MovieChat Forums > Mr. Belvedere (1985) Discussion > Just discovered this show

Just discovered this show

posted 10 years ago by lonnieanixt
3 replies | jump to latest

It's a very interesting show, much different from the shows of today. The family deals with human relations in a very real way, and not everything has a comedic payoff. The show makes you care about the characters, the same way that Mr. Belvedere cares about them, especially the kids, Belvedere is kind of like their conscious, their English Butler version of Jiminy Cricket.
Shows today do not deal with human relations like this, They either trivialize them or go completely overboard. The characters on 'Belvedere' all have their own distinctive personalities, and the show is able to look down as a Parent worrying about their children, or as a child looking out at the World trying to figure it all out.
The two older children deal with the trials and tribulations with the opposite sex that is very dissimilar to the disneyfied versions we see today, they make mistakes and become confused, they embarrass themselves, and get upset and depressed. The Wesley, Belvedere connection is also an important relationship, as the two act like antagonists, but really care about each other. Belvedere becomes Wesley's perfect visualization of a truly grown up adult, while Wesley gives Belvedere that unconditional love that was lacking in his life.
Mr. Belvedere is a lonely man without a family who finds one, and there is something beautiful in the families unconditional love for him, as they take this stranger into their homes and heart.

[–] Edermike 10 years ago

Nice post, glad you found the show.

[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

I agree the characters all have distinctive personalities. One thing I like is that while Belvedere appears in all the storylines, affecting the outcomes, he is not in every scene. The writers allow the rest of the cast to carry the show at times, so it is not all about Belvedere meddling.

You didn't mention George. I think the Belvedere-Wesley relationship involves, both directly and indirectly, Wesley's relationship with his father. There is another thread where someone asks why Wesley is so bratty, and it is probably because he has an immature father like George egging him on all the time. So Belvedere comes along and balances that out by introducing manners, common sense and reasoning (something Wesley was lacking).

[–] jname96 10 years ago

I agree. I re-discovered the show, and it's pretty delightful.

It's NOT free of plenty of 80's sitcom cliches and pitfalls though. It can be overly moralistic and cheesy sometimes for sure.

But overall, it does possess an edge over family sitcoms from that era: the tension between Belevedere and his American cohorts is palpable, and creates very amusing scenarios.