I was such a fan of this series when it first came out. It inspired me to read several of the books, and I've met and greatly respect especially Stephen Fry for his advocacy.
The show is great because of its premise, which satirizes the powerful, elevates the working class, and where Jeeves lovingly approves of Wooster's good character if not skill set ("He shows promise and I may make something of him.") I also love the old time setting, mansions and costumes, and the magical lifestyle of the idle rich. Wodehouse wrote through war and depression without mentioning them. It's a pure fantasy.
I must also note the chemistry between the two leads. There is a lot of great humor, too.
However, rewatching the show in 2019, nearly 30 years after it was made, the show I originally loved seems dated. Sometimes the plot twists are a delight. But often the plots are repetitive (I can't believe we're still repairing Gussie and Madeline's engagement in Season 4).
These days we're used to binge watch TV with strong casting and an overarching storyline with characters that change over the seasons. Jeeves and Wooster displays its era's interchangeable episode format, intended for viewers who might miss an episode, where nothing changes. At least they don't have a laugh track, something I find unwatchable in old shows.
From season to season, main characters are played by different actors, which is confusing, undercuts our growing fond of characters, and seems to break a basic rule of casting: put them in multi-year contracts.
Finally, and I can't believe other reviewers haven't mentioned this, two episodes (Season 2 Episode 5 and Season 4 Episode 6) have blackface, which there was no excuse for in 1990. Modern productions can and should update their source material, which of course I understand was written in the 1920s. When white actors dress in blackface, they reduce Africans to stereotypes, an exotic costume. This is especially jarring in the idyllic, endless summer that the show portrays. It's a racist part of the original books that should have been more completely excised.
Some episodes of Jeeves and Worcester (1990-1993) are true classics, 10 stars. But taken as a whole series, and in the context of what to watch today, I've reduced my rating to 6.
The show is great because of its premise, which satirizes the powerful, elevates the working class, and where Jeeves lovingly approves of Wooster's good character if not skill set ("He shows promise and I may make something of him.") I also love the old time setting, mansions and costumes, and the magical lifestyle of the idle rich. Wodehouse wrote through war and depression without mentioning them. It's a pure fantasy.
I must also note the chemistry between the two leads. There is a lot of great humor, too.
However, rewatching the show in 2019, nearly 30 years after it was made, the show I originally loved seems dated. Sometimes the plot twists are a delight. But often the plots are repetitive (I can't believe we're still repairing Gussie and Madeline's engagement in Season 4).
These days we're used to binge watch TV with strong casting and an overarching storyline with characters that change over the seasons. Jeeves and Wooster displays its era's interchangeable episode format, intended for viewers who might miss an episode, where nothing changes. At least they don't have a laugh track, something I find unwatchable in old shows.
From season to season, main characters are played by different actors, which is confusing, undercuts our growing fond of characters, and seems to break a basic rule of casting: put them in multi-year contracts.
Finally, and I can't believe other reviewers haven't mentioned this, two episodes (Season 2 Episode 5 and Season 4 Episode 6) have blackface, which there was no excuse for in 1990. Modern productions can and should update their source material, which of course I understand was written in the 1920s. When white actors dress in blackface, they reduce Africans to stereotypes, an exotic costume. This is especially jarring in the idyllic, endless summer that the show portrays. It's a racist part of the original books that should have been more completely excised.
Some episodes of Jeeves and Worcester (1990-1993) are true classics, 10 stars. But taken as a whole series, and in the context of what to watch today, I've reduced my rating to 6.