Bean or not Bean, that is the question.
I mean ... do you prefer Rowan Atkinson when he's playing Mr. Bean, or when he plays other characters? Personally, as much as I love Bean, I think a lot of Rowan Atkinson's other stuff is a lot funnier, like Johnny English, Black Adder, etc. I guess I just prefer verbal comedy over physical comedy, and Mr. Bean is nothing but physