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: 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!

Jeeves and Wooster: The Purity of the Turf

Jeeves and Wooster: The Purity of the Turf
ITV
6 May 1990
Historical Comedy
DVD
B-

This is based on two short stories, one of them called (I believe) "The Purity of the Turf."  For a change, the stories aren't interwoven and pretty much stand alone, although Bertie's Uncle George and his refound lost love Maudie do show up at the country fete.  As for the "turf," various bets are made before and during the fete, with Rupert Steggles (played by Richard Braine, who would return a couple years later in the totally different role of Gussie Fink-Nottle #2) as the bookie.  Bingo (Michael Siberry) "falls in love again," twice, and Bertie claims it's only been a week and a half since Daphne, who followed Honoria, although maybe Bertie is exaggerating for effect.

Richard Dixon, John Pirkis, Michael Ripper, and Richard Stirling return as respectively Oofy Prosser, Freddie Chalk-Marshall, the Drones Porter, and Boko Fittleworth.  I should note that I don't feel like most of the characters are that memorable, but the George/Maudie thing is cute and I would've been happy with a whole hour about them.