Jeeves and Wooster: The Ties That Bind

Jeeves and Wooster: The Ties That Bind
ITV
20 June 1993
Historical Comedy
DVD
B-

Although this ends with Madeline's wedding to Spode being ruined by a plumbing explosion caused by Tuppy but blamed on Bertie, this episode does get us somewhat back on track.  At one point, Bertie has two fiancees, both Madeline and Florence expecting to marry him when their current romances don't work out.  Aunt Agatha (Elizabeth Spriggs again), who in a previous series was incongruously Madeline's godmother, here hopes there's more to Madeline then there seems.  Totleigh Towers would recover from the damage and grow up to be Downton Abbey.  (Highclere Castle in real life.)

Sidney Livingstone and Preston Lockwood return as Oates and Butterfield respectively.  Fred Evans is back as Brinkley and, of all things, gets paired off with Florence.  And kudos to Woodnutt for being in the first and last episodes of J & W.

Jeeves and Wooster in Series Four ranges from C- to B+, averaging out to that same C+/B- border as the previous two series.  So even with all the WTFery, there's still some good stuff, especially in that opening episode in New York.  However, it's probably just as well they ended here.

Jeeves and Wooster: Trouble at Totleigh Towers

Jeeves and Wooster: Trouble at Totleigh Towers
ITV
13 June 1993
Historical Comedy
DVD
C

In this not exactly faithful adaptation of Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves (reviewed here http://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2012/07/stiff-upper-lip-jeeves.html),  Gussie elopes with another girl, which worries Bertie until Madeline becomes engaged to Spode.  (Elizabeth Morton is disconcertingly red-haired in this and the next episode.)  The un-Wodehousian touches this time appear in the last ten minutes or so, from Bertie (at Jeeves's urging) pretending to be an African chieftain to the remaining cast singing "Oh, By Jingo," yes, including Jeeves and Spode.

Preston Lockwood makes his first of two appearances as Butterfield, while Sidney Livingstone takes over the role of Oates here and the following episode.  Despite Stiffy being Madeline's cousin, we won't see Charlotte Attenborough or Simon Treves in the finale.

Jeeves and Wooster: Comrade Bingo

Jeeves and Wooster: Comrade Bingo
ITV
3 May 1992
Historical Comedy
DVD
C+

This blends two short stories-- the title one and the one about the father & son artists-- and for some reason throws Madeline Bassett into the mix.  This means that the ending of the latter story has a couple twists due to the presence of Spode, which is interesting, but the problem with Spode is that there's an increase in unfunny violence, whether him hitting Bertie on the head twice (rather than Jeeves's efficient once in print) or his followers fighting with the Communists.

Geoffrey Toone returns as Lord Bittlesham, but Pip Torrens takes over as his nephew Bingo.  Colin Higgins, who plays Comrade Butt, appeared on Paul Merton, the Series the previous year, while Peter Benson, who's Mr. Rowbotham, would be on PM the Series the next year.

Jeeves and Wooster in its third series ranges from C+ to B, averaging out to the C+/B- border.  There are certainly some good moments, but things overall don't quite jell.  The final series wouldn't exactly be a comeback, but it does contain some other memorable moments.

Jeeves and Wooster: Hot Off the Press

Lady Florence

Jeeves and Wooster: Hot Off the Press
ITV
26 April 1992
Historical Comedy
DVD
C+

This takes one of the earliest J & W stories (with Lady Florence wanting Bertie to steal a manuscript) and mashes it up with a later one from the Stiffy & Stinker cycle.  Along the way, it confuses the Bassett family tree further, with Lady Florence as another niece, and Stiffy referring to "Uncle Roderick," as in Spode.  In any case, it didn't really hold my interest much.  Despite some recasting, including of Stiffy, Simon Treves returns as Stinker.

Jeeves and Wooster: Right Ho, Jeeves

Jeeves and Wooster: Right Ho, Jeeves
ITV
19 April 1992
Historical Comedy
DVD
B

Despite the title, this is actually based on a different novel, The Mating Season, which I'm not sure if I've read.  It's better than I remembered, although the recasting of Gussie and Madeline does take some getting used to.  I still prefer Richard Garnett to Richard Braine (who seemed more suited to Rupert Steggles in the first series), but Braine isn't bad.  As for Madeline #3, Elizabeth Morton is a more cartoony version of the character, but I have to admit that, while Francesca Folan and Diana Blackburn have more attractive personalities, the programme really does need someone as saucer-eyed, lisping, and soupy as Morton's Madeline, especially in the "He did it for love" courtroom scene, where nearly everyone is in happy tears and Bertie looks steamrollered.

The Catsmeat & Gertie romance works well as a subplot, and this is in fact one of the better episodes set at a country house, including the denizens of said house.  I'm also getting used to Fairfax's use of over the top humour, as with the billowing smoke when Bertie drives too quickly.  There's still some genuine wit, some of it direct quotes from Wodehouse, so it's not all a cartoon.  Best of all, we get music not only from Bertie but from Gussie!