Have you ever heard of the hilarious British 90s comedy ‘Keeping Up Appearances’Â starring British actress Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bucket; (who insists her surname is pronounced ‘Bouquet’) a lower-middle-class snobbish socialite and the late British actor Clive Swift as her husband Richard which ran on the BBC in that decade? Well surprise, surprise it’s now available on BritBox on YouTube. I always argued that British comedy was far funnier than American comedy. Well, this show definitely lives up to all the hype! No matter what’s going on right now in the world, watching this classic show guarantees you will laugh out loud and never look back on your problems again!
The sitcom was written and created by Roy Clarke and directed by Harold Snoad. In a 2004 BBC poll, it placed 12th in Britain’s Best Sitcom. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll, Hyacinth was ranked 52nd on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.
Hyacinth has three sisters, Daisy, Rose, and Violet who is wealthy. Hyacinth is ashamed and embarrassed by her sister Daisy who dresses very plain and is married to Onslow played by the late Geoffrey Hughes who is not your ideal-typical husband and is a heavy-set disheveled, untidy, and sloppy character. Rose, who Hyacinth is also ashamed of is the youngest sister played by the late Mary Millar and she dresses like a prostitute in the show and is sexually aggressive and promiscuous. Violet-the wealthy sister-is rarely seen on the show but Hyacinth talks to her on the phone. She tries to avoid the two members and her sister Daisy’s husband. In one episode, Hyacinth expresses to her husband Richard, “You know I love my family, but that’s no reason why I should have to acknowledge them in broad daylight!”
She invites her neighbors and unsuspected guests to her “Candlelight Dinners” but the guests try to avoid them and fear being invited!
Elizabeth played by Josephine Tewson is Hyacinth’s next-door neighbor who lives with her musician husband Emmet. She’s usually invited to Hyacinth’s home for tea, she is nervous and breaks Hyacinth’s Royal Worcester double-glazed Avignon expensive china!
The show aired on the BBC from 1990-1995 and then with two specials airing in 1997 and 2008 on PBS. It comprised five series and 44 episodes, four are Christmas specials. Production of the show ended in 1995 after Routledge decided to pursue other projects. All episodes are now available on DVD.
My two favorite episodes are when Hyacinth goes on an amusement park ride and the other is when she and Richard get soaked during a boat ride. Both are hysterically funny and absolutely insane! This is what genuine British comedy is all about! Check them both out here:
‘Keeping Up Appearances’ is a timeless classic. Brits know how to do comedy right!
