Mr. Bean (Mr. Bean episode)

"Mr. Bean" is the first episode of the television series Mr. Bean that originally aired on ITV on 1 January 1990. ^[2]

Plot

Act 1

Mr. Bean is driving to his mathematics exam and he accidentally drives pass a Reliant three wheeler, nearly tipping it over (which would become a running gag throughout the series). Once he has taken his seat in the exam room, he begins to irritate a fellow candidate (Paul Bown) by getting out an alarm clock, many spare pens and a number of mascots, including a Pink Panther doll (which has its tail sticking out between its legs, giving the appearance of an erection). Bean has studied trigonometry, but when the exam begins and he pulls out a calculus paper from the envelope he assumes he has studied the wrong subject. He spends the duration of his two hours trying to cheat before finally breaking down (to the point of crying out "Oh, mummy!") and falling asleep. Towards the end of the exam, the invigilator (Rudolph Walker) gives instructions on what to do with the exam papers. From this, Bean realises that there were two papers in the envelope: a green calculus paper, and a white trigonometry paper, with the student given a choice as to which to do (though the invigilator logically should have stated this from the start). He tries to complete the paper in a hurried fashion, even snatching the pen from the other candidate. He stops writing only after the invigilator has angrily yelled "Will you stop writing?!" Bean's alarm clock then goes off, and he frantically tries to stop it.

Act 2

Bean goes to the beach and has to change into his swimming trunks without exposing himself to a nearby man (Roger Sloman). Bean feels that the journey back up the steep steps from the beach would not be worthwhile. After he eventually succeeds in changing, he discovers that the only other person on the beach is actually blind, so it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Act 3

Bean attends a church service, yet he does not know the words to the hymn being sung. While the vicar gives his sermon, Bean sneezes loudly and is forced to wipe his nose on the lining of his pocket due to a lack of a handkerchief or tissues. He falls asleep out of boredom, much to the annoyance of Mr. Sprout (Richard Briers), who is sitting next to him. To stay awake, he tries to put a mint in his mouth without being seen, then drops it before a hymn and since Mr. Sprout refuses to share his hymnbook with him, he is only able to sing "Alleluia" on the choruses. He picks it up, but when Sprout turns around he puts it into his pocket, the lining of which he has just wiped his nose on.

Final part

On the car ride home while the credits roll, Bean takes a wrong turn and (though unseen) crashes his Mini. The blue Reliant three-wheeler car (which Bean has assaulted throughout the episode) sees the car crash and goes in the opposite direction. Just seconds after the Reliant goes off, a wheel from the Mini bounces off a sign and onto the road while Bean then walks by unharmed anyway. He then jogs after the Reliant.

Continuity

This episode introduced a running gag involving Bean's altercations with a blue Reliant Regal the driver of which is never revealed. In this episode the gags link one act to another and also lead into the credits. Firstly Bean overtakes the Regal, pulling in front at a very close distance. The Reliant driver panics and steers off, almost toppling the vehicle. Later, Bean drives straight at the Reliant on the road leading to the beach. The Reliant driver ends up swerving into a ditch to avoid a collision. At the church, Bean selects a parking space on a field, coincidentally the space is already occupied by the Reliant, which is forced onto the road. Bean, seemingly confused as to how the vehicle got there, runs off. During the credits, Bean crashes his Mini at a turn, and the Reliant driver watches it. Then the Reliant speeds off, with one of the Mini's tyres bouncing down the road. Bean then runs off after the Reliant.

The sweet stuck in Bean's coat pocket would later be used as paste for a postage stamp in "Mr. Bean Rides Again".

Production

The episode was first broadcast on 1 January 1990. Being the pilot, this episode was simply called "Mr. Bean". Its original opening and end titles did not feature the choral music or street/spotlight theme which introduced future episodes. The titles were superimposed over Bean's journey to the college and subsequent crash at the end of the episode. Another major difference was that Bean's Mini was orange as opposed to the more familiar green that was used for other episodes. For the remastered Region 1 and 20th Anniversary Region 2 DVD versions, the opening titles were removed and the regular titles added. This was the only episode written by Ben Elton.

Music

The hymn sung at the church service is "All Creatures of Our God and King" and the hymn sung as Bean enters the church is Eternal Father, Strong to Save.

Casting

Rudolph Walker plays the exam invigilator. He and Rowan Atkinson would later go on to co-star in The Thin Blue Line.^[3] There is a cameo appearance by theme music composer Howard Goodall as the church organist. As well as Bean, Atkinson performs the voice role of the vicar, giving an apparently gibberish sermon.

Awards and legacy

This episode won the 1990 Golden Rose award.^[1][2] The church service sketch was also performed live by Atkinson (and Angus Deayton) on tour, including in Boston, 1991. "Ray of Sunshine" from Mr. Bean, The Animated Series was inspired by Act 2.

Censors

The scene of Act 2 where Mr. Bean removes his trousers after putting on his swimming trunks was cut out for the broadcasts on Disney Channel.

References

External links

• "Mr. Bean" at the Internet Movie Database