas specials — are available on [[DVD]]. The show has been aired in many countries throughout the world. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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[[Image:The Buckets.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Hyacinth ([[Patricia Routledge]]) and Richard ([[Clive Swift]]) hiding from their relatives at an expensive [[stately home]].]] |
[[Image:The Buckets.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Hyacinth ([[Patricia Routledge]]) and Richard ([[Clive Swift]]) hiding from their relatives at an expensive [[stately home]].]] |
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Hyacinth boasts about her [[wealth]]y sister Violet |
Hyacinth boasts about her [[wealth]]y sister Violet along with the educational prowess of her beloved (but unseen) son Sheridan, getting despised by those around her in the process, and failing to enhance her social status in doing so. Hyacinth will also tell visitors of her home (a bungalow that is a paragon of perfection), how Violet has a "[[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes]], [[sauna]] and room for a pony," whilst trying to keep the oddities of her sister's cross-dressing husband Bruce at bay. {{wiktionarypar|room for a pony}} Sheridan meanwhile makes frequent phone calls from University asking for money, to the despair of the hen-pecked Richard Bucket. |
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Richard tries to keep his head down and cope with his domineering wife, always getting dragged into her elaborate but unsuccessful plots to either avoid Daisy, Rose and Onslow or help his wife climb the social ladder. He works for the local council, but to his dismay, he is given early retirement in series three. |
Richard tries to keep his head down and cope with his domineering wife, always getting dragged into her elaborate but unsuccessful plots to either avoid Daisy, Rose and Onslow or help his wife climb the social ladder. He works for the local council, but to his dismay, he is given early retirement in series three. |
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Revision as of 17:36, 20 November 2008
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2008) |
| Keeping Up Appearances | |
|---|---|
 Keeping Up Appearances opening credits | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Roy Clarke |
| Starring | Patricia Routledge Clive Swift David Griffin Josephine Tewson Geoffrey Hughes Judy Cornwell Shirley Stelfox Mary Millar |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 44 + 1 short (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer | Harold Snoad |
| Running time | 42x30 minutes 1x50 minutes 1x60 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC1 |
| Release | 29 October 1990 – 25 December 1995 |
Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom starring Patricia Routledge as eccentric, social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket. It was created and written by Roy Clarke, and aired on BBC1 from 1990 to 1995, spanning five series and 44 episodes; four of which are Christmas specials.
Recently it came 12th in the 2004 Britain's Best Sitcom poll that aired on BBC 2. It is regularly repeated on BBC 1 and on G.O.L.D., and all five series — including Christmas specials — are available on DVD. The show has been aired in many countries throughout the world.
Cast
- Patricia Routledge — Hyacinth Bucket
- Clive Swift — Richard Bucket
- Judy Cornwell — Daisy
- Geoffrey Hughes — Onslow
- Shirley Stelfox — Rose (series 1)
- Mary Millar — Rose (from series 2)
- Josephine Tewson — Elizabeth Warden
- David Griffin — Emmet Hawksworth (from series 2)
- George Webb — "Daddy"
- Anna Dawson — Violet Paddock (series 5)
- John Evitts — Bruce Paddock (series 5)
- Jeremy Gittins — Michael, the Vicar
- Marion Barron — Vicar's wife
- Peter Cellier — The Major (series 1 and 2)
- David Janson — Michael, the Postman
- Robert Rawles — The Milkman
Plot
Hyacinth Bucket, who insists that her surname is pronounced "Bouquet," is a middle-aged, social-climbing snob. Her aim in life is to impress people, and she will try hopelessly to pass herself off as someone wealthy and important. Unfortunately for her, these aims are never achieved due to her down-market relatives: sisters Daisy and Rose and Daisy's husband Onslow, who always turn up unexpectedly, embarrassing Hyacinth. To save face, the leading lady will go to great lengths to avoid her relatives, and such excessive snobbery makes life difficult for those around her, especially long-suffering husband Richard.
Hyacinth boasts about her wealthy sister Violet along with the educational prowess of her beloved (but unseen) son Sheridan, getting despised by those around her in the process, and failing to enhance her social status in doing so. Hyacinth will also tell visitors of her home (a bungalow that is a paragon of perfection), how Violet has a "Mercedes, sauna and room for a pony," whilst trying to keep the oddities of her sister's cross-dressing husband Bruce at bay.
Sheridan meanwhile makes frequent phone calls from University asking for money, to the despair of the hen-pecked Richard Bucket.
Richard tries to keep his head down and cope with his domineering wife, always getting dragged into her elaborate but unsuccessful plots to either avoid Daisy, Rose and Onslow or help his wife climb the social ladder. He works for the local council, but to his dismay, he is given early retirement in series three.
Amongst those Hyacinth tries to impress are Councillor Mrs. Nugent, a miserable cynic, and the Major, a lecherous man who finds Hyacinth attractive.
But it is the protagonist's down-market relatives who repeatedly doom her various social-climbing efforts. Sister Daisy and brother-in-law Onslow are idle slobs, living with younger sister--the promiscuous Rose--and their senile father, referred to by Hyacinth as "Daddy." Their home is a run-down council house, where Daisy and Onslow spend their time drinking, eating and watching television; Rose spends her time in short-skirts and high heels, trying to seduce married men, Hyacinth’s neighbour Emmet, and the local vicar. Meanwhile the deranged "Daddy" pinches women's bottoms and frequently believes he is back in World War II. Ashamed and appalled by her family, Hyacinth does everything she can to avoid them in public, and tries to keep them hidden away from neighbours and friends. Nevertheless she loves her family, and never fails to rush to their aid when in need of her help; whether it is Daddy that has got into an embarrassing situation, Rose having boyfriend-problems, or Daisy concerned about Onslow.
