I watch a lot of BBC programs but one of the first British comedies that I watched when I was still a teenager was “Keeping Up Appearances”.
The series was broadcast between 1990-1995 on BBC One and was replayed over and over on PBS and each time it came on, I couldn’t help but watch it because it’s so hilarious and captivating.
The series revolved around Hyacinth Bucket (featuring actress Patricia Routledge), the always image and etiquette obsessed matriarch. Always obsessed with perfection and an eccentric snob, Hyacinth tries to push her ways towards her family and neighbors.
She can’t stand when people pronounce her last name as “bucket” and prefers it to sound like “bouquet”. She can’t stand her sister Daisy’s (portrayed by Judy Cornwell) husband Oslow (portrayed by Geoffrey Hughes), who is more about sitting and watching television, drinking beer. And each time she comes over, she can’t stand their barking dog or their loud, beat-up car. She is also distraught about their appearance.
Meanwhile, her sister Rose (portrayed by Mary Millar, first season was played by Shirley Stelfox) is often trying to look sexy and going after every single guy that she can.
Everyone is often scared of seeing her and try to avoid her to the best of their ability.
But still, her husband Richard (portrayed by Clive Swift) manages to deal with his wife’s antics and her neighbor Elizabeth (portrayed by Josephine Tewson) and her brother Emmet (portrayed by David Griffin) try to put up with it, as best as they can.
But I absolutely enjoy watching “Keeping Up Appearances” each time I turn the channel and find it airing on television.
