Keeping Up Appearances:My Way Or the Hyacinth Way
Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet," if you please) begins her career as nosey neighbor and aspiring social climber in these six premier episodes of the popular British comedy. "The Name is Bouquet: B-U-C-K-E-T," sets the tone for the series as Hyacinth pesters the postman for more mail, never-seen son Sheridan calls for money, barely seen Daddy gets in a drunken bicycle accident, and jumpy Elizabeth breaks a teacup. Hyacinth is set to entertain the new minister in "Welcoming the Dishy Vicar," but is interrupted when sister Daisy and her shirtless husband show up to announce that Daddy's run off with a gypsy. And Hyacinth indulges her yen for the well-bred in "Visiting an Acquaintance's Stately Home" when she drags husband Richard off the official tour only to mistake "her friend," the estate owner, for a gardener. There's nothing like seeing the white-gloved, hat-bedecked Hyacinth crouching in a ditch--or being run off the grounds!--Kimberly Heinrichs