Favorite 'New' Character In AYBS Again

[sonosun]

Who is your Favorite New Character In AYBS Again?

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

I went with Mavis. Her character was one I didn't like at first but she's such a total hottie and a sweet character, how could you not love her ????

[sonosun]

I went with Mavis. Her character was one I didn't like at first but she's such a total hottie and a sweet girl.

[minki]

I like Miss Lovelock. She was funny, sassy, and a needed injection (along with Mavis) of youth. It's funny to see Captain Peacock tripping over his own tongue trying to impress her :lol:

[frankdicer]

Mavis, the farmers daughter....wow!

I was a little put off by Ms Lovelock at first, but now enjoy her part almost
as much as Mavis.....I think they are both beauties...

Morris with his signature line....sorry to barge in while you got your
snouts in the trough.....classic.

[Catherine]

I had to go with Mavis, even though I was a bit torn because I also like Miss Lovelock. The two characters were in direct contrast to each other, but they both were sweet in their own way.

Every time I watch an episode of that show, I notice something I missed when viewing it before, something usually in the background, a detail within a scene, or with some prop or other. For instance, I recently watched the episode where Mr. Slocombe comes to Millstone Manor with the idea of purchasing it. During the credits at the end, there is Mrs. Slocombe, holding that bowl of "lightly salted butter," digging out a big glob and making as if she's going to throw it at Mr. Slocombe. I guess I'd always switched off the DVD player before that little scene presented itself.

I'm laughing just remembering it. :lol:

Catherine

[Pamela]

I have to pick Mavis-she is so cute and adorable-and sassy with it too lol

But Mr M gets a good strong second place, he really makes me laugh :lol:

[Brad]

I voted for Mr Moulterd.Mavis makes me breathe funny and thats why I have to watch AYBS?Again when the wifes not home! :twisted: Both the Moulterds were a great addition to the show.

[DuranFan]

Voted for Mavis ... she was so sweet! And what a good sport she was bing dumped into that big load of muck (in the eppy where Capt. Peacock finds that gun in the desk drawer). :wink:

[Pamela]

I voted for Mr Moulterd.Mavis makes me breathe funny and thats why I have to watch AYBS?Again when the wifes not home! :twisted: Both the Moulterds were a great addition to the show.

LOL Brad :lol:

[Assistant 134]

My vote went for Mavis.

She the only girl I've seen that almost made an honest man of Mr. Humphries.

[wolf_fire186]

My vote also went for Mavis. I explained why in the post of Do you like AYBS? Again!. I COULD NOT stand Miss Lovelock. Especially when she put Mrs. Slocombe down when she was in her maids uniform. Mrs. Slocombe got it right when she called her a rotten old b****!

[Old Mr. Grace]

I voted for Mr. Moulterd. He was a hoot. I laughed just watching him walk (or stagger). :)

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

My vote went for Mavis.

She the only girl I've seen that almost made an honest man of Mr. Humphries.

"Honest" ??????? He had her in his bed everynight and didn't lay a finger on her... hardly an "honest man" !!!! :lol:

[Zircon]

I had to go with Mavis. Nothing against Maurice Moulterd or Miss Lovelock, but they always felt more like plot devices than real characters to me; Miss Lovelock there as totty and Moulterd as the source of bumpkin gags. It would have been nice to have seen both characters given a little more material to chew on. Find out a bit more about their backgrounds.

"Honest" ??????? He had her in his bed everynight and didn't lay a finger on her... hardly an "honest man" !!!!

Hee!

Perhaps he's still, "thinking ...", Mr WibblyWobbly?

[sonosun]

and didn't lay a finger on her...

They would hardly show that now ,would they? :lol:

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

No but the implication would be nice... she called him a "Perfect Gentleman" which translates into "Fairy Cake" !!!!

[sonosun]

Fairy cake? He was afraid of Mr Moulterd's strap I can tell you that.

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

How about when Mavis and Humphries are in the wood shed sawing the log. Mavis says that her Dad strips down to the waist to do the sawing and Humphries replies "Let's hope it's not a family tradition !!!"
See.... FAIRY CAKE !!!!!

[sonosun]

He was worried about becoming excited to the point of not being a gentleman. :)

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Oh please...... :roll:

[sonosun]

Mrs Humphries would be very disappointed in her Wilberforce if he didn't always behave as a gentleman.

[Zircon]

I'm a little reluctant to get in the middle of this back-and-forth -- given that I have absolutely no idea how much of it is simply in-jokes between old pals! It is, however, an interesting point of debate, so I'm going to wade into the mire and risk making a plonker of myself.

