The title of this show describes it perfectly. Hyacinth Bucket (“It’s pronounced Bouquet!”) is a middle-aged, middle-class housewife. Nothing is more important to her than keeping up appearances. She’s obsessed with perfection and proper etiquette. She’s a high maintenance woman who always has to be the center of attention, the most important person in the room, unless there’s someone of even higher social status nearby. If you don’t have a title, Hyacinth Bucket couldn’t care less about you. She’s desperate to climb the social ladder, even if while she’s trying she almost always falls off. She’s known far and wide for her tasteful candlelight suppers served on her Royal Doulton china with the hand-painted periwinkles.
What makes this show so funny is that no matter what Hyacinth does to impress everyone, the harder she tries, the more she embarrasses herself. And unbeknownst to her, most people, including the vicar, either dislike her or are afraid of her, trying to avoid an encounter with “The Bucket Woman” at all cost.
The rest of the characters are equally as entertaining. There’s Hyacinth’s family, a constant source of embarrassment to her. She once said, “I love my family, but I don’t have to acknowledge them in broad daylight.” She’s ashamed of how they look and live – in a rundown council house with a broken down car parked in the front garden. Brother-in-law Onslow never wears a shirt, spends most of the time either in bed or watching the telly. Sister Daisy is a romantic, married to the “bone-idle” Onslow and loves reading romance novels. Sister Rose is man crazy, always waiting on phone calls from different men, most of them married. And their senile father keeps running away and getting into all kinds of mischief, including dressing up in a spaceman outfit at a department store.
The only sister Hyacinth is not ashamed of is Violet. Hyacinth boasts that Violet owns a Mercedes and a house big enough for a swimming pool, a sauna, and room for a pony. One thing she doesn’t boast about is the fact that Violet’s husband Bruce seems to have a penchant for cross-dressing.
Hyacinth is always gushing over her beloved son, Sheridan, who is never seen. He’s at 
university taking courses in needlework. He’s always calling his “mummy” asking for money.
Next door neighbor, Elizabeth, can never say no to Hyacinth who’s always inviting her over for coffee. But Elizabeth is so nervous being around her that she never fails to spill her coffee or break something. Elizabeth’s divorced brother, Emmet, lives with her and directs the amateur operatic society. He tries so hard to avoid interactions with Hyacinth because she keeps “singing at him” trying to get him to include her in one of his musical productions.
And then there’s Richard, Hyacinth’s long-suffering, hen-pecked husband. He’s so beaten down that he just does what he’s told without argument. Like when Hyacinth makes him call the Chinese ambassador because she’s tired of getting wrong numbers, people calling in orders for a Chinese takeaway restaurant.
This is one of the classics of British TV, one you’ve probably seen airing on PBS. One of my favorite episodes is when Hyacinth finds out her neighbor is going on a lavish Caribbean holiday. Hyacinth will not be outdone. She gets some travel brochures, even though she’s not taking a holiday, and tries, in so many ridiculous ways, to get everyone to happen upon them and be impressed by her own lavish holiday.
The laugh track is a bit overdone here, but that was expected on situation comedies back then. It’s a funny show. You can’t wait to see what kind of embarrassing situation Hyacinth gets herself into. But don’t watch too many in a row, like I did. Hyacinth can really get on your nerves.
MAIN CAST:
Patricia Routledge – Hyacinth
Clive Swift – Richard
Geoffrey Hughes – Onslow
Judy Cornwell – Daisy
Josephine Tewson – Elizabeth
David Griffin – Emmet
Shirley Stelfox – Rose (Series 1)
Mary Millar – Rose (Series 2-5)
Total Seasons: 5 (44 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 5
In Production: 1990 – 1995
Viewer Discretion: Suitable for all audiences
Lovejoy, played by Ian McShane, is an exceptional forger, conniver and liar, but a totally likeable guy. He loves women and antiques, but not necessarily in that order. With the help of his friend, Lady Jane Felsham, his dim assistant Eric, and often intoxicated buddy Tinker, Lovejoy scours the countryside for hidden treasures.
seemed appropriate for his character.
William and Mary join a dating service. When William lays eyes on Mary, he’s immediately smitten and wants to meet her. Though their first date doesn’t go as well as planned, they end up getting together, falling in love, and dealing with all the complications and the challenges life throws at them. Their work lives are just a part of it. They’ve got even more to contend with when they blend their families. The Brady Bunch it isn’t.
despair.
Fry and Laurie met when they were members of Cambridge University’s Footlights Dramatic Club. With Fry’s talent as a wordsmith and Laurie’s as a musician who could parody all musical genres, the two formed an incomparable comedy duo. (Although, I guess you could compare them to Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.)
many different characters. Fry and Laurie do it all in this show.
“It’s not a Great Wall. It’s an alright wall. It’s the Alright Wall of China.”
This show made me laugh out loud. It’s so ridiculous, so filled with nonsense, you can’t help but be amused. And it is shot in the retro style of the late 1970s, early 1980s, with the hairstyles, fashions, and props of the time period.
decisions? What about those opportunities not taken?
In the quaint English village of Clatterford, the local town Women’s Guild is a place where ladies gather to gossip, learn about their family trees, hear talks on various topics, trade recipes, and help with church and charity functions. But as guild leader Eileen Pike says, “It’s not all jam and Jerusalem.” (Jam & Jerusalem is the original UK title for this show.) To Eileen, the guild is the most important thing in her life and she wants her members to feel the same way.
French), a daffy cheese factory worker who’s also a schizophrenic. Her alter-ego, Margaret, is incredibly hostile and everyone dreads her “coming out.” There’s Tip who, as the receptionist at the local surgery, knows the ailments of everybody in town. She even files the medical records based on patients’ conditions rather than their names. And if you’re a fan of Absolutely Fabulous, you would never recognize the beautiful Joanna Lumley who plays geriatric Delilah Stagg, who bangs out hymns on the church organ. Then there’s Kate, a lonely, clingy young woman who became a bereavement counselor after her husband died.
The only somewhat sane member of the guild is Sal. She’s a nurse at the Clatterford Health Center, working with her husband Mike. When Mike suddenly dies, Sal’s son James (the wonderful David Mitchell – 
The series starts off with Victor being forced into early retirement. He’s been replaced with a black box! While trying to keep himself busy, he gets himself into some of the most outrageous situations, many caused by ridiculous misunderstandings. No episode is complete without Victor crying out the words, “I don’t believe it” or “Un-be-lievable!” For those of you who may be fans of Merlin, Victor is played by Richard Wilson, Gaius on Merlin.
suffering wife Margaret. She works part-time at a florist shop, thankful for the time away from her husband and his antics. She attempts to keep the household calm while dealing with Victor’s issues. How she’s stayed with Victor all these years is a mystery. But she really does love him, showing her jealous side when she thinks Victor’s been unfaithful. These two lines describe their relationship perfectly, 
“Victor is the most sensitive person I know, and that’s why I love him. And why I continually want to ram his head through a television screen.”
the main character is named “Victor,” since he almost always ends up a loser. I had never thought about that, but it’s so true!
