Mr. Bean - Review

"Teddy!" – A review of Mr. Bean. 

Created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, Mr Bean is one of Britain's most beloved comedic characters. First appearing in 1990 on ITV, the series followed the disastrous misadventures of Bean as he somehow makes it through day-to-day life, often with ridiculous results.

Okay, deep breath – I am not a fan of Mr Bean. I know, I know. I know so many people who have so much nostalgic love for the character. I'm just… not one of them. The comedy in the show is simple, almost completely free of dialogue, and is completely reliant on physical comedy and obvious gags. Atkinson portrays the character incredibly well, in all fairness, with his elastic facial expressions and childlike naivety, the humour is accessible the world over. His comedic timing is also impeccable – perhaps slapstick comedy just isn't for me.

The character himself is awkward and is constantly committing social faux pas, which are I'm sure meant to be endearing and relatable, yet I struggle to find him anything but, dare I say it… annoying. This is, however, clearly an unpopular opinion, as the show spawned a successful animated series and even two feature films, which cemented Bean in global pop culture.

I find the gags repetitive, which wears quickly, and whilst I really don't mind a bit of absurdity, the lack of traditional storytelling always bothers me. I enjoy comedy you don't see coming, or humour with witty dialogue – and alas, Mr Bean lacks in both of these areas.

Honestly, who am I to criticise such an iconic figure in British comedy. Rowan Atkinson has been celebrated for his clever use of physical humour and ability to bring a largely voiceless character to life, and he's clearly incredibly popular. If you enjoy slapstick comedy, maybe you'll love Mr Bean. Unfortunately, it's just not for me.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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