MovieChat Forums > Mr. Belvedere (1985) Discussion > Belevedere's sexuality

Belevedere's sexuality

posted 10 years ago by jarrodmcdonald-1
3 replies | jump to latest

First, I am talking about the character of Lynn Belvedere, not Christopher Hewitt the actor or his lifestyle.

I noticed that around the middle of season 3, Mr. Belvedere's sexual nature sort of changes. In the early seasons he is largely asexual. The episode from season 2 where he dates Wesley's teacher is pretty lackluster with no real sparks. And there is an episode called 'The Auction' where a woman holds him captive in her house and tries to get romantic with him, but he is not at all turned on by that.

I think when Liz Sage joins the show as a producer and writer in season 3, that's when he changes. The first episode I notice the change is the one where Wesley gets blamed for Kevin taking a girl up to George and Marsha's room. Belvedere has a fantasy involving the young woman. Then in a season four episode called 'Kevin Nightingale,' he has a swarm of sexy female nurses around him. And in part two of 'The Trip,' he has a throng of scantily clad ladies around him at the house when everyone but Kevin is away.

So he becomes a lot more outwardly heterosexual as the show moves forward. I think this was an improvement in his characterization.

[–] taopolis 10 years ago

Interesting thread. I think Mr Belvedere always seemed sexually ambiguous, even when they were trying to make him seem straight. And during those episodes where he was supposed to be interested in women, it didn't seem right to me. This is just my opinion, of course, However, after recently watching the show, there are indeed a few episodes where George flirts with Mr Belvedere. Not in a serious way but more the kind of silly flirtation play that a heterosexual man would do with his best friend who happens to be gay.

[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

George teases Mr. Belvedere with innuendo, but in my opinion, he doesn't truly flirt with him. It's almost a mild form of bullying-- and the writers have George tease Belvedere about his weight as well as his feminine characteristics.

But with a change in writers/producers in the fourth season, the show tries to mainstream Belvedere a bit by featuring scenes involving him with sexy women. It is more clearly defined that the character likes women.

I didn't care if ultimately they made Belvedere straight or gay. It just seemed weird that he was so asexual in the first few seasons, probably because those producers didn't know how to deal with that side of the character's nature. They may have been afraid to make a caregiver in a household with impressionable children too forward or demonstratively sexual. Though it did not seem realistic at all to me, and I find it refreshing starting in season 4 that he gets to let his hair down, so to speak. I think Belvedere becomes more of a real person in the later seasons.

[–] taopolis 10 years ago

"George teases Mr. Belvedere with innuendo, but in my opinion, he doesn't truly flirt with him. It's almost a mild form of bullying-- and the writers have George tease Belvedere about his weight as well as his feminine characteristics. "

Yes, that's what it is. I agree

"Though it did not seem realistic at all to me, and I find it refreshing starting in season 4 that he gets to let his hair down, so to speak. I think Belvedere becomes more of a real person in the later seasons. "

Very true !