Jeeves and Wooster: A Plan for Gussie

Jeeves and Wooster: A Plan for Gussie
ITV
21 April 1991
Historical Comedy
DVD
C+

This episode has much the same cast and setting (Totleigh Towers) as the previous episode, including:

• Charlotte Attenborough as Stiffy
• Diana Blackburn as Madeline
• Richard Garnett as Gussie
• Campbell Morrison as Oates
• Simon Treves as Stinker
• John Turner as Spode
• and John Woodnutt as Sir Watkyn

I don't remember offhand which novel it's based on, but Gussy and Madeline are still engaged, although they break up a few times, which worries Bertie.  And meanwhile he agrees to pretend to be engaged to Stiffy, so her uncle will think Stinker is an improvement.  Also, we find out the mystery of "Eulalie" in Spode's life.  

I still can't quite put my finger on what's lacking in the second series.  It doesn't help that Bertie doesn't sing, although fortunately that will come back in later episodes.

Martin Clunes and Richard Dixon return as Barmy and Oofy, the former having more to do but still not a lot.

Jeeves and Wooster: Jeeves Saves the Cow Creamer

Jeeves and Wooster: Jeeves Saves the Cow Creamer
ITV
14 April 1991
Historical Comedy
DVD
C+

Some pointless recasting-- Vivian Pickles, Harold's mother in Harold and Maude, given little to do here as Aunt Dahlia, and Diana Blackburn as a decidedly un-soupy Madeline Bassett-- as well as Exton's so-so adaptation of a good if overrated novel (reviewed here http://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2012/05/code-of-woosters.html) make for an unimpressive Series-Two-opener.  At least Richard Garnett is back as Gussie Fink-Nottle, and Charlotte Attenborough and Simon Treves do fine in the roles of Madeline's cousin Stiffy Byng and Stinker Pinker, Stiffy's fiance and Bertie's old schoolmate.  John Woodnutt, who was in the very first scene of the premiere of the programme, has much more to do here as Madeline's father Sir Watkyn.  I'm not crazy about the character of Sir Roderick Spode, as villain or comic relief, but John Turner does what he can with it.

Michael Ripper returns as the Drones Porter.  Campbell Morrison makes his first of two appearances as Oates.  Martin Clunes takes over the still very minor role of Barmy Fotheringay Phipps, for the first of four times.  Simon Langton is the new director, for this and the rest of the second series, so we'll see how much of the blame he deserves.  But, yes, I'd rather have watched this than many of the New York episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Jeeves and Wooster: Brinkley Manor

Jeeves and Wooster: Brinkley Manor
ITV
13 May 1990
Historical Comedy
DVD
B+

I assume this aired back to back with the previous episode, as they have the same air date.  This part has the "well-kicked plate of sandwiches," the prize-giving, and some other great moments.  I'm also very fond of some of Laurie's line readings and facial expressions, like the "During that sojourn" sequence and his tale of insulting a woman's fiance in Cannes.  It does seem odd that the whole thing about the white mess jacket is dropped, but the "Jeeves disapproves of Bertie's latest fashion choice" thing was not yet as integral part of the television programme as it would become.

Not counting the people I've tagged, John Barrard (Anatole), Adam Blackwood (Barmy Fotheringay Phipps), Richard Dixon (Oofy Prosser), Amanda Elwes (Angela), and Ralph Michael (Tom) return.

J & W in its first series ranges from B- to this B+, averaging out to a low B.

Jeeves and Wooster: The Hunger Strike

Advice to the Lovelorn

Jeeves and Wooster: The Hunger Strike
ITV
13 May 1990
Historical Comedy
DVD
B

This is based on the novel Right Ho, Jeeves (reviewed here http://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2012/05/right-ho-jeeves.html) and while it doesn't live up to the source material, it is easily the best J & W adaptation so far.  I recall Part Two as better, having as it does most of the classic moments of the story.  This is funny enough, from its witty script (preserving a lot of the original writing) to such random moments as a newt-inspired dance (shades of "The Chameleon" in Zelig) and Tom's rant about taxes that manages to mention Disraeli and King Harold.

More Advice

Bertie gives a bunch of bad advice, not just romantic-- for Tuppy to win back Bertie's cousin Angela (Amanda Elwes), and for newt-fancier Gussie Fink-Nottle (Richard Garnett) to woo poetic Madeline Bassett (Francesca Folan, who in the final season would return as the very different character Florence Craye)-- but also dietic/financial.  Aunt Dahlia (Brenda Bruce) needs to get a loan from her husband Tom (Ralph Michael), but instead Bertie upsets Tom and everyone else when he indirectly offends the temperamental French chef, Anatole (John Barrard).  We end on a cliffhanger, with Dahlia ordering Jeeves to pack Bertie's bags.

Adam Blackwood, Richard Dixon, and Michael Ripper return as Barmy Fotheringay Phipps, Oofy Prosser, and the Drones Porter respectively.