What can be said about a programme with its protagonist being quite speechless? To begin with, despite being often classified as a sitcom, in reality it functions more along the lines of sketch comedy. Each 'episode' contains about three scenarios – quite random with little or no connection – in which we find Mr Bean . . . well being himself.

The word 'episode' is inside inverted commas for a reason: the fourteen 'episodes' are actually independent productions and not a series at all, as can be seen by looking at the air-dates here.

Unlike other Atkinson projects, such as Blackadder or The Thin Blue Line, Mr Bean has enjoyed truly global appeal. The simplistic and visual nature of the comedy, makes it easy for viewers from all nations to understand and enjoy; and indeed, with little to no dialogue nearly nothing becomes 'lost in translation'. This style of comedy also attracts a broad spectrum of viewers. Unlike the aforementioned Blackadder – which is rife with cultural references and witty dialogue – Mr Bean concentrates on physical comedy, enabling viewers of all ages to effortlessly 'get' the gags.

Lastly, the popularity of the Mr Bean character can be reflected in the spin-offs. First, it was made into a feature film in 1997, simply titled Bean. Then in 2002, a cartoon version called Mr Bean: the Animated Series was born. And finally, the future of Mr Bean is still bright, as the next feature film, Bean 2 is in production.
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What can be said about a programme with its protagonist being quite speechless? To begin with, despite being often classified as a sitcom, in reality it functions more along the lines of sketch comedy. Each 'episode' contains about three scenarios – quite random with little or no connection – in which we find Mr Bean . . . well being himself.

The word 'episode' is inside inverted commas for a reason: the fourteen 'episodes' are actually independent productions and not a series at all, as can be seen by looking at the air-dates here.

Unlike other Atkinson projects, such as Blackadder or The Thin Blue Line, Mr Bean has enjoyed truly global appeal. The simplistic and visual nature of the comedy, makes it easy for viewers from all nations to understand and enjoy; and indeed, with little to no dialogue nearly nothing becomes 'lost in translation'. This style of comedy also attracts a broad spectrum of viewers. Unlike the aforementioned Blackadder – which is rife with cultural references and witty dialogue – Mr Bean concentrates on physical comedy, enabling viewers of all ages to effortlessly 'get' the gags.

Lastly, the popularity of the Mr Bean character can be reflected in the spin-offs. First, it was made into a feature film in 1997, simply titled Bean. Then in 2002, a cartoon version called Mr Bean: the Animated Series was born. And finally, the future of Mr Bean is still bright, as the next feature film, Be
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