History Series / KeepingUpAppearances

* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: Daisy and Onslow, according to Hyacinth. Even Onslow himself cannot fathom what Daisy sees in him. However, it's probably more applicable to Hyacinth's marriage to Richard, as an inversion. In Richard's case, one gets the impression that they fell in love and married before she began her social climbing in earnest. It's also suggested (and the actor has said in interviews) that Richard is quite lazy, (but nothing like as bad as Onslow) and appreciates having decisions made for him. Creator/PatriciaRoutledge herself once emphasized this by stating that Hyacinth ''never fails to cook, clean and iron for her husband.''

** Richard is still working at the start of the series (he took early retirement in series 3).

* TheAllegedCar: Onslow's beat-up '78 Ford Cortina (the one that runs - barely). The one in their front garden - the remains of a Hillman Avenger - is a few steps beyond "alleged".

'''Emmet & Elizabeth''' ''(in unison):'' and I'm back where I started.\\

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The ClipShow has Daisy and Onslough looking through Hyacinth's memoirs, with Onslough taking a lot of pleasure from reading the "Embarassing Moments" section. His amusement comes to an end when he learns that she's included the time she danced with him on the [=QE2=].

* PopCulturalOsmosisFailure: Onslough remarks that there's some good television on tonight and asks Hyacinth if she ever watches ''Series/{{Neighbours}}''. Hyacinth unsuprisingly says that she does, but [[NosyNeighbor only when they're in danger of letting the area down]].

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Hyacinth has the perfect answer to Elizabeth spilling drinks: a cup with a lid.

''Later...''\\
'''Hyacinth''': Worry not! I have the solution. I saw this while shopping, and I shall keep it especially for you. ''(Holds up a pink sippy cup)''

** Hyacinth will get a phone call. It will be from her son, one of her siblings or a Chinese restaurant.

* MockMillionaire: Hyacinth wants to give the impression that she and Richard are much wealthier - and therefore much more cultured and upper-crust - than they appear. She coaxes Richard ''to steal a Rolls-Royce'', drive it to a hotel, and make an appearance at its coffee shop just so she can show off to Lydia Hawksworth, who made a disparaging remark at one of her candlelight suppers. This backfires spectacularly when the police catch up to her and arrest them just as Lydia drives up.

--> '''Hyacinth:''' You'll pay for this, Richard Bucket! ''{{Beat}}'' Bouquet!

* TiedUpOnThePhone: Hyacinth sometimes gets tangled in the cable of her prized white Slimline telephone with recall facility, complete with absurdly long cord.

Hyacinth has another sister Violet (Anna Dawson) who, in contrast to Daisy and Rose, is very wealthy. Hyacinth even boasts about her to guests when she is on the telephone with her ("[[CatchPhrase It's my sister Violet! She's the one with the Mercedes, sauna, and room for a pony!]]") Despite this, Hyacinth tries to keep at bay the cross-dressing, prostitute-hiring antics of Violet's turf accountant (i.e., bookmaker) husband Bruce (John Evitts). At first [[TheGhost an unseen character]] for most of the show, Violet physically appears a number of times in the last series.

Hyacinth's sisters, Daisy (Creator/JudyCornwell) and Rose (Shirley Stelfox, then Mary Millar), are both much lower class, living in a council house with a junked car (and resident dog) permanently parked in their front garden. Their [[TheAllegedCar car stutters and belches out black smoke]]. Daisy is a down-to-earth type rather in awe of Hyacinth's pretensions; Rose is the local HardDrinkingPartyGirl whose sex-life provides much of the incidental comedy -- especially her crush on Hyacinth's (very married) [[TheVicar parish vicar]]. Daisy's husband, Onslow (Creator/GeoffreyHughes), is a stereotypical FatSlob who is perennially unemployed and completely ignores his wife's amorous advances, though there are hints that he is in fact [[BrilliantButLazy very intelligent]], in comic contrast to Hyacinth. He has a sort of survivor's bond with Richard, whom he occasionally tries to "rescue." The sisters' senile and lecherous elderly Daddy (George Webb), who is still fighting the Second World War, also lives with Daisy and Rose, and regularly causes havoc with his antics.

** In the first series, Rose is played by Shirley Stelfox (she was replaced by the more familiar Mary Millar from series 2 onwards).

* RichLanguagePoorLanguage: Hyacinth works hard at her [[IAmVeryBritish RP]] to cover her naturally Wirral accent, [[AccentRelapse which nevertheless can slip through when she's flustered]]. Rose, particularly when played by Shirley Stelfox, would also sometimes put on an RP accent when trying to impress others.

--> '''Hyacinth:''' You couldn't destroy the integrity of a house like this with a lift!
--> '''Richard:''' Oh, I could destroy the integrity of a house like this with a lift.
--> '''Hyacinth:''' The exercise will do you good.

* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: A variation, but the neighbors relish any time in which Hyacinth is away for an extended period, such as "Please Mind Your Head."
-->'''Postman:''' Good morning, sir!
-->'''Emmett:''' Yes, isn't it? The birds are singing, and thank God only the birds are singing.
-->'''Postman:''' Gone for long, is she?
-->'''Emmett:''' No, but every minute counts.

---> '''Daisy:''' How come you never take me out to restaurants?
---> '''Onslow:''' I do take you out to restaurants.
---> '''Daisy:''' When?
---> '''Onslow:''' I took you to that Italian, where you got spaghetti stuck in your earring.
---> '''Daisy:''' That was thirty years ago. We were on honeymoon.
---> '''Onslow:''' Still counts.
---> '''Daisy:''' You've never taken me since.
---> '''Onslow:''' Well, if you're gonna get spaghetti stuck in your earring.

--> '''Hyacinth''': Mind the pedestrian, Richard...
* BaitAndSwitch: A minor example in the episode "Please mind your head". As Hyacinth and Richard climb the stairs to their attic apartment, a second Hyacinth suddenly appears, revealing that she was in front of a huge ornate mirror, and the viewer was looking at her reflection.

* BrickJoke: Soon after Hyacinth has snapped "how could that hiker have the impertinence to think I was talking to a tree?" [[note]] she was talking to Richard who was up the tree, looking for Iron Age remains [[/note]], Richard casually sings Creator/ClintEastwood's "I talk to the trees".

* CampStraight: Emmet. Catty, terribly fey, organises the local musicals... very appreciative of Rose's 'friendly legs'.

* ComedySeries

--> '''Daisy:''' (To Hyacinth) It's Rose. Her hormones are running riot again.
--> '''Onslow:''' She's locked herself in her room, which is very inconvenient as I'm out of cans, and she's got the bottle opener.
--> '''Daisy:''' Suppose she harms herself on the bottle opener?
--> '''Onslow:''' Or worse, suppose she loses it?
--> '''Daisy:''' She sent for the vicar, she says she needs spiritual company.
--> '''Onslow:''' As well as the bottle opener?

---> '''Hyacinth:''' Mind the pothole in the road!
---> '''Richard:''' Minding the pot-'ole.

---> '''Emmet:''' ''(To himself)'' Greater love hath no man for his sister, than to be Hyacinth. ''(To Elizabeth, imitating Hyacinth) Corffee'' at eleven, Elizabeth?
---> '''Elizabeth:''' Thank you, Hyacinth. ''(Emmet glares at her)'' I'm sorry, but you were so lifelike.

--> '''Hyacinth:''' How can a place look like this fifty years after the Blitz?!

'''Emmet & Elizabeth''': ''(in unison)'' and I'm back where I started.\\

--> ''(Richard opens car door)''
--> '''Hyacinth''': Perhaps I should stay in the car.
--> ''(Richard begins to close the door)''
--> '''Hyacinth''': No, no, perhaps I should meet her at the door.
--> ''(Richard opens the door, Hyacinth gets out)''
--> '''Hyacinth''': Then again, I don't want to look too eager: perhaps I ''should'' stay in the car.
--> ''(Hyacinth gets in)''
--> '''Hyacinth''': ''(sharply, just as Richard closes the door)'' No, no!! (Richard opens the door) I think the best thing would be for you to ring the bell, and when she opens it, she'll find me admiring her garden. A subtle compliment, without going too far.

---> '''Daisy:''' The only persistent unwelcome visitor here has been the rent man.
---> '''Onslow:''' And your Hyacinth.

[[caption-width-right:333:The Bucket woman[[note]]"It's pronounced 'Bouquet'..."[[/note]] is inviting you to one of her candlelight suppers.]]

Hyacinth's sisters, Daisy (Judy Cornwell) and Rose (Shirley Stelfox, then Mary Millar), are both much lower class, living in a council house with a junked car (and resident dog) permanently parked in their front garden. Their [[TheAllegedCar car stutters and belches out black smoke]]. Daisy is a down-to-earth type rather in awe of Hyacinth's pretensions; Rose is the local HardDrinkingPartyGirl whose sex-life provides much of the incidental comedy -- especially her crush on Hyacinth's (very married) [[TheVicar parish vicar]]. Daisy's husband, Onslow (Creator/GeoffreyHughes), is a stereotypical FatSlob who is perennially unemployed and completely ignores his wife's amorous advances, though there are hints that he is in fact [[BrilliantButLazy very intelligent]], in comic contrast to Hyacinth. He has a sort of survivor's bond with Richard, whom he occasionally tries to "rescue." The sisters' senile and lecherous elderly Daddy (George Webb), who is still fighting the Second World War, also lives with Daisy and Rose, and regularly causes havoc with his antics.