I think the character of Mr Humphries is a lot more interesting and faceted than "the poof". I get the feeling that alongside sexual ambivalence are elements of commitment-phobia and mother-issues. Just because the context is a sitcom, I don't think the character can or should be reduced to cliche. (Perhaps I take these things far too seriously!)

As I've shown quite clearly in another thread, I can't be relied upon to quote the original series. But even the twelve short episodes of "Grace and Favour" that we have contain a number of interesting glimpses into his personal life and background.

I'm no psychiatrist, but I'd say that Mr Humphries's devotion to his mother is necessarily going to affect his relationships with women, romantic or otherwise. It probably goes a long way towards explaining his comment about having "slept alone" his whole life (except for Wilfred). He tells Mavis, "People have knocked ... but my mother's always answered ..."

My impression - from what I remember of the character in AYBS? and from more detailed study of G&F - is that Mr Humphries is capable of directing his romantic attentions in many directions. And that he hasn't actually done so for a long time. That much of his youth was spent experimenting. And that he is not burdened by the same limitations most people perceive within their own defined sexuality.

Well, I mentioned in another thread about filling in the blanks as I go along! The scraps G&F offers convinced me of this misspent youth, of problems (potentially criminal, if ep 2.1 is anything to go by) arising therefrom, of upsetting his mother with said problems and finally, of stepping back from such escapades. Constraining his love-life to the odd double entendre and trip down memory lane, but little more.

And then, our Wilberforce finally leaves home. Couple of hours later, there's a young woman jumping into bed with him. Of course it's going to freak him out. It'd freak most people out! But he's too polite and generous to hurt her feelings by sending her packing; and the comment about "should I bunk up with Captain Peacock" makes his desire to protect an innocent kick in. And Mavis herself is, at that stage, making no moves on Mr Humphries. She even suggests he call her "big sis!"

Throughout the first season, there's gags about Mr Humphries's discomfort with the Mavis situation. Course there is. That's the reason it was introduced -- because a character established as sexually ambivalent would react with humorous disconcertion in such a position. But even in the first season there is the odd glimpse (if you'll forgive me saying so) 'the other way'.

Mr WibblyWobbly points out that:

How about when Mavis and Humphries are in the wood shed sawing the log. Mavis says that her Dad strips down to the waist to do the sawing and Humphries replies "Let's hope it's not a family tradition !!!"

A valid example of Mr Humphries's discomfort. But then there are the counter examples, which show (still within the confines of that first season) that Mr Humphries is growing less unnerved by the presence of a young woman in his bed at night ... and even entertaining the notion of pursuing an attachment with her:

"I don't think I want any breakfast ... I'm going to go for a manly walk. Pop into the newsagents and buy a pipe. Couple of ounces of St Bruno ..."

"Comments have been passed regarding me and Miss Moulterd ... and I don't mind a bit!"

And there's the way he pauses, on his way to attend the staff interviews, and looks back to see Mavis offer a coy little wave, only for his leg to start trembling like a dog having its belly tickled ...

The whole of the first season has a fictional timeline of about a week. That isn't long enough for our hero to grow comfortable with this new, unexpected, albeit chaste intimacy. It's in the second season that he starts to find his feet. He's still standoffish, of course; because he's Wilberforce Humphries, and he'd be standoffish whoever was making eyes at him! But he seems to be less unnerved than in the first season.

The most noteworthy quote I can think of, on this issue, comes when the lady magistrate pops by to tell Millstone Manor about the cricket match. She and Miss Brahms have an exchange, ostensibly about their long/short-sightedness but with overt implications of sexual orientation ...

SB "I'm better further away than closer to."
CL "I'm the other way."
WH "I'm in between ... bi-focals."

It isn't so much the line (which, I suppose it could be argued, might have been intended literally by the character). It's the delivery. Mr Humphries has a mischievous chuckle at his comment, and it's obvious that he sees the double entendre for what it is.

This I take as pretty unequivocal proof that Wilberforce Humphries swings both ways. And thus, has the potential to respond to Mavis's season two flirtations (and the indications are there that he might have. Eventually ...)

Of course, he also has the potential to respond to some beautiful, broad-backed, square-jawed farmhand taken on to assist with harvest time ... :wink:


(I did that long post thing again, didn't I? Sorry.)

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

I loved it though !!!! Brilliant !!!!

[sonosun]

(I did that long post thing again, didn't I? Sorry.)

No problem at all Zircon. You made some very good points.

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Perhaps he's still, "thinking ...", Mr WibblyWobbly?

At his age, there was very little else he could do !!! :lol2: J/K

[sonosun]

At his age, there was very little else he could do !!!

I really think that at his age,just barely retired you know,a problem would be encountered. :wink:

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

:twisted: Cheeky Monkey !!!!

[Zircon]

Perhaps he's still, "thinking ...", Mr WibblyWobbly?

