"Mr. Bean" (1990) TV series 1990-1995

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

1 January 1990 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Life is a difficult challenge for Mr Bean, who despite being a grown adult, has trouble completing even the simplest of tasks. Thankfully, his perseverence is usually rewarded, and he finds an ingenious way around the problem.

Plot Keywords:

Mr Bean | Teddy | Strange Person | Mini Golf | Creativity

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Rowan Atkinson

...

Mr. Bean (18 episodes, 1990-1995)

(more)

Series Directed by
John Birkin		(9 episodes, 1991-1995)
Paul Weiland		(5 episodes, 1991-1994)
John Howard Davies		(3 episodes, 1990)

Series Writing credits
Rowan Atkinson		(14 episodes, 1990-1995)
Robin Driscoll		(13 episodes, 1990-1995)
Richard Curtis		(10 episodes, 1990-1995)
Paul Weiland		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Produced by
Peter Bennett-Jones	....	executive producer / producer (11 episodes, 1991-1995)
Sue Vertue	....	producer (9 episodes, 1991-1995)
John Howard Davies	....	producer (3 episodes, 1990)
Nick Mortimer	....	line producer (3 episodes, 1995)

Series Original Music by
Howard Goodall		(10 episodes, 1990-1995)

Series Cinematography by
Roger Pratt		(3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Shaun O'Dell		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Film Editing by
Ian Weil		(5 episodes, 1991-1994)

Series Casting by
Shirley Teece		(12 episodes, 1990-1995)

Series Production Design by
Andrew Howe-Davies		(8 episodes, 1992-1995)
Gillian Miles		(3 episodes, 1990)
Ian Russell		(3 episodes, 1991-1992)

Series Art Direction by
Philip Robinson		(5 episodes, 1994-1995)

Series Costume Design by
Pennie Robertson		(8 episodes, 1992-1995)
Jean Kelly		(3 episodes, 1990)
Caroline Middleton		(3 episodes, 1991-1992)

Series Makeup Department
Lesley Faulkner	....	makeup designer (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Kate Rudlin	....	makeup artist / makeup designer (3 episodes, 1992-1994)
Sallie Jaye	....	makeup designer (3 episodes, 1995)
Dianne Millar	....	makeup designer (2 episodes, 1990)
Helen Whiting	....	makeup designer (2 episodes, 1994)

Series Production Management
Peter Ernster	....	production manager (5 episodes, 1990-1992)
Nick Mortimer	....	production manager (4 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jenny Hay	....	production manager (3 episodes, 1995)
Nigel Spong	....	o.b. production manager (2 episodes, 1990)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Egerton	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Art Department
Jeff Harrison	....	graphic designer / graphics (8 episodes, 1990-1994)
Cathy Cosgrove	....	production buyer (8 episodes, 1992-1995)
Nigel Pinhay	....	props (4 episodes, 1992-1995)
Tim Youngman	....	props (4 episodes, 1992-1995)
Dave Copus	....	production buyer (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Judy Farr	....	production buyer (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Trevor Young	....	production buyer (2 episodes, 1990)
Philip Robinson	....	design assistant (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Darryl Series	....	property master (2 episodes, 1994)
Graham Walker	....	graphics (2 episodes, 1994)
Andy Armstrong	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Peter Ball	....	sound supervisor / sound (7 episodes, 1990-1992)
Tim Alban	....	dubbing mixer / sound (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
David Taylor	....	sound (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Keith Nixon	....	sound supervisor / sound (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Kuz Randhawa	....	sound recordist (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Peter Stoddart	....	o.b. sound (2 episodes, 1990)
Mark Holding	....	boom operator (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dushko Indjic	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Peter Maxwell	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer (2 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Stunts
Colin Skeaping	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 1994)
Andy Bradford	....	stunts (1 episode, 1995)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Chas Watts	....	camera operator / senior camera operator (9 episodes, 1991-1995)
David Fader	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Andy Newton	....	vision controller (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Mike Sutcliffe	....	lighting director (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Michael Tanner	....	gaffer (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Andy Fraser	....	o.b. vision controller / vision controller (4 episodes, 1990-1992)
Graham Jaggers	....	lighting director (4 episodes, 1991-1995)
Albert Almond	....	senior camera operator (3 episodes, 1990)
Allen Harradine	....	lighting director (3 episodes, 1990)
Shaun O'Dell	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Robbie Raynsford	....	gaffer (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
John Chapman	....	o.b. cameras (2 episodes, 1990)
Allan James	....	vision controller (2 episodes, 1990)
Ian Coram	....	vision controller (2 episodes, 1991-1992)
Graham Hall	....	focus puller (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
John Hanlon	....	electrician (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Philip Kenyon	....	grip (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Stefan Stankowski	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Dave Tilbury	....	vision controller (2 episodes, 1994)

