Mr. Bean (animated TV series)
Mr. Bean is an animated sitcom produced by Tiger Aspect Productions in association with Richard Purdum Productions and Varga Holdings (for the first three series). Based on the 1990–1995 British live-action television sitcom of the same name created by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, the series centres on Mr. Bean (voiced by the latter), Teddy, Irma Gobb and the Reliant Regal's mysterious driver, with the addition of new characters such as Bean's landlady Mrs. Wicket and her disobedient cat Scrapper. In February 2001, the series was officially announced, with it premiering shortly afterwards.[2][3]
| Mr. Bean (animated TV series) | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Genre | Animated sitcom Comedy |
| Based on | |
| Directed by |
|
| Voices of | |
| Composer | Howard Goodall |
| Country of origin |
|
| Original languages |
|
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 130 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 11 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Distributor |
|
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV (2002–2004) CITV (2004–present) |
| Audio format | Dolby Surround (2002) Dolby Digital (2003-present) |
| Original release | 5 January 2002 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Mr. Bean |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Debuting on 5 January 2002 and originally ending on 2 June 2004, three series and 52 episodes were broadcast, each consisting of two 11-minute segments. The first two series were originally broadcast on ITV1 at a prime time Saturday night slot. In May 2004, the series left ITV1 and the third series was instead broadcast daily on CITV due to the show's popularity with younger audiences (despite this, the series is still being aired on ITV1 during Scrambled!).
In January 2014, CITV announced a revival of the series with Rowan Atkinson returning as the voice of Mr. Bean, along with other cast members reprising their roles. The revival featured two series and 78 new episodes; the new episodes began airing from 16 February 2015.[4] The revival contained more actual dialogue than in the original series, which mostly featured little sound effects and mumbling.
Characters
Main
- Mr. Bean (voiced by Rowan Atkinson) – The title character and main protagonist, a childish buffoon who brings various unusual schemes and contrivances to everyday tasks. He is almost always seen in his trademark tweed jacket and a skinny red tie. He also usually wears a watch. Mr. Bean rarely speaks, and when he does, it is generally only a few mumbled words which are in a comically low-pitched voice. His first name (he names himself "Bean" to others) and profession, if any, are never mentioned. Atkinson has acknowledged that Bean "has a slightly alien aspect to him". In the episode "Double Trouble", the alien aspect of him was used in a storyline in which he is taken inside a spacecraft with aliens who look exactly like him and even have their own plushy toys. Towards the end, the aliens send him back home in a beam of light and music similar to the opening of the original live action series. Whether Bean is an extraterrestrial is not made clear.
- Teddy – Mr. Bean's teddy bear and lifelong best friend. Despite being an inanimate object, Bean pretends that Teddy is alive, much like in the original live action series.
- Mrs. Wicket (voiced by Sally Grace) – Mr. Bean's mean-spirited and elderly landlady who often despises Bean, though deep down, she does care about him. As a running gag, she screams out loud during bad situations, which often scares the birds outside the apartment. She also enjoys wrestling on television with her friend that occasionally drops by for tea. She served as an antagonist from Series 1, and becomes nicer, but still mean to Mr. Bean to Series 2 and onwards.
- Scrapper – Mrs. Wicket's mischievous one-eyed pet cat who despises Mr. Bean, much like his owner.
- Irma Gobb (voiced by Matilda Ziegler) – Mr. Bean's long-suffering girlfriend, just like she is in the live action series. From series 2-3 (Only flashback) onwards, Irma is frequently seen working at the library. Matilda Ziegler was also the actor for Irma Gobb in the original live action series.
- 1977 British Leyland Mini 1000 Mark 4 – Mr. Bean's vehicle, a citron-green Mini with a matte black bonnet. In the animated series, the registration number is "STE 952R" when in the original live action series the registration number is "SLW 287R". Throughout the sitcom, Bean keeps it locked with a bolt-latch and padlock rather than the lock fitted to the car, just like the running gag in the original live action series.