A more welcome visitor at Hyacinth's is neighbour Liz, who is frequently invited round to the Buckets' for coffee. Terrified of spilling drinks in house-proud Hyacinth's home, nerves get the better of her and she always does. Her brother Emmet arrives in series two to live with his sister after a messy divorce. He produces and directs an amateur operatic society, so Hyacinth frequently gives broad hints by singing at him, hoping that he will give her a part. As a result, Emmet quickly becomes terrified of Hyacinth, and soon despises her like everyone else does, however Hyacinth is under the delusion Emmet is attracted to her. As always, Hyacinth fails to enhance her ordinary social standing, never getting a part in Emmet's shows.
Episodes
Keeping Up Appearances aired for five series, four Christmas specials, and one short Children in Need special, from 29 October 1990 to 25 December 1995. The series ended after the episode "The Pageant" because Patricia Routledge wanted to focus on other work.[citation needed] Clive Swift, who played Richard, stated in a BBC interview that Routledge "didn't want to be remembered as simply Mrs. Bouquet".[1]
Production
Filming locations
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Exterior shots around Hyacinth's house were filmed in Binley Woods village near Coventry. Exterior shots around Daisy and Onslow's council terrace were filmed in Stoke Aldermoor in Coventry. Other exterior street and town shots were filmed in Leamington Spa and in various towns throughout Warwickshire, along with many scenes from the large town of Northampton. Some scenes were also shot in Swindon and Oxford and Bristol.
The setting of the show is not entirely clear, but there are several references to the characters being in the West Midlands throughout the series.
After Keeping Up Appearances
In March 1997, Geoffrey Hughes and Judy Cornwell reprised their roles as Onslow and Daisy for a special compilation episode filmed for broadcast in the United States on PBS. The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket saw the pair introduce classic clips from the series.
In 1998, the BBC released three episodes of the show: "A Job For Richard," "Country Retreat," and "Sea Fever" on audio cassette, and Clive Swift reprised his role as Richard, recording a narrative to compensate for the lack of images.
In 2004, the documentary series Comedy Connections featured an episode dedicated to Keeping Up Appearances. Stars Clive Swift, Josephine Tewson, Judy Cornwell and David Griffin, writer Roy Clarke and producer/director Harold Snoad all discussed the series. Clips from an interview with Patricia Routledge from 2002 were also included. The episode revealed that there were serious artistic differences between Clarke and Snoad. In early 2008, Geoffrey Hughes reprised his role of Onslow again for a clipshow of the series, to be broadcast on American television. The special, 'Life Lessons from Onslow,' sees him teaching a credit course at Open University and he has selected “successful relationships” as his subject matter. The special was also released on Region 1 DVD.
Two cast members died within two months of each other in 1998: Mary Millar, who played Rose from 1991 to 1995, on 10 November 1998, of ovarian cancer, and George Webb, who played Daddy throughout the show's run, on 30 December 1998, of natural causes. Charmian May, who appeared as Mrs Councillor Nugent recurringly earlier in the first three series, died on 24 October 2002.
Media
VHS
In the 1990s, 2 Entertain Video released several episodes to VHS cassette, including:
- "Rural Retreat" - Released on 12 June 1995, and comprises three episodes, "Rural Retreat", "Let there be Light" and "Please Mind Your Head".
- "How to Enhance Your Husband’s Retirement" - Released on 3 June 1996, and comprises three episodes, "How to Enhance Your Husband's Retirement", "What to Wear When Yachting" and "How to Go On Holiday Without Really Trying".
- "Sea Fever" - Released on 2 April 1997, and comprises "Sea Fever" and "Hyacinth Tees Off".
DVD
Series 1 and 2 were released to Region 2 DVD by Universal Playback on 7 March 2003, followed by Series 3 and 4 and the 1991 Christmas Special on 16 February 2004. The fifth series and 1993, 1994 and 1995 specials were released on 26 December 2006. A box set, Keeping Up Appearances: The Essential Collection, was released on 8 October 2007.[2]
In 2004, the first five series and the specials were released as a box set entitled Keeping Up Appearances: The Full Bouquet to Region 1 DVD. Series box sets combining series 1 and 2 and series 3, 4 and 5 have also been released.
The entire series was released in Region 4 in 2005 under the title Keeping Up Appearances: The Complete Collection. Two additional sets, Series One & Two and Series Three & Four and Five are also available, as well as a Keeping Up Appearances: Christmas Specials DVD.
A second edition of the complete series was released in North America in 2008; entitled "Keeping Up Appearances: The Full Bouquet: Special Edition" this release in almost identical in terms of content to that released in 2005 except for the inclusion of the new "Life Lessons from Onslow" special filmed for PBS in early 2008. This new special edition also has significantlly reduced packaging making it generally retail cheaper than the 2005 edition.
Books
Two books related to the series were released in the UK. One is entitled Hyacinth Bucket's Book of Etiquette for the Socially less Fortunate, which is a rather light-hearted guide to manners, as seen through Hyacinth Bucket's eyes. It is based on the TV series' scripts. It contains many black-and-white photos of scenes from the series and was first published in 1993. The other is entitled Hyacinth Bucket's Hectic Social Calendar, which is presented in a diary format chronicling a year in her life, with typical comments about her relations and neighbours. This was published in 1995. Both were written by Jonathan Rice and published by BBC Books.
References
- ^ "Comedy Connections - Keeping Up Appearances". Comedy Connections. 2004-07-26. BBC. BBC One.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ "Keeping Up Appearances - The Complete Collection". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
External links
