Discussion

[applea.livejournal.com]

While watching Blackadder over the weekend, I began to wonder- what would have happened if Rowan Atkinson had been asked to play Jeeves instead of Stephen Fry. I mean, Laurie's character is much the same (yet, dare I say it- smarter? in Plum's version) and both Blackadder and Jeeves share the similarities of serving the Prince/Wooster (henceforth shortened to Prince Wooster), rescuing him from the soup, being the cleverest one in the room, coming out ahead in every situation, and being darker to Prince Wooster's light.
Now, the characters are similar, but obviously different, so if Atkinson had gotten the role he'd be playing it slightly differently than he would his Blackadder role.

But it still stands Jeeves would probably sound much more blackadderish/malicious if he had gotten the role. How much do you think that would impact the message and interpretation of Plum's stories? And as a theoretical, which would you prefer/ think is more true to the stories?


For reference, here's a bit of Blackadder:
http://youtu.be/3iHPOabGtXs

Comments

[jameta4all.livejournal.com]

I've never felt Jeeves to be any sort of malicious to Wooster, even though a lot of his schemes do end up with Bertie looking a bit of a tit. I think that's just Jeeves having a bit of fun.
But Blackadder outright hates his employers/friends and his only reason for using schemes to make them look stupid is because if he was obvious he'd get his head lopped off.
Atkinson can definitely pull off suave ("I'd forgotten how dishy you are!") but I wouldn't be satisfied if he played Jeeves anywhere near the way he plays Blackadder. Blackadder always has a hint of smarm, which just isn't Jeeves.

[applea.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's it exactly! What I'm curious is what the fanbase thinks- could Atkinson change his mannerisms sufficiently enough to suit the role? Or would Blackadder bleed in?

[thistlethorn.livejournal.com]

What I'm curious is what the fanbase thinks- could Atkinson change his mannerisms sufficiently enough to suit the role?

I certainly think so. Atkinson has played very kindhearted characters (Four Weddings And A Funeral; Keeping Mum), so I definitely think he has the range to have played Jeeves as the rather gentler, kinder version the Fry and Laurie production gave us (which I definitely prefer, relationship-wise, to the books, and which tempers for me some of the less considerate bits of humor in the books. Not to say that I don't adore the books; I do). But I think it's just as well we weren't given an Atkinson-Laurie pair; it would have put viewers (or this viewer, at least) in mind of Blackadder and Prince George.

"Prince Wooster" just slayed me. LOL

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

I think too much Blackadder would have bled in. I wouldn't want to see a Jeeves that mean and smarmy.

[trista-zevkia.livejournal.com]

"I've never felt Jeeves to be any sort of malicious to Wooster, even though a lot of his schemes do end up with Bertie looking a bit of a tit. I think that's just Jeeves having a bit of fun."

Rather! Bertie, without Jeeves, ends up looking lit a tit with a black eye. Bertie knows this, which is (part) of why he lets Jeeves do things his way. Jeeves uses Berties tit-worthiness(tm) in his schemes, but doesn't give Bertie more embarrassment than he can handle. Except when we make him do so, and we get make-up sex!