The Complete Jeeves and Wooster (1990-93) – DVD Review

Film:
DVD:

Written by: Clive Exton, based on the novels of P.G. Wodehouse
Directed by: Robert Young, Simon Langton, and Ferdinand Fairfax
Starring: Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie

Features:

• P.G. Wodehouse Filmography/Biography

Released by: A&E
Region: 1
Rating: NR
Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio

My Advice: Rent it.

Bertie Wooster (Laurie) is a modern man of substance. However, he is without a valet. Magically, after a very rough night of carousing and general drunkeness, Wooster finds himself welcoming Reginald Jeeves (Fry) into his life. After Jeeves mixes him one of his secret hangover remedies, Wooster hires him on the spot. And thus you have the beginning of a perfect relationship.

[ad#longpost]This is a wonderfully dry and witty series. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie craft such a believable relationship right from the beginning that they can be as silly and as outrageous throughout the series and it just flat works. The supporting cast is just as strong as they are. Production values are great and they seem to have gone to great lengths to be as accurate as possible with the time period.

The series normally consists of Wooster getting into trouble of some sort (normally by his own hand) and Jeeves has to step in and provide the solution to get his employer out of the way of whatever fate has for him–this includes matrimony. As with any series, some individual episodes work better than others–but overall, it’s all quality stuff. This is British television, after all, and they’d rather put out six excellent episodes in a season than to crank out twenty-something so-so episodes in the same amount of time.

Although the DVD set is every episode and is formidable in that regard, it is a bit disappointing that that’s really all it has to offer. The only special feature across all eight of these discs is a Filmography/Biography of P.G. Wodehouse. That’s it. I would think that they could have gotten Fry and Laurie together for a commentary on an episode or two or a series of interviews or…something. With enough people still around from the series itself, I’m sure they could find enough people willing to give it a go.

Fans of the series or British comedy completists will want to snap this one up just for the show itself, but everyone should at least give it a rental. You won’t regret it.

• The slimline case re-issue of this is actually cheaper. Recommend you buy it instead.
• Click here to buy Jeeves & Wooster stuff from Amazon.