Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Jing Lusi, Julian Rhind-Tutt, India Fowler, Claudie Blakley, Tom Basden
While the world was abuzz about Khaby Lame being the most-followed person on TikTok, the man who personified silent comedy had made a return to the small screen. Rowan Atkinson, globally known as his character Mr Bean, was our version of an Internet sensation. Mr Bean has been watched all over the globe by people of all ages as his comedy transcends any physical limitations. His silent comedy style alongside his silly but loveable persona has made him into one of the greatest actors/comedians of all time.
On his return to the small screen, Atkinson stars as Trevor Bingley, a newly recruited house sitter. Trevor is hired by Nina and Christian Kolstad-Bergenbatten to watch their house while they go on holiday. The house itself is a smart mansion with automated audio controls and safety codes. Nina is apprehensive about the new hire and leaving her dog Cupcake behind. She hands Trevor a manual with all the information on how to operate the house and how to manage the chores.
From the audience perspective, we see a bee fly into the house and settle himself in when Trevor first enters the house. The bee becomes Trevor’s nightmare during his stay. Although he himself is quite the clumsy man, Trevor loses no time breaking, ruining and burning things in his bid to get rid of the bee.
Trevor ends up destroying all the valuable things in the house but applies his shrewdness to ‘fix’ everything. He even ends up catching robbers without meaning to. The bee manages to survive all the traps laid out for him. A YouTube video watched by Trevor reveals that sometimes male bees wander off when the queen dies until they find a new hive to settle into. A parallel of Trevor’s life as a recently divorced man with nothing to show in terms of career and finances.
The show is a nine-episode series with 10 to 20-minute running time making the episodes quick and easy to watch. Man vs Bee is like a modern take of Mr Bean, except this time the same goofy self-centred man is audible. It might not be as captivating as Stranger Things, but Atkinson’s charm has always been a family-approved hit, making it a great watch for the whole family.
Star rating: 3.5 stars