Jeeves and Wooster (1990–1993)

Bertram Wooster, a well-intentioned, wealthy layabout, has a habit of getting himself into trouble and it's up to his brilliant valet, Jeeves, to get him out.

Stars:

Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Robert Daws

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Hugh Laurie	...	Bertie Wooster (23 episodes, 1990-1993)
Stephen Fry	...	Reginald Jeeves (23 episodes, 1990-1993)

Storyline

This series chronicles the misadventures (romantic and otherwise) of the impeccably dressed Bertie Wooster and his trusty and sagacious valet, Jeeves. Peppered with sporting dialogue and memorable, dim-witted and eccentric characters.

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Plot Keywords:

valet | aunt nephew relationship | piano playing | servant | master servant | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 2004 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Jeeves och Wooster

Filming Locations:

Barnsley Park, Barnsley, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carnival Films, Granada Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

55 min 55 min (23 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo Mono (season 1-2)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3 Full Frame

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stephen Fry (Jeeves), Hugh Laurie (Bertie Wooster), Robert Daws (Tuppy Glossop), and John Woodnutt (Sir Watkyn Bassett) are the only actors to play the same character in all four seasons. John Turner does not appear in the first season, but he plays Roderick Spode in each subsequent season.

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Quotes

Bertie: And if *that* doesn't leave me without a stain on my conscience, then I don't know *what* it doesn't leave me without a stain on.

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Connections

Referenced in Comic Relief: The Invasion of the Comic Tomatoes (1993)

User Reviews

A mixed bag.

This 'Jeeves and Wooster' series is largely enjoyable, at least in the first two seasons, beyond which point the casting changes severely hobble pleasure. Fortunately Hugh Laurie's daffy Bertie Wooster (along with Stephen Fry's Jeeves) are consistent throughout the entire series, they are masterful and well-worth the high price of the dvds, available from Acorn Media in a first-class DVD set.

Sadly some of the best secondary roles are cast with multiple actors and the changes along the way, especially in the third and fourth seasons, are highly inferior to the original actors. Notably, the loss of Mary Winbush's gorgon of an Aunt Agatha is a great loss to the whole series. Also, the 2nd Madelyn Bassett (Diana Blackburn) is much preferable to the TWO other actresses employed to play this all-important nemesis of Bertie's. Blackburn's facial expressions and her low voice are perfect for the vapidly dreamy Madelyn. Her cousin Stiffy, as done by Charlotte Attenborough, is hilarious with her nasty little black Scottie dog, Bartholomew, which is inexplicably changed to a white terrier with the introduction of a blonde actress in another episode, a great loss.

The most grievous cast change is the switch from the perfect Gussie Fink-Nottle of Richard Garnett to someone else for the balance of seasons 3 & 4. This is the final nail in the lid of the coffin as far as comedy goes. In fact this series should have stopped after the second season as the director, Ferdinand Fairfax, does not seem to be able to carry off the dotty humor as well as his predecessors in the first two seasons. The episodes become more slapstick and silly, though not as funny. The stories become repetitive and boring, especially those set in New York.

The New York episodes are severely hobbled by British actors attempting to sound "American" with their over-exaggerated "r"s and attempts at U.S. slang. These performances fall like rocks in a tar pit and become very annoying in the end. I'd skip the third season altogether when viewing. The fourth season is slightly better but a pale shadow to the first two. The last episode is ineffably silly and the ending is just plain stupid.

If you can find seasons one and two on their own grab them.

The best Wodehouse adaption out there right now is 'Heavy Weather' set at Blandings Castle and starring Peter O'Toole as the pig-loving Lord Emsworth and a large cast of brilliant comedians in a masterful adaption of a very funny book.