Mr Bean

Story

Mr Bean is a British comedy series starring Rowan Atkinson. The 15 episodes were originally aired on ITV between 1990 and 1995.

Bean is an awkward, disaster-prone character with a knack for turning everyday activities into absurd situations. Many mishaps arise from Bean’s ingenious solutions to practical challenges. Car full of shopping? Drive from an armchair tied to the roof. Room needs decorating? Put fireworks in a can of paint. Bean bumbles through life, oblivious of his effect on others – from his occasional girlfriend, Irma Gobb, and long-suffering toy bear, Teddy, to the unseen driver of a blue, three-wheeled car, a Reliant Robin.

Why we chose it

Mr Bean is known across the world. With their physical comedy and minimal dialogue, the stories are enjoyed by people of different ages and cultures, and have attracted international awards and a global audience, across 245 countries. One of the most successful British cultural exports ever, the socially awkward Bean in his tweed suit and green Mini is a caricature Englishman, who some dislike and many adore.

Atkinson says that Bean is partly based on his 9-year-old self. It is this mix of innocence and creativity, selfishness and petulance that we can all relate to.

Bean has even been hailed as a role model for us all - happy, creative, self-contained, living in the moment, and always himself.

Where it came from

Mr Bean is based on a stage character developed by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis while studying at Oxford University. Curtis went on to become a successful screenwriter and director.

Atkinson says his physical comedy is inspired by early silent films, Jacques Tati’s Monsieur Hulot and Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther films.

Where it went next

Spin offs include five animated series (130 episodes) voiced by Atkinson, books like Mr Bean’s Diary, and two feature films. Mr Bean has appeared for Comic Relief and in the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Associated stories

Atkinson also delights his fans as an historical character in the three Blackadder series and an incompetent spy in the Johnny English films.