Mr Bean

1990-1995. ITV. Mr Bean is a British Sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson, Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll. Atkinson developed the character of Mr Bean while he was studying at Oxford University. The series can be seen in over 200 territories around the world. It received an International Emmy and the Golden Rose of Montreux.

The main character is Mr Bean, played by Atkinson, who lives alone in a flat and is always wearing a trademark tweed jacket and a red tie. In each episode he creates a pure chaos by solving his little everyday problems. Atkinson described Mr Bean as “a child in a grown man's body”. A kind of second main character is Mr Bean’s Teddy Bear. He treats it as though it is alive like his best friend or child. Also important to Mr Bean is his Mini car which he always “locks” very carefully by removing the steering wheel. Very special about Mr Bean is that does not talk, just sometimes a mumbling or a short half sentence. Instead he uses a lot of facial expressions and gestures. This could explain why the series is known all over the world and very successful. The speechless character and the physical comedy make it easy for viewers from all nations to understand and enjoy.

The sitcom consists of 14 episodes. The episodes cannot be seen as season as the several episodes are independent productions. Each episode consists of three different plots which normally are not connected to each other. For example in the 14th episode Mr. Bean tries out as hairdresser, afterwards goes to a fair and in the last part of the episode he loses his train ticket.

There exist also two film adaptations: Bean (1997) and Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007). In 2002 an animated series Mr Bean: the Animated Series followed. This series consists of 26 episodes with duration of 30 minutes

Sources: n.n. “Mr Bean” Mr Bean and Tiger Aspect Productions Ltd 1990 and 2002. Web. 16 May 2015. <http://www.mrbean.com/about> n.n. “Mr Bean.“ Mr Bean TV series. Web. 16 May 2015 <http://www.mrbeantvseries.co.uk/index.htm> n.n. “Mr Bean.“ TV Range. Web. 16 May 2015. <http://www.tvrage.com/mr-bean>