PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster novels still sell in markets all around the globe. And the essence of these stories have been admirably captured in the British television series Jeeves and Wooster.
These shows from the very first season of the show successfully captures the wry humor of the world of the desolate quintessential upper class Englishman, Bertram Wilberforce Wooster his cerebral, highly innovative man servant (Reginald) Jeeves, and some of the more important of the various intriguing characters that go in and out of their lives.
Wooster believes him to be the shining example of chivalry, and is constantly asserting that the code "preux chevalier", the "valiant knight," is the major reason he is constantly entangled in disastrous romantic situations involving several of the women of his class. And since as a chivalrous hero he cannot personally deny his hand in marriage to his various pursuers, it is Jeeve's responsibility to rescue him from imminent marriage. Marriage contracts that are often the work of his aunt Agatha, the matron of the Wooster family, but also because of Wooster's own less than insightful behavior towards the fairer sex. (Which is not to say this is the only kind of situations that requires Jeeves' creative intervention, what with enemies such as the would be British version of a dictator wannabe, a veritable Hitler fused with Mussolini, Roderick Spode, Sir Watkin Bassett, the father of one the women who from time to time decide to make Wooster her own and Sir Roderick Glossop, another father whose daughter winds up being betrothed to Wooster a couple of time and uncle of one of Wooster's Drone pals, Tuppy Glossop, who is playing rather fast and loose with Wooster's cousin the daugther of Wooster's favorite aunt, Dahlia.
The jovial, good hearted, outgoing aunt Dahlia frequently drafts the inept Wooster to act as her agent in sundry matters of the heart involving her daughter Angela and Tuppy and sometimes in matters of her various finance schemes.
And we must not fail to mention a few of other Drones who tramp in and out of the Jeeves and Wooster world, particulary the equally daft young men such as Bingo Little, Barmy Fotheringay Phipps, Gussie Finknottle and Woosters' twin cousins, as well as the cerebral Chuffy, the athletic clergyman Stinker and one of Woosters most dangerous Drone associates, the bully boy Stilton Cheesewright .
All in all it is a very entertaining romp that makes satirical fun of the British tweedy class. A class that was quickly losing power and prestige in the post World War I world. A circumstance that does not bother Wooster, but causes his most feared aunt, Agatha to give Wooster and others of his type much travail. It is easy viewing that is exceptionally effective in capturing the feel of the Wodehouse style of fiction. Enjoy this splendid example of written fiction transformed into very engaging television content. |
