About "Mr Bean"

'Mr Bean' is a series of fourteen shows based around the character of Mr Bean, a grown man who seems to have been born yesterday. The character is played by the versatile comedic star Rowan Atkinson. The programmes were filmed between 1990 and 1995. The Bean franchise has also spawned a few short specials, an animated series and two feature length films.

Bean is supposedly a grown man but is outstandingly childish; his juvenile behaviour brings him into trouble with great regularity. He bumbles along in life with great abandon and seems oblivious to the havoc he causes. Moreover, in a childish way, everything is exciting, and everything must be played with. Even (especially?) those things which shouldn't, like the Oxford Street Christmas lights! Whilst he rarely speaks (visual humour being the main strength of this sitcom), when he does, his voice is very amusing, as is his trademark tweed blazer.

Bean lives in a studio flat with his sole friend, Teddy, his teddy bear, who rather worryingly Bean seems to think can communicate with him by E.S.P. He also has a long-term (and long-suffering) girlfriend (although whether or not he understands the concepts of romance and intimacy is uncertain as his behaviour shows). Other people he encounters, he tends to quickly worry with his eccentric behaviour. Indeed, the title sequence might suggest that he's an extra-terrestrial; he finds it difficult to cope with everyday situations, and seems to be learning how to live life each time he does something which to most people would be quite simple (like sit an exam; go to church; stuff a turkey etc.). The fact that his presence disturbs TV reception (Mr. Bean About Town) would support this theory.

The thing which makes Bean so worrying to those who encounter him, and so intriguing and hilarious to we the viewers, is that it's very difficult to work out who he actually is; it could, of course, just be that he lacks social skills, but we don't know what actually motivates him; what his hopes and dreams and fears are; what makes him tick. Still, this intrigue makes him a most intriguing and appealing character to watch.