- 1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III – A light-blue, three-wheeled car that is always getting turned over or crashed out of its parking space by Mr. Bean in his Mini, who is usually oblivious to the results just like the running gag in the original live action series. In the animated series, the registration number is "DUW 742" when in the original live action series the registration number is "GRA 26K".
Supporting
- The Burglars – A duo of unnamed thieves (one stocky and the other small) who frequently commit crimes while in various disguises, but are nevertheless frequently defeated and arrested by the police, mainly when Mr. Bean is their victim or witness.
- The Bruisers – Mr. Bean and Mrs. Wicket's initially unnamed neighbours, a working class overweight family consisting of a father, mother, three spoiled children and a Doberman. While they do appear as a whole family in the episodes "Neighbourly Bean", "Scaredy Bean" and "Super Spy", the Bruisers appear as father and son in most episodes.
- Queen Elizabeth II – The queen regnant of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, of whom Mr. Bean is a fan.
- The Traffic Warden – An unnamed parking enforcement officer who appeared previously in the original live action series episode "The Trouble with Mr. Bean". As her name implies, she does her job of locating and ticketing illegally-parked cars across London. Due to Mr. Bean habitually parking his Mini illegally, she promptly gets in his way, which puts Bean at odds with her. She is very committed at her duty, even to the point of ticketing a police vehicle once.
- The Librarian – He is the co-worker of Irma Gobb who also works at the library, seen from series 4 onwards.
- Lottie – Irma Gobbs's teddy bear who looks identical to Teddy except she has eyelashes, a red bow and a skirt. She is portrayed as Teddy's girlfriend, but Mr. Bean disapproves of this relationship (with the exception of the episode "Double Trouble").
- Mrs. Wicket's Nephew - The unnamed nephew of Mrs. Wicket, who is sometimes seen at Mrs. Wicket's apartment playing video games under Mrs. Wicket's care, who is seen from Series 5 onwards.
- Mr. Pod – A man who is identical to Mr. Bean. Instead of having a Teddy, he has a toy penguin called Pengy. He also has a citron-green mini with a matte black bonnet. However, the registration number is "POD XT1" and the car is not locked with a bolt-latch and padlock attached to the door.[5] He only appears in the episode "Double Trouble". Mr. Pod is not the only doppelgänger of Bean to appear in the episode; in it, Bean boards a spaceship and the inhabitants of the ship all look exactly like him.[6]
- Declan – He is the Friend of Irma Gobb, seen from series 5 onwards. He is also a rival of Mr. Bean when it comes to winning her heart.
Episodes
| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 18 | 5 January 2002 | 26 March 2002 | ||
| 2 | 16 | 16 February 2003 | 5 April 2003 | ||
| 3 | 18 | 6 May 2004 | 2 June 2004 | ||
| 4 | 52 | 16 February 2015 | 10 March 2016 | ||
| Special | 1 | 30 October 2018 | |||
| 5 | 26 | 9 April 2019 | 8 October 2019 | ||
Reception
The show was met with mostly positive reviews from television critics. Common Sense Media, an education and advocacy group that promotes safe technology and media for children, gave the show 3 stars and wrote that the "UK slapstick cartoon [is] geared toward older kids, adults."[7]
Home media
Mr. Bean: The Animated Series has been released on DVD by A&E Home Video in Region 1 (actually are Region Free), and by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment in Regions 2 and 4. In the United States, the first three series of the series were released entirely on six volumes while in the United Kingdom and Australia, the six volumes only contained 47 of the 52 episodes, to which the last five episodes instead appeared each as extra features on DVDs of the original live action series.
The reason for this was that when the five episodes were classified by the British Board of Film Classification in the United Kingdom, they were each given a PG certificate instead of a U certificate, unlike the other episodes. It was decided that all the DVDs of the series should have a U certificate each, resulting in the five PG-rated episodes not being included.
