Keeping Up Appearances

[Doggygirl]

OK, so I'm an old fart. Does anyone else enjoy the re-runs of the old Brit comedy? It comes and goes for us on BBC America and also the PBS station. These characters just crack me up in a way that most of the more modern American sit-coms have failed to do. Mr. Bean is a close second in my book. Are You Being Served is another one. LOL, maybe I'm either living in the wrong country or the wrong year!

DG

 

[LegalGirl82]

Hi Doggygirl, I haven't yet caught Keeping Up Appearances, but thanks for reminding me of Are You Being Served and Mr. Bean. I love those. The other one I still chuckle over is 'Allo Allo. Did you ever catch that one? "It is I, LeClaire!" I don't think it's been shown here in the US for a couple of years.

I'll have to remind myself to watch Keeping Up Appearances.

I've always thought myself to be living in the wrong year, LOL!

 

[Ladskater]

OK, so I'm an old fart. Does anyone else enjoy the re-runs of the old Brit comedy? It comes and goes for us on BBC America and also the PBS station. These characters just crack me up in a way that most of the more modern American sit-coms have failed to do. Mr. Bean is a close second in my book. Are You Being Served is another one. LOL, maybe I'm either living in the wrong country or the wrong year!

DG

I always watch British shows. Canadians really "dig" British humour. Besides the ones you mentioned - although I am not familar with Keeping up Appearances - I also loved Dr. In the House and Man About The House (Threes Company ripped off this program). Also, my favorite programs were James Herriot - All Creatures Great and Small and Upstairs Downstairs The Darling Buds of May. I still watch the reruns.

 

[Spinner]

Britcoms rock! Whenever I work on Sundays, I try to catch Keeping up Appearances on the TV in our breakroom. Hyacinth's hijinks always crack me up and I love it how everyone (including the postman! PML!) tries to avoid contact with her. Are You Being Served is hilarious too (when I can catch it).

 

[Doggygirl]

Sounds like there are more good ones I need to look out for!!

Spinner, I love Hyacinth's hijinx too. My other FAVORITE character is Onslo.

Since we got the Tivo and set up to automatically record these (currently in our area, there's an episode on each day M-F) we hardly watch any "real time" TV. I think I've seen every episode more than once by now, but I still laugh every time.

Mr. Bean and Are You Being Served haven't been aired lately, so I'm sure we're do for those to come back around soon.



DG

 

[merrywidow]

I taped all the "Are You Being Served?" & "Are You Being Served, Again?" shows that were on PBS. When my husband died, unexpectedly, in 1990, these tapes saved me from sinking into depression. I love them & all of the actors & will always be grateful to them for helping me survive a tough time in my life. I enjoy Hyacinth & her family as well. "Summer Wine" with the old men is another favorite British comedy of mine. It may have had another title when it was on British TV, tho.

 

[Doggygirl]

Merrywidow...

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's passing. I can't even imagine how difficult that must be. I'm glad you had some diversions which sound like they helped you through it. I haven't seen "Are You Being Served, Again." I'll have to watch out for that one in addition to other funny sitcoms mentioned that I haven't seen yet!

I have a question for anyone who understands Brittish slang. The Keeping Up episode from yesterday was funny (as always) about Hyacinth getting her new 3-piece suite. During this episode, sister Violet (the sister with the swimming pool, Mercedes, and room for a pony) called to tell Hyacinth about Bruce's latest escapades, which involved "Curb Crawling." I assumed that term might mean driving slow looking for hookers, or something like that. But I'm not sure, so am interested if anyone knows for sure what meaning that phrase really has.



Can't wait for the return of Mr. Bean!

DG

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I love Hyacinth. She is the British answer to Lucy. She tries so hard and always fails, but you can't help but love her. The husband, the neighbors, the preacher are all well drawn. They are relief from the comic writers of American sitcoms which all seem the same to me.

Whether the American sitcoms are about Gays, Ethnic households, Dysfunctional families, the jokes are all the same. I feel we all could write a script about figure skating into anyone of those shows.

Joe

 

[katherine2001]

I love the old British sitcoms too. I love "Keeping Up Appearances", "Allo, Allo", and "Are You Being Served", as well as "Mr. Bean". I really liked a show called "Waiting for God" too. That one took place in a retirement community and the two main characters were Diana and Tom, who were neighbors in the community. They were quite independent and rebelled about everything, so they were always causing trouble.

 

[katherine2001]

I love all the characters on "Keeping Up Appearances", but my favorite is the brother in law.

 

[lotusland]

I'm with you Doggygirl, I'm either an old fart or living in the wrong country because I am absolutely "addicted to Britcoms!"

What can you say about Hyacinth, Daisy, Rose and Violet? They are perfectly cast for their roles. Although I must admit I do prefer one Rose over the other. As for Arnslo, he is priceless. I've seen each episode so many times I almost have the dialogue memorized.

