Mehr Schein als Sein

I have been watching Keeping Up Appearances for a number of years now, starting from when I was in middle school. My parents have always been fans of the show from day one and initially I didn't think the idea of a snobbish housewife driving her husband crazy being all that funny. Back then Mr. Bean was the only BritCom I liked, but when I saw my first episode of this classic comedy, I became hooked.

Everyone is fantastic for their roles, especially Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bouquet. It is a shame that the show is no longer in production but nonetheless I enjoy watching the reruns over and over again and I am planning on purchasing KUA on DVD.

All words fail to adequately describe our Hyacinth. To say she is a totally consumed, self important, myopic social climber is to be meek in one's definition. But our Hyacinth is also sweet in her own odd way. Hyacinth honestly wants to do good by and for all but she just wants to be seen be all the right people while in the midst of doing it. Her friends love her despite the fact that Hyacinth requires her friends to be long suffering and, selfless in their love of her. Hyacinth's son Sheridan who is suspected to be totally gay to everyone but her while off at University calls home constantly to his doting mommy and cash cow dad. She makes the post man, the power & light dude, tradesmen, heck all visitors to her home go through tons of changes like remove their shoes at the door. Hyacinth was just like my mother so I love her. Hyacinths family was awesome ranging from her one sister whose husband is a cross dressing turf accountant to Daisy whose husband is a Big bone idle man with a great heart and, a car thats s joke.

This is a awesome show from the UK and, the best imported show we here in the US have ever been graced with. If you love laughing till your sides hurt this is the show you must have.

The dry humour of the Brits has no problem mixing up the slapstick in Keeping Up Appearances, a delicious series poking fun at the social graces of upper crust English society in the eyes of a lowly middle-class British wife.

Patricia Routledge can't be more perfect as Hyacinth Bucket, the charming and altogether frightening definition of an English lady, despite her mediocre financial status. The series follows her incessant efforts to make a name for herself as a social elite, inviting neighbors and important townsfolk over for "candlelight suppers," among other social events she so daftly names. Of course, the whole Hyacinth image wouldn't be nearly as funny unless the hysterical supporting cast weren't there to ground Mrs. Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet") in her place. Her working class sisters, the hussy Rose and the meek Daisy are perfect as Hyacinth's inescapable link to mediocrity. The image is complete with Daisy's slob of a husband Onslo, who dispenses his frank advice with racous results. Rounding up the innocent bystanders of Hyacinth's misadventures are her nervous neighbor Elizabeth and her brother Emmitt, but most of all Hyacinth's whipped yet sardonic husband, Richard, whom you can't help but pity and root for at the same time.

This is a British comedy to end all comedies. The chances for conflict between Hyacinth's goal as a social mistress and her bourgeois reality are infinite, and the laugh track doesn't lie when Hyacinth is caught between a rock and a hard place - more often literally than figuratively. If you aren't a fan of Brit comedy, you may only be able to stomach a few episodes before the formula seems to wear. However, a true social connoiseur of such a series would scoff at the idea. :-)

I've been watching this British comedy for about 10 years now; first on PBS and then recently on BBS. I'm sure I've seen all 44 episodes; most of them more than once; some of them three times or more. And I've never gotten bored with a single one. It's true that some of the plots were pretty much repeated over and over. But, still, watching Hyacinth, Richard, Daisy, Onslow, and all the others always gave me a chuckle. I've seen them so many times now that I feel I know each character personally. I wish I could have attended one of Hyancith's candlelight suppers, or spent an afternoon watching TV with Onslow, or gone for an afternoon drive with Hyancith and Richard. It would have been a scream. Situation comedies, British or American, don't get much better than "Keeping Up Appearances".

Absolutely fabulous TV series. Great Actors are Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth), Clive Swift (Richard), Josephine Tewson (Elizabeth), and many more. I think it is a fabulous, interesting and very hilarious TV series. I saw Patrica at a Show she did at a venue in Sydney, Australia. Her acting skills are fantastic. She has the knowledge of a professional comedian. She is just one of the best actors (to me) in the world. I read and interview on her on the internet, and she has no need to retire. She says "Retirment, hmmmmmmm..........Rubbish it is. Can't even spell the word" quite frankly, with her skills, I am with her 100%. Clive Swift is another great actor, but also 7 years younger then her, still has a bit of acting skills to catch up on her. Josephine Tewson, another fabulous actor, plays the timid neighbor, Elizabeth. Every time she 'pops in' for a cup of tea or coffee, she ends up spilling something or breaking on of Hyacinths porcelain cups! All the actors on Keeping Up Appearances are great, and should start to think about making another series. WELL DONE!!!