'Mr Bean': Tube Talk Gold

We're heading all the way to Highbury in the early '90s for this week's Tube Talk Gold! Yes, it's time to revisit the world of Mr Bean, a comedy so globally popular that there is bafflingly a Mr Bean themed coffee shop in Shanghai.

Certainly, everyone seems to have memories of Mr Bean, and it spawned both an animated series and a couple of big-screen adaptations. But what made it such a success?

Mr Bean: Originally broadcast from January 1, 1990 to October 31, 1995

Mr Bean was a strange kind of person. When we first met him on New Year's Day 1990, it's hard to remember just what we thought about this odd creature who had the most bizarre ways of dealing with ordinary problems.

But really, that was Mr Bean's charm - it made the most mundane events unexpectedly amusing. Reading the episode descriptions, you'd be forgiven for expecting a rather boring affair - a trip to the swimming pool, a visit to the dentist, a day at the funfair. But somehow, these everyday happenings became something else entirely.



Obviously this is largely down to the wonderful performance by Rowan Atkinson, who could make viewers laugh with a simple raise of the eyebrows. If you think about it, Mr Bean was actually quite a risky prospect for Atkinson...

After all, Mr Bean has a lot in common with silent movies and slapstick. It's certainly not your standard sitcom - the lead character hardly speaks, and when he does it's generally in an unintelligible grumble. And while the events we see are normal, Mr Bean is anything but (there are even hints that he's an extra-terrestrial, although I prefer not to think about that too much).

But though he's an exaggerated character, who doesn't know someone with a bit of Mr Bean in them? With his tweed jackets and social awkwardness, he's definitely a reflection of a specific kind of person (the type you try to avoid, basically).



The name "Bean" is perfect - kind of funny sounding but also so very dull. How wrong it would have been if he were called Mr Cauliflower - a name Atkinson allegedly considered.

Not only was Bean a recognisable - if ridiculous - character, but he also lived in a very specific world. There were running jokes, such as his battle with a fellow driver, and regular appearances from his bizarre toy Teddy and his wonderful Mini. This wasn't just a sketch stretched out - there was a universe for Bean.

So it's probably not too surprising that the show garnered huge audiences - over 18m apparently tuned in for one instalment. And what also helped was that we didn't get a series as such; instead, the show aired as several one-off instalments, making it feel that little bit more special. It became event television, much like Wallace & Gromit.



And you can't deny the talent that went into the show, either. Big names like Richard Curtis and Ben Elton penned episodes, while a host of talent - Richard Wilson, Alan Cumming, Nick Hancock, Caroline Quentin, Angus Deayton and more - queued up for guest spots.

Would Mr Bean get the same response if it aired now? And would ardent fans who went back to the show still find it funny? It's hard to say - it's one of those comedies that could easily feel dated and, well, a bit old-fashioned.

That said, one of the reasons for its global success is precisely the fact that Mr Bean doesn't speak - there are no barriers for non-English speakers. And with that in mind, perhaps it's a show that has more life in it than others. Certainly, it's a family proposition - kids love Mr Bean, but it's smart enough for adults, too.



It doesn't seem like Bean will be forgotten any time soon - whether politicians are being compared to him in parliament or people are watching the films, he seems to have embedded himself in popular culture.

So if you fancy reminding yourself of the pop culture phenomenon of Mr Bean, it's all out on DVD. One boxset will even come with your very own Teddy. Seriously!

Were you a fan of Mr Bean? Let us know below!