Some of my other favs are: Yes, Minister, and later Yes, Prime Minister (I love Appleby!), Chef (I like the earlier episodes before Janice separates from Chef), Royal Family (who would have thought you could write an entire television series about a family that never gets off the darn chesterfield!?! ), Coupling, To the Manor Born, Good Neighbours, Upstairs, Downstairs, Faulty Towers (Basil is a classic), May to December, and I love Dame Judy Dench and Geofrey Palmer in ??? (I can't believe I've forgotten the name of their sitcom!)

Don't even get me started on British soap operas. I am hooked on Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Eastenders.

 

[Spinner]

During this episode, sister Violet (the sister with the swimming pool, Mercedes, and room for a pony)

Well, today is Sunday and I watched at work. This episode was about the christening of Violet's granddaughter. I think Hyacinth mentioned her sister Violet "with the swimming pool, a new Mercedes and room for a pony" at least 4 times to the poor exasperated Vicar. LOL!

 

[milanessa]

You're right, DG. A kerb (curb) crawler is someone out looking for a hooker.

lotusland, do you mean "As Time Goes By?"

I got hooked on Coronation Street while living in England and when I returned to the US went so far as to get a Canadian satellite system so I can continue watching it on CBC. It's anywhere from 4 to 6 months behind the British episodes so I don't dare read any of the Corrie message boards, though.

useless trivia - the actor that plays Onslow (sp?) on Keeping Up Appearances used to be a bin man on Coronation Street.

gerry

 

[Longhornliz]

I'll watch almost anything on BBC America!!! Love faulty towers the most.

 

[bluecatskater]

I am so glad I looked at this post so I know other people love these too.
I look forward all week to Saturday night so I can watch the British Comedy shows. My very favorite is Keeping Up Appearances. I like Waiting for God, and As Time Goes By. They aren't showing Good Neighbors here anymore. I loved that one too. I saw a show about the Funny Ladies of British Comedies. It had so many good clips of all those shows, many I haven't had the chance to see, like Faulty Towers, and The Vicar of Dibley. Recently they were showing Thin Blue Line.
Mr. Bean has always been a fav too. During a lunch that was held at a seminaar with Christopher Dean that I attened last year, they showed the skit of Torvill and Bean. That was a hoot.
Thanks for putting up this post.

 

[icenut84]

Wheee, Britcoms!! (I'm British so I get to watch them anyway )

Some other brilliant comedies that haven't been mentioned yet, that people should really try to see if they haven't before, are Men Behaving Badly and Father Ted, two of my all-time faves. Men Behaving Badly was on the BBC, and centred around two best friends (Gary & Tony), Gary's girlfriend Dorothy and her best friend Debs. Gary & Tony are comedy genuis. Father Ted was on channel 4, so wouldn't be shown on BBC America or anything. It's set in Ireland and is about 3 priests and their housekeeper, but is very off-the-wall, original and hilarious! Storylines have included the trauma of getting lost in a shop's lingerie department; entering the Eurovision Song Contest; one of the priests becoming a milkman and getting embroiled in a spoof of the film Speed; trying to give up their favourite things for Lent, etc. Sometimes watching these two programmes I have been laughing so hard that I can't stop.

 

[lotusland]

Milanessa, yes that's the one, "As Time Goes By." Thanks!

Does anyone know the name of either of these shows? Four men in their 40's, best friends, two are bachelors (both attractive and successful, but screwed up in their own way), one is married (a successful contractor with, shall we say an interesting relationship with his wife and son, read that as also screwed up), and the fourth is the narrator of the show, he is separated/divorcing (he has an odd realtionship with his wife and his son sees him as only a source of $$$). They are each trying to "find themselves." Its a story about their escapades and misadventures, collectively and individually. It is hilarious!

The other show is about an ex-convict (I think he used to be the lead in a gang of bank robbers) who is released from prison and wants to go straight. Unfortunately, his wife and children have become accustomed to living the high life on his ill gotten gains, and want/need him to go back into crime to earn a higher income so they won't have to adjust to a lower standard of living. It is such a clamanity! Very funny!!

Glad you mentioned it, The Bluecat Skater ... The Vicar of Dibly is very, very funny! Haven't seen the show in a couple of years, its not being shown ere anymore, but my fav part was the bit at the end during the credits when Dawn French would "try" and tell a joke and of course her assistant would ruin the joke

 

[Doggygirl]

I love hearing about all these....

.....and hope to see more of them in the US. Gotta be patient about that. Lately it seems there has been more funny home improvement type stuff on BBC America. I like the sit coms MUCH better. I hope the craze of the home improvement type shows passes soon so we can get back to the REAL funny stuff!

DG

 

[diver chick]

Ugh I hate keeping up appearances! Her voice just grates on me so much!!

My personal all-time fave Brit comdies are any of the Monty Python sketches or films. The Life of Brian is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen, and I am a Catholic! It was banned for ages in Ireland and when it eventually came out I remember my Dad getting the video for us to watch one night, I was only about ten and even then it was hilarious!

I like some of the older Brit coms like Are you being Served and Allo Allo but hate all the new stuff like Green Wing, just don't find them funny at all.

 

[equestrianguy]

I have always been a BIG fan of "Absolutely Fabulous"...The "French and Saunders" show was quite fun..Also, "The Vicar of Dibley".. I think Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French are brilliant comedy writers......