Product Description

He captured the hearts of millions of viewers worldwide. His movie grossed nearly a quarter of a billion dollars worldwide. He's been called the most embarrassing man on the planet. Now the entire Mr. Bean series, the British comic phenomenon created by Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral), is finally available in one complete package.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3445 in DVD
• Brand: A&E
• Released on: 2003-04-29
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Dimensions: .70 pounds
• Running time: 375 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Bean, Bean, maniacal nut / The more you watch, you bust a gut! First unleashed in 1989, this sketch series was embraced by PBS viewers in the United States. In the tradition of the great silent clowns, Rowan Atkinson created a character with universal and multi-generational appeal (the sketches have little dialogue and are driven by often ingenious physical comedy). Like Bart Simpson, the resourceful, mischievous, and sometimes malevolent Bean is the inner child incarnate who acts on the impulses polite society normally represses. Atkinson has described Bean as "a 9-year-old boy, with an apparent lack of worldly experience, but an ingenuity that is quite clever in dealing with problems presented to him." These problems include not knowing a single answer on an exam, tactfully disposing of a revolting restaurant meal, changing into his swimsuit at the beach without first removing his pants, and, most hilariously, getting a turkey stuck on his head (a classic bit reprised in the ill-conceived 1997 feature film).

Atkinson has enjoyed some mainstream success stateside. He was the nervous minister ("...your awfully wedded wife") in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the voice of Zazu in The Lion King. But he mainly enjoys cult status among British comedy aficionados as a founding member of Not the Nine O'Clock News and the star of the Black Adder series. Bean is his crowning creation. In addition to all 14 episodes, this generous boxed set contains previously unaired sketches, Comic Relief appearances, and a segment about Bean's creation, which serves as a nifty introduction for the uninitiated. It also contains a preview for the new Mr. Bean animated series. This seems redundant. As this collection hilariously demonstrates, Bean is already animated enough. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

The EDITED bits of Mr. Bean
This DVD set which proclaims itself to be the "whole" Bean isn't quite what it appears to be. While it does contain, in essence, all 14 episodes of the classic series, many of the episodes are slightly or even significantly EDITED. Two glaring examples are: in "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean," the scene of Mr. Bean winning the turkey by guessing it's weight, then throwing it in the back of his car has been CUT. It is NOT here. In "Do-it-Yourself, Mr. Bean," the entire 4-5 minute scene of Bean inside Harrod's trying to take the sale chair away from the old people who get there first has also been CUT. He goes inside... and comes back out with the chair. There is NO scene inside. I would hardly call this the WHOLE Bean. Many other minor segments of him driving have also been cut. All in all, each episode now runs 24-25 minutes instead of the general 27 to 30 minutes. It's a real shame that this set couldn't have been done right, even if it took a fourth disc to do it. I will miss those little moments that are now apparently lost forever. However, what we are left with, edited or not, is still a nice collection... thus, I have to at least give it 3 stars despite my disappointment at it not being truly COMPLETE. I really doubt we will ever see a special "uncut" release, so go ahead and add this set to your collection. The picture's better than ever and the special features are nice but a wee bit minimal. Enough complaining, it's still the best show around... even with his bits and pieces removed.

Should be called "The Missing Pieces of Mr. Bean"
When I heard that all the classic Mr. Bean episodes were going to be released on DVD finally, I was excited. However, after receiving it, I noticed, as did many others here who have submitted reviews, that certain key scenes were missing from some of the episodes.Two glaring omissions on disc 2 include the "Turkey Weigh-In" scene from "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean", and, the "Chair Sabotage" scene from "Do It Yourself, Mr. Bean". Discs 1 and 3 appear to have no missing scenes that I have noticed.Fortunately I still have my VHS "Box of Bean" collection, which I will keep, in order to preserve the episodes in their original entirety.The bonus features are wonderful, and am glad to see their inclusion. However, I was a bit dismayed by the omission of the live Boston performances of the classic "In The Church" sketch.I support the other reviewer's sentiments in the hope that a COMPLETE Whole Bean will become available some time in the future. I also hope the live Boston performance will become available on DVD as well. I would have otherwise rated this a 5-star collection, had everything been intact

Refried Bean
Unfortunately, the producers of this DVD set decided to refry (edit) classic television in order to save a few pennies - to keep this set down to three DVDs, rather than four. Yet, they included a promo for the animated series? Shameless. For this reason, I can give the set no more than four stars.

Curiously, I must also mention that the labeling on the DVDs is incorrect. The last episode listed on the back of the case for Disc 1 is actually the first episode on Disc 2. Also, what the case says should be Disc 2's first episode is actually Disc 1's last. Shoddy production work - but not necessarily worth a rating reduction.

But, that said, Mr. Bean is still wonderfully funny, and I have found the DVDs to be wildly entertaining. My six year old daughter is now a big fan, and I was amazed at how much my three year old enjoyed Rowan Atkinson's physical comedy. Mr. Bean is good, clean "G" rated fun that the whole family can enjoy. This set is a far better alternative to the single disc "highlights" DVD that had been available before.

Having watched the entire set, I do feel satisfied with my purchase. However, I would have been very willing to pay more for a fourth DVD in the set, so that ALL of Mr. Bean's priceless routines could be enjoyed in their original state.