Hyacinth's sisters, Daisy (Judy Cornwell) and Rose (Shirley Stelfox, then Mary Millar), are both much lower class, living in a council house with a junked car (and resident dog) permanently parked in their front garden. Their [[TheAllegedCar car stutters and belches out black smoke]]. Daisy is a down-to-earth type rather in awe of Hyacinth's pretensions; Rose is the local HardDrinkingPartyGirl whose sex-life provides much of the incidental comedy -- especially her crush on Hyacinth's (very married) [[TheVicar parish vicar]]. Daisy's husband, Onslow (Geoffrey Hughes), is a stereotypical FatSlob who is perennially unemployed and completely ignores his wife's amorous advances, though there are hints that he is in fact [[BrilliantButLazy very intelligent]], in comic contrast to Hyacinth. He has a sort of survivor's bond with Richard, whom he occasionally tries to "rescue." The sisters' senile and lecherous elderly Daddy (George Webb), who is still fighting the Second World War, also lives with Daisy and Rose, and regularly causes havoc with his antics.

Obsessed with improving and showing off her social status, Hyacinth routinely rides roughshod over everyone unlucky enough to know her, assuming they are an admiring chorus who will do whatever she wants. Her HenpeckedHusband, Richard (Creator/CliveSwift), is long-suffering verging on sainthood. Also frequently roped into her schemes are her patient but timid neighbour Elizabeth Warden (Creator/JosephineTewson), who is prone to dropping Hyacinth's expensive crockery, Elizabeth's composer brother Emmet Hawksworth (Creator/DavidGriffin), who cannot stand Hyacinth, [[HollywoodToneDeaf especially when she sings at him]], as well as the local vicar (Jeremy Gittins) and his wife ( Marion Barron). No matter how firmly they tell her "No," she only hears "Yes, my lady." She's also blind to the abundant evidence that her son is anything other than her idea of perfect. Her numerous schemes are often scuttled by her own lack of intelligent thought and planning as well her increasingly panicked desperation whenever she loses control.

Obsessed with improving and showing off her social status, Hyacinth routinely rides roughshod over everyone unlucky enough to know her, assuming they are an admiring chorus who will do whatever she wants. Her HenpeckedHusband, Richard (Creator/CliveSwift), is long-suffering verging on sainthood. Also frequently roped into her schemes are her patient but timid neighbour Elizabeth Warden (Josephine Tewson), who is prone to dropping Hyacinth's expensive crockery, Elizabeth's composer brother Emmet Hawksworth (Creator/DavidGriffin), who cannot stand Hyacinth, [[HollywoodToneDeaf especially when she sings at him]], as well as the local vicar (Jeremy Gittins) and his wife ( Marion Barron). No matter how firmly they tell her "No," she only hears "Yes, my lady." She's also blind to the abundant evidence that her son is anything other than her idea of perfect. Her numerous schemes are often scuttled by her own lack of intelligent thought and planning as well her increasingly panicked desperation whenever she loses control.

The show revolves around Hyacinth Bucket (Patricia Routledge) ([[BlatantLies apparently pronounced]] '[[PretentiousPronunciation Bouquet]]', as she's [[InsistentTerminology often heard correcting people]]), social climber extraordinaire. Snobby, shallow, and blissfully unaware of how annoying she is, Hyacinth is desperately worried that she isn't upper-class enough. Which, considering her family, she definitely isn't.

* HollywoodToneDeaf: Hyacinth. Patricia Routledge is actually a talented singer, but Hyacinth's loud, shrieking performances make every character within earshot wish they were many miles away.

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: When Hyacinth starts to get riled up, her affected upper-crust accent will tend to slip and her natural working class accent will start to slip through.[[note]]Which is also Patricia Routledge's own accent; she was born to a haberdasher and his wife in Birkenhead and spent her childhood there before crossing the Mersey to Liverpool to study English at university.[[/note]]

* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: Daisy and Onslow, according to Hyacinth. Even Onslow himself cannot fathom what Daisy sees in him. However, it's probably more applicable to Hyacinth's marriage to Richard, as an inversion. In Richard's case, one gets the impression that they fell in love and married before she began her social climbing in earnest. It's also suggested (and the actor has said in interviews) that Richard is quite lazy, (but nothing like as bad as Onslow) and appreciates having decisions made for him. Routledge herself once emphasized this by stating that Hyacinth ''never fails to cook, clean and iron for her husband.''

** Hyacinth's sister and brother-in-law, Violet and Bruce, are often mentioned during the first four series. However, Violet is never seen while Bruce makes occasional [[HeWhoMustNotBeHeard nonspeaking or minimal dialogue cameos]], often doing something that embarrasses Hyacinth. This is averted in the final series when they become recurring characters.

--> '''Hyacinth''': ''(sharply, just as Richard closes the door);; No, no!! (Richard opens the door) I think the best thing would be for you to ring the bell, and when she opens it, she'll find me admiring her garden. A subtle compliment, without going too far.