Page 4 | Keeping up Appearances

AriesTheRam · 2020-12-09T09:05:44+00:00

Aibu to say that Richard should have been with Elizabeth in the end? I'm starting all the series from the beginning and they are much more suited. I may be slightly over invested!

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/12/2020 13:06

@sueelleker

I sometimes think how awful it would be to live between Hyacinth and Victor Meldrew!

Nooo!

I loved Victor Meldrew!

He just spoke up for all of us against bad workmanship and anti-social behaviour!

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 09/12/2020 13:09

I was (re) watching KUA recently on Drama. I've always liked Richard best but his eloquent facial expressions (whilst saying virtually nothing as he dare not speak) always reminded me of someone and I could not think who - I finally realised - Grommet! (no offence intended to the late Mr Swift).

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/12/2020 13:09

Is this the one, BigChance?

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/12/2020 13:10

@mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork

I was (re) watching KUA recently on Drama. I've always liked Richard best but his eloquent facial expressions (whilst saying virtually nothing as he dare not speak) always reminded me of someone and I could not think who - I finally realised - Grommet! (no offence intended to the late Mr Swift).

Or to Grommet!

OVienna · 09/12/2020 13:10

I love Barbara Pym. My mum loves KUA - I like it too but my mum REALLY likes it. That early series is probably just what the doctor ordered for COVID seclusion times. Putting her onto it now.

@HopefulButScared You know you need to say more now, don't you???

SharonasCorona · 09/12/2020 13:10

Nah, I saw a documentary about it and the writer of the show said Richard loves being dominated by Hyacinth really. He’s saucy.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/12/2020 13:10

Can I just say Aries - this is a lovely thread!

elprup · 09/12/2020 13:15

I can confirm she is a real person, her brother wrote Hyacinth based on her. I had the misfortune as a child of being related to them by marriage for a while. It's a pretty accurate representation...

Omg!

TwentyViginti · 09/12/2020 13:19

@HerBigChance

Superb series - must give it a rewatch.

I love Patricia Routledge. She played the author Barbara Pym (who I'm also a great fan of) in a drama that was on YouTube, not sure if it still is. And there's also the wonderful Kitty character in Victoria Wood.

OMG! I've adored Barbara Pym books for decades! such fabulously described characters!

stackemhigh · 09/12/2020 13:20

I can confirm she is a real person, her brother wrote Hyacinth based on her. I had the misfortune as a child of being related to them by marriage for a while. It's a pretty accurate representation...

Cool story.

TwentyViginti · 09/12/2020 13:25

[quote FetchezLaVache]@TwentyViginti my DP had a night drinking with Geoffrey Hughes in the local village pub years ago when he was filming Heartbeat! It remains one of the best nights of DP's life.[/quote]
I can imagine! I liked him in earlier Corrers too. I watched it with my late mum in the 1960/70s.

Also found out he was the voice for Paul McCartney in Yellow Submarine!

TwentyViginti · 09/12/2020 13:29

@CustardySergeant

TwentyViginti "Onslow was my secret crush"

WHAAAAAT? You can't be serious! What on earth did you see in him?

I really don't know. I was in my 40s in the 90s. Perimenopause?

Rhine · 09/12/2020 13:31

Hands up who knows a Hyacinth in real life? DB and I have always jokingly called my mums sister ‘Auntie Hyacinth’. Working class background, council house upbringing etc but acts like she’s Duchess. Total snob and has been known to drive 50 miles to her nearest branch of Waitrose because she sees Tesco, Asda etc as common.

diddl · 09/12/2020 13:33

@Pashazade

As an aside there is also a series (was on Woman's Hour and I seem to recall an ITV dramatisation at some point) called Ladies of Letters with Patricia Routledge and Prunella Scales, they meet at a wedding, both are widows and they become pen pals. It's quite superb.

Maureen Lipman & Anne Reid in the dramatisation I think.

Muckish · 09/12/2020 13:35

@Rhine

Hands up who knows a Hyacinth in real life? DB and I have always jokingly called my mums sister ‘Auntie Hyacinth’. Working class background, council house upbringing etc but acts like she’s Duchess. Total snob and has been known to drive 50 miles to her nearest branch of Waitrose because she sees Tesco, Asda etc as common.

There are quite a few of them on here, judging by some regular threads -- the joke being that they, like Hyacinth, continually get 'desirable' class shibboleths completely wrong.

ZoeTurtle · 09/12/2020 13:59

Rhine We have an Aunt Bucket as well. Grew up in a South London council house, married a middle class man, and now speaks with an affected accent. But, like Hyacinth, she's not a bad person!

Hoppinggreen · 09/12/2020 14:09

My Mum is one and my Nan was too
But once you knew the backstory you could see why, it was very sad
It’s why I feel sorry for Hyacinth, she’s not a bad person and she gets cruelly mocked by people who should know better
I know which side of her family I would rather having living next door too!

MrsToothyBitch · 09/12/2020 14:28

Ooh I LOVE KUA and do a good Hyacinth impression- Rich-erd! It's definitely a show that keeps on giving, we still quote it (royal doulton, or a pink burglar alarm anyone?) and remember the episodes fondly here. I can see why it was a hit round the world, too. Hyacinth as type is universal.

I think Richard is happy with Hyacinth really, he loves her. Well, he humours her, doesn't he? He just has a much needed ally for his sanity in Elizabeth! It is- as a Pp has said, Daisy I feel most sorry for. She should have LTB. As should Violet- married to Bruce the turf accountant but suspect she'd never leave her two-mercedes-room-for-a-pony lifestyle, no matter how often Bruce wanted to wear her Maid Marian outfit instead of letting her wear it.

As a child, despite giggling at her ways, I used to wonder why people were so mean about Hyacinth when she had a nice, clean, pretty house, as I saw it! I'd still rather live with her or next to her than with or next to Onslow & Daisy! She also always sorts out the family mess- they turn to her with all their dramas. She was the only one of them to handle Daddy!

Oh- and Shirley Stelfox was the original Rose, yes!

SharonasCorona · 09/12/2020 14:39

I just saw the Christmas special (the Buckets go on a posh cruise only to find Daisy and Onslow won first class tickets ) and it was great to see Hyacinth and Onslow dancing their best life at the end, the chemistry was ♨️🌡🧨

SharonasCorona · 09/12/2020 14:40

I'd still rather live with her or next to her than with or next to Onslow & Daisy!

No way, Hyacinth would drive you mad!

Rainbowandscarlett · 09/12/2020 15:05

I call my aunt ‘hyacinth’
My aunt is a lovely lady but does like to keep up appearances in real life
She’ll shop at Aldi but put it all in m&s bags so it looks like she’s been to m&s or sew posh labels into cheaper clothes etc
She does have a collection of posh China too-all bought from car boots and eBay but she’d never confess!
I used to wear short skirts so she calls me rose
I guess that makes my parents daisy and onslow (not that far off!)

It’s a good show that’s not dated too well but is still funny

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/12/2020 15:15

I think Richard is happy with Hyacinth really, he loves her.

I'm sure I can recall in one episode someone makes a remark about relationships and Richard says "We can't help who we fall in love with."

I have the box set - I'll have to dig them out!

The prequel was disappointing - it just seemed to get going and then disappeared from the telly before she'd even met Richard - or was there another series, or some other eposodes I missed?

When you saw what she'd come from (and where Rose and Daisy still are) you have to admit she'd done well for herself - and Richard might prefer a "life less nagged" but he has a well run home and I'll bet a lovely dinner waiting for him every night. There are worse ways to live.

SharonasCorona · 09/12/2020 15:18

I'm sure I can recall in one episode someone makes a remark about relationships and Richard says "We can't help who we fall in love with."

Or maybe he’s in love with Elizabeth, Rose or Violet and they were the one who got away?

WaterAndTheWild · 09/12/2020 15:21

I’m quite fond of KUA - I think its success is down to the two main actors, like a lot of shows that are actually a bit rubbish (still keeping up appearances, my family)

The woman who plays young hyacinth is amazing btw - can’t remember name but like PR she’s a gifted comedy actor

SchadenfreudePersonified · 09/12/2020 15:23

Maybe, Sharonas - I think he has a little fantasy life with Elizabeth myself . . . but I could see him being brought home by Rose or Daisy, and Hyacinth thinking he was too good for them and appropriating him and his white collar job at the council for herself*, so maybe you are right.

*And then ruthlessly pushing him to apply for promotion after promotion . . . when he quite liked being just one of the blokes in the accounts section, drawing a line in his ledger at the end of the day and going for a pint with the lads on Fridays.