In Region 4, the DVD Mr. Bean: The Animated Series: Season 2, Volume 3 – Racing Adventures was an exclusive product for Big W; nowadays, it is no longer available.[8]
| Series | Episodes | Release dates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United States |  United Kingdom | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australia | |||||
| 1 | 2002 | 18 | Volume 1: Bean There, Done That: 30 September 2003[9] Episode(s) featured: "Nurse!" – "The Bottle" Volume 4: Grin and Bean It: 28 September 2004[10] Episode(s) featured: "No Parking" • "Bean's Bounty" Volume 6: It's Not Easy Being Bean: 28 September 2004 Episode(s) featured: "In the Wild" • "Missing Teddy" • "Mime Games" – "Homeless" | Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 29 August 2005; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010; twenty-fifth anniversary reissue: 20 July 2015 Episode(s) featured: "In the Wild" – "Spring Clean" Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 27 March 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Birthday Bear" – "Homeless" Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 13 November 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Nurse!" – "The Bottle" The Bean Boxset!: 18 March 2008; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Cat-Sitting and More Paw-some Adventures!: 29 August 2016 Episode(s) featured: "Birthday Bear" • "The Mole" • "Dead Cat" • "Magpie" • "Cat-Sitting" Egg and Bean and Other Springtime Surprises: 3 April 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Spring Clean" | Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 18 August 2004 Episode(s) featured: "In the Wild" – "Spring Clean" Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 4 July 2007 Episode(s) featured: "Birthday Bear" – "Homeless" Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "Nurse!" – "The Bottle" | ||
| 2 | 2003 | 16 | Volume 1: Bean There, Done That: 30 September 2003 Episode(s) featured: "Goldfish" • "Inventor" Volume 2: Whatever Will Bean, Will Bean: 30 March 2004[11] Episode(s) featured: "Royal Bean" – "Restaurant" Volume 3: It's All Bean to Me: 30 March 2004 Episode(s) featured: "Art Thief" – "Wanted" | Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 31 July 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Royal Bean" – "Toothache" Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 13 November 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Neighbourly Bean" Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 19 March 2007; twentieth anniversary reissue: 9 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Inventor" • "Car Trouble" • "Restaurant" • "Wanted" The Bean Boxset!: 18 March 2008; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Cat-Sitting and More Paw-some Adventures!: 29 August 2016 Episode(s) featured: "In the Pink" On Thin Ice and Other Winter Wonders: 2 October 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Young Bean" • "Dinner for Two" | Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "Royal Bean" – "Toothache" Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "Neighbourly Bean" Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "Inventor" • "Car Trouble" • "Restaurant" • "Wanted" | ||
| 3 | 2004 | 18 | Volume 3: It's All Bean to Me: 30 March 2004 Episode(s) featured: "Gadget Kid" – "Keyboard Capers" Volume 4: Grin and Bean It: 28 September 2004 Episode(s) featured: "Artful Bean" – "Egg and Bean" Volume 5: The Ends Justify the Beans: 28 September 2004 Episode(s) featured: "Camping" – "Double Trouble" | Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 29 August 2005; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010; twenty-fifth anniversary reissue: 20 July 2015 Episode(s) featured: "Artful Bean" • "The Fly" Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 27 March 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "No Pets" • "Ray of Sunshine" Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 31 July 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Camping" • "Chocks Away" Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 19 March 2007; twentieth anniversary reissue: 9 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "Gadget Kid" – "Keyboard Capers" Volume 6: Eight Sticky Scrapes: 22 November 2007; twentieth anniversary reissue: 9 September 2010 Episode(s) featured: "A Royal Makeover" – "Egg and Bean" • "Hopping Mad!" • "A Grand Invitation" • "Bean in Love" • "Double Trouble" The Bean Boxset!: 18 March 