Series Editorial Department
Mykola Pawluk	....	editor: video tape (6 episodes, 1992-1995)
Thomas Kavanagh	....	editor: video tape (4 episodes, 1990-1992)
Peter Phillips	....	vision mixer (4 episodes, 1990-1992)
Barbara Hicks	....	vision mixer (4 episodes, 1994-1995)
Nick Ames	....	editor: video tape (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Martin Perrett	....	vision mixer (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Dave Lewinton	....	editor: video tape (2 episodes, 1990)
Naomi Neufeld	....	vision mixer (2 episodes, 1994)

Series Music Department
The Choir of Southwark Cathedral	....	singers: title music (1 episode, 1990)
The Choir of Christ Church College Oxford	....	singers: theme song (1 episode, 1995)
Stephen Darlington	....	conductor: theme song (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Angela Morgan	....	production assistant (9 episodes, 1991-1995)
Crispin Buxton	....	location manager (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Carrie Rodd	....	floor manager (5 episodes, 1994-1995)
Vandra Edwards	....	stage manager (4 episodes, 1990-1992)
Peter Bennett-Jones	....	production executive: Tiger Television (3 episodes, 1990)
Keith Lund	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1990)
Jim Bowie	....	programme coordinator (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Eamonn Duffy	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Nick Emery	....	floor manager (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Denver Thornton	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Matthew Lynch	....	stage manager (3 episodes, 1995)
James Reekie	....	production accountant (3 episodes, 1995)
Polly Sheldon	....	production secretary (3 episodes, 1995)
Marilyn Edwards	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1990)
Mary Hutchinson	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 1990)
Tony Tyrer	....	floor manager (2 episodes, 1990)
Glyn Jones	....	script supervisor (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Peter Ker	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Lucian Thynne	....	location manager (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Richard Curtis	....	script editor (2 episodes, 1994)
Keren Eliot	....	stage manager (2 episodes, 1994)
Roy English	....	production executive (2 episodes, 1994)
Marnie Jung	....	programme assistant (2 episodes, 1994)

Production Companies

• Tiger Aspect Productions

Distributors

• Comedy Central (2008) (Hungary) (TV) (re-release)
• Independent Television (ITV)
• NHK (1990) (Japan) (TV)
• Nova TV (2004-2005) (Croatia) (TV)
• PolyGram Video
• Thames Television
• Universal Pictures Benelux (????) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2004) (Japan) (DVD)

Runtime:

6 min (2 episodes) | 30 min (14 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Australia:G (video rating) | Australia:PG (cable rating) | UK:U (video rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Tiger Aspect Productions

Trivia:

The blue vehicle that Mr. Bean encounters and causes to get into accidents in some episodes is a light blue Reliant Regal Supervan III.

Quotes:

[opening theme]
Choir: [singing] Ecce homo que est faba. (Latin: "Behold the man who is a bean")

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)

Soundtrack:

Ecce homo

Mr. Bean Takes You Away

Many reviewers here compare the Mr. Bean TV series to "The Simpsons", "King of the Hill", and other comedy shows. Though many shows at times employ slapstick, "Mr. Bean" is very different from the majority of these shows and their characters. The most glaring contrast is between what constitutes as humor in "The Simpsons" and "Mr. Bean". "The Simpsons" can sometime present gory themes in an offhanded way (eg, Itchy & Scratchy), making ethically questionable images and situations funny to the audience. The humor in part lies in the blase way in which the characters treat something like murder, torture, etc. However, I don't find that very enjoyable. That is why I applaud Rowan Atkinson for proving that slapstick humor can still be funny without turning murder and torture into light-hearted entertainment. Mr. Bean maintains an innocence that, for me, is a welcomed relief from the harshness of the TV landscape in general. From reality TV shows where participants backstab each other for money to shows like "South Park" and "The Simpsons" that fuel their comedy with questionable material, TV land can be a harsh place thesedays.

Many people may feel that Mr. Bean is childish and foolish, but his is by far a gentler character than many you would meet on TV nowadays. I don't wax nostalgic for shows like "Leave It to Beaver" or any of those black and white TV shows where everyone is super cheery and pretend death and homosexuality don't exist. But need we go to the other extreme and portray the world as treacherous, dangerous, and continuously in conflict? Maybe what some people want when they get home from work is to sit down on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and forget all their problems as they indulge in the foolish yet heartwarming character that is Mr. Bean.

Mr. Bean takes you away from your divorcing parents, your backstabbing co-worker, your bills piling up on the table, your annoying household chores, the clogged drain in the kitchen, your sister's frantic wedding plans, and all the depressing murders and robberies on the nightly news. Mr. Bean takes you away from all this for 25 glorious minutes and into his simple-yet-complicated little world where the biggest problem is learning how not to bite off more than you can chew.

It is nice to go to a simpler place where problems don't get more complicated than a stuck fly while trying to impress the queen.