Happy Friday, Gentle Readers,
I pray this missive finds you well.
I am about to embark on a much-needed and long-overdue vacation, during which I shall try to forget about shutdowns, angry Leftists, digital ID, and current events in general, hopefully with the aid of a jacuzzi and copious amounts of single-malt.
RIP: Hyacinth Bucket
Since I spent much of my adult life as a single man, most Saturday nights found me at home watching PBS. This was due to the fact that the local PBS affiliate made a point of running famous British comedies, or “Britcoms.” Those shows got me through many a lonely night, usually with an order of Burger King and a six-pack. Because of that, I was saddened today to learn of the death of Dame Patricia Routledge at the age of 96.
Routledge was a Tony Award recipient, a BAFTA nominee, and appeared in “Candide,” “Richard III,” “Henry V,” and a myriad of other stage and screen performances. However, Routledge was best known for her role as Hyacinth Bucket (“it’s pronounced ‘Bouquet’”). Hyacinth was firmly middle-class, but always felt that her station in life was much higher than it was, and terrified and perplexed everyone around her with her social-climbing lifestyle, much to the chagrin of her quite ordinary husband, Richard.
“Keeping Up Appearances” creator Roy Clarke told the BBC:
I'm sorry, as I'm sure so, so many people will be to hear of the death of Patricia Routledge.
It's a fortunate coincidence to find your scripts in the hands of so accomplished an actor. She was a singer, and it showed in the way she could use her voice without music. It was an instrument. On top of such skills, she was also a very fine physical clown. With those talents, she took my scripts to the heights. I can only salute her talents and regret their passing."
One always felt a bit sorry for Hyacinth Bucket, although one would not have gotten within ten city blocks of her.
When one thinks of British comedy, one must pay homage to John Cleese. Aside from his days with Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Cleese created one of the most memorable series in history, “Fawlty Towers.” Basil Fawlty was a world-class jerk, but Cleese crafted a character that somehow managed to elicit not just laughs but a degree of sympathy and empathy. Cleese was never afraid to cross boundaries in search of a laugh, and “Fawlty Towers” would likely make most network execs fill their knickers today.
Most people today remember Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean, a funny but self-centered prat, completely unaware of his surroundings and oblivious to other people. That said, it is worth it to go on a search for the Blackadder series, in which Atkinson portrays a time-traveling and scheming man who, with his hapless sidekick Baldric, manages to find himself at key points in European history. One of Atkinson’s strongest suits has been to blend physical comedy with a seamless delivery.
As I get older, I appreciate the show “One Foot in the Grave.” This chronicled the adventures of Victor Meldrew, a man laid off before he was ready and who was forced into retirement. I admit that the older I get, the more I understand Victor’s bafflement and irritation with the world, and for that matter, the world’s irritation with him.
One of the staples of the genre for years was “Are You Being Served?”, the saga of the beleaguered employees of Grace Bros. department store in London. Among other things, the series showed that the Britcoms were never above a good bit of innuendo.
Of course, no mention of British comedy would be complete without a moment to remember Monty Python. Monty Python remains one of those things that either you get or you don't. And if you do get it, you can't explain why you do.
If I left out one of your favorites like “’ Allo, ‘Allo” or “Red Dwarf,” my apologies. I’ve only got so much space.
Dame Routledge’s passing not only heralds the passing of a great actress but also marks the loss of a great era of comedy, mainly an era in which the main job of comedy was to be funny. The Britcoms were many things, but for the most part, they were hilarious and did what comedy was supposed to do: make us laugh. With Dame Routledge’s death, we are reminded that TV has become, in many aspects, the “vast wasteland” predicted by Newton Minow back in 1961.
Wine Recommendation
Because you should raise a glass to Dame Patricia Routledge, as well as Hyacinth Bucket and her candlelight dinner parties.
Last week, I discovered a rather lovely, inexpensive Portuguese red wine, specifically the 2021 Vicente Faria Animus Douro.
At anywhere between $9 and $16, this is a decent little all-purpose red that will complement a meat or pasta dish. It would even pair well with a burger. Expect a nice dose of cherry, with a strong presence of plums, a hint of oak and vanilla, and a touch of tobacco in the mix. It is a good, strong wine with medium acidity and tannins, with just a bit of spice from a winery that has a good reputation for reds.
That's it for me. Have a great weekend, and I'll see you next time.
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