‘A RIVERSIDE PICNIC’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

In this episode, Hyacinth wishes to entertain her friends with a ‘waterside supper with riparian entertainment’ (a riverside picnic, as I’d prefer to call it). This involves rowing boats on the river as well as eating food and drink by the river bank. Hyacinth’s plans however don’t go according to plan.

The people that Hyacinth invites also despair at having to attend. This includes Elizabeth and Emmet, and Jeremy Gittins and Marion Barron as the Vicar and his wife. I found it amusing when the Vicar and Emmet each try to tell Hyacinth that they can’t go, but she doesn’t listen and assumes they can.

It was funny when they were driving to the venue for their riverside picnic that they come across a lot of potholes in the road. It was also funny when Hyacinth sees a dredger dumping dirt in her chosen spot. Hyacinth and Richard also get splashed with water by that same dredger on the river. 🙂

This episode is noted for featuring the debut appearance of Anna Dawson as Violet. I think this was a mistake to have Violet seen at last in ‘Keeping Up Appearances’. It spoilt the mystery for me as to what Violet and Bruce truly looked like. At least they kept Sheridan’s identity a secret in the series. 🙂

Also in this episode, it’s noted by Richard that “It’s not Bouquet; it’s Bucket.” It was always Bucket before Richard met Hyacinth. Now this was interesting to hear and I wonder why Hyacinth would change the name to Bouquet instead of Bucket. She’s clearly embarrassed when Richard mentions it.

I liked it when Onslow, Daisy, Rose and Daddy joined Violet for the riverside picnic organised by Hyacinth. Onslow gets to drive Bruce’s Mercedes, which is a treat. Violet is clearly not embarrassed by Onslow, Daisy and Rose as Hyacinth is. She allows them to stay, even though they weren’t invited.

Apparently in the episode, George Webb as Daddy was building something ‘secret’ which kept Onslow and Daisy awake whilst they were in bed at night. He’s still building something the next day when Onslow tries to watch TV. We never find out what Daddy built since it’s all been kept a secret.

David Janson also appears as the postman here. Apparently Hyacinth sent the ‘waterside supper with riparian entertainment’ invitation to Elizabeth and Emmet in the post, whereas she could have popped it in their letterbox next door. I’m sure David Janson’s postman would find that really stupid.

‘A Riverside Picnic’ rating – 7/10