At his age, there was very little else he could do !!! :lol2: J/K

His age?!!! <splutter splutter splutter (and, btw, also J/K)>

I make him 56 in the first season, assuming Mr Humphries shares John Inman's age. Please tell me that isn't the magical age at which men stop being able to ... perform.

I mean, really. Please. Mr Zircon is 53 ...

[sonosun]

Someone we all know is 57 years of age and has a six week old daughter.And she is very cute too. :mrgreen:

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Someone we all know is 57 years of age and has a six week old daughter.And she is very cute too. :mrgreen:

Whoa !!!!!! :lol2: :lol2:
People.. I was ONLY JOKING !!!!!:lol2:

[sonosun]

I was ONLY JOKING !!!!!

I was only joking but someone took it seriously. I'm glad she did. :)

[lovepink]

i voted to Maris and also you also have cute boy that is 11 and beaitful wife that love you too. for you can be any age and have childern.

[Zircon]

Someone we all know is 57 years of age and has a six week old daughter.And she is very cute too. :mrgreen:

Whoa !!!!!! :lol2: :lol2:
People.. I was ONLY JOKING !!!!!:lol2:

Actually, I was only joking too ...

And congratulations to whoever has the newborn. I couldn't tell who it was, the references were too cryptic, but I'm sure they make a picture perfect family!

[dazzlestar14]

Actually, they do make a picture-perfect family with more love than ever. :wink:

Now my favourite new character would have to be Mavis Moulterd. She was so kind and funny. She added a spice of romance to the show while also being down-to-earth. I think her character played a huge role on Mr.Humphries' part.

[Maurice Moulterd]

Close call between Mavis and Maurice. Both characters endeared me to the show. In the end, I voted for Maurice

[Miss Whimsey]

Zircon's points are well taken. Mr. Moulterd sort of filled in for the Mash/Harmon characters; Jessica filled in for the secretarys/nurses and Miss Brahms as eye candy characters. Mavis was something new - certainly she got Mr. Humphries' character into a new (or relatively new) situation - so I voted for her.

Miss Whimsey

[frankdicer]

Zircon's points are well taken. Mr. Moulterd sort of filled in for the Mash/Harmon characters; Jessica filled in for the secretarys/nurses and Miss Brahms as eye candy characters. Mavis was something new - certainly she got Mr. Humphries' character into a new (or relatively new) situation - so I voted for her.

Miss Whimsey

You know, Mavis wasn't knee-slapping funny, she wasn't a dead on sexpot,
and her acting wasn't the stuff of academy awards, BUT, BUT, BUT
She had something that made her seem like the proverbial nice girl next door..... Slap me up-side the head, Knock me down and roll me in a Hog wallow! WHAT A GAL, ah-cha-cha-cha-cha!!!

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

BUT, BUT, BUT
She had something that made her seem like the proverbial nice girl next door..... Slap me up-side the head, Knock me down and roll me in a Hog wallow! WHAT A GAL, ah-cha-cha-cha-cha!!!

ROTFLMAO !!!!! :lol2: :lol2:

[frankdicer]

Mr. Thorpe while probably not a favorite new character is part of the
cast and provides some necessary support to the show. And, he is in
quite a few episodes.

Its just hard not the think of him as Old Ned on "To the Manor Born"

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Mr. Thorpe while probably not a favorite new character is part of the
cast and provides some necessary support to the show. And, he is in
quite a few episodes.

Its just hard not the think of him as Old Ned on "To the Manor Born"

I think of him as his "Lordship" from KUA.

[Maurice Moulterd]

Mr. Thorpe while probably not a favorite new character is part of the
cast and provides some necessary support to the show. And, he is in
quite a few episodes.

Its just hard not the think of him as Old Ned on "To the Manor Born"

I think of him as his "Lordship" from KUA.

Most definitely my favorite KUA!

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Mr. Thorpe while probably not a favorite new character is part of the
cast and provides some necessary support to the show. And, he is in
quite a few episodes.

Its just hard not the think of him as Old Ned on "To the Manor Born"

I think of him as his "Lordship" from KUA.

Most definitely my favorite KUA!

Twas a good one Maurice !!!!

[dazzlestar14]

Ha, I didn't know he was in that episode of KUA, but now I recall it. He looks much older in the AYBS?A to me.

[frankdicer]

Actually, they do make a picture-perfect family with more love than ever. :wink:

Now my favourite new character would have to be Mavis Moulterd. She was so kind and funny. She added a spice of romance to the show while also being down-to-earth. I think her character played a huge role on Mr.Humphries' part.

I like that innocent girl next door character she has....

[LovelyMissShirleyBrahms]

I like Mavis! But Miss. Brahms is still my all time favorite out of the cast. :)