2008; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010 Cat-Sitting and More Paw-some Adventures!: 29 August 2016 Episode(s) featured: "The Fly" • "Hopping Mad!" • "No Pets" Egg and Bean and Other Springtime Surprises: 3 April 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Egg and Bean" • "Hopping Mad!" • "Ray of Sunshine" | Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 18 August 2004 Episode(s) featured: "Artful Bean" • "The Fly" Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 4 July 2007 Episode(s) featured: "No Pets" • "Ray of Sunshine" Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "Camping" • "Chocks Away" Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "Gadget Kid" – "Keyboard Capers" Volume 6: Eight Sticky Scrapes: 28 October 2009 Episode(s) featured: "A Royal Makeover" – "Egg and Bean" • "Hopping Mad!" • "A Grand Invitation" • "Bean in Love" • "Double Trouble" | ||
| 4 | 2015–16 | 52 | N/A | Volume 7: Nine Tremendous Tales (Original release) / Home Movie and More Tremendous Tales! (2017 New Cover Re release): 7 September 2015 Episode(s) featured: "Home Movie" – "Valentine's Bean" Volume 8: Nine Splendid Stories (Original release) / Holiday For Teddy and More Tantalising Tales! (2017 New Cover Re release): 19 October 2015 Episode(s) featured: "All You Can Eat" – "Lord Bean" Volume 9: Racing Adventures and More Exciting Escapades!: 23 May 2016 Episode(s) featured: "Car Wars" – "Taxi Bean" Volume 10: Halloween and More Awesome Stories!: 3 October 2016 Episode(s) featured: "Muscle Bean" – "Halloween" Volume 11: SuperBean and Other Splendid Stories!: 30 January 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Wrestle Bean" – "Ice Cream" Egg and Bean and Other Springtime Surprises: 3 April 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Holiday for Teddy" • "Scout Bean" • "A New Friend" • "Ice Cream" Volume 12: Birthday Bean and Friends: 24 July 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Bean Painting" • "Birthday Party" – "Bean Shopping" On Thin Ice and Other Winter Wonders: 2 October 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Green Bean" • "Rat Trap" • "Viral Bean" • "Lord Bean" • "Jurassic Bean" | Volume 7: Nine Tremendous Tales: 24 September 2015 Episode(s) featured: "Home Movie" – "Valentine's Bean" Volume 8: Nine Splendid Stories: 24 September 2015 Episode(s) featured: "All You Can Eat" – "Lord Bean" Volume 9: Racing Adventures and More Exciting Escapades!: 16 June 2016[12] Episode(s) featured: "Car Wars" – "Taxi Bean" Volume 10: Halloween and More Awesome Stories!: 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Muscle Bean" – "Halloween" Volume 11: SuperBean and Other Splendid Stories!: 2017 Episode(s) featured: "Wrestle Bean" – "Ice Cream" | ||
| 5 | 2019 | 26 | N/A | Mr.Bean Volume 12: TBA | |||
Video games
A third-person platform video game based on the series and titled Mr. Bean was released on 30 November 2007 on PAL for the PlayStation 2, later on 14 March 2008 for the Nintendo DS, on 20 February 2009 for the PC and 6 February 2009 for the Nintendo Wii (retitled as Mr Bean's Wacky World of Wii).
Two apps also based on the series have been released such as Mr. Bean: Around the World[13] and Mr. Bean: Flying Teddy, which are both available globally on iOS, Android and Amazon mobile devices.
References
- "Toonhound – Mr Bean: The Animated Series". 19 May 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
- Deans, Jason (6 February 2001). "Mr Bean turned into cartoon". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- "Mr.Bean To Become A Cartoon". 10 October 2000. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- "Rowan Atkinson working on new animated Mr Bean series". British Comedy Guide. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- Double Trouble and More (YouTube video). Official Mr Bean Channel. 4 October 2017.
- "Mr Bean: 25 facts and figures for his 25th anniversary". Radio Times. 15 February 2015.
- "Mr. Bean: The Animated Series". Common Sense Media.
- Mr. Bean: The Animated Series: Season 2, Volume 3 – Racing Adventures DVD, retrieved 24 July 2018
- "Mr. Bean (2002): It's Not Easy Being Bean / Bean There, Done That". Amazon.com. 2 September 2003.
- "Mr. Bean (2002): Grin and Bean It / The Ends Justify the Beans". Amazon.com. 31 August 2004.
- "Mr. Bean (2002): Whatever Will Bean, Will Bean / It's All Bean to Me". Amazon.com. 2 September 2003.
- "Mr. Bean Animated Season 2 – Volume 3 DVD R4 for sale online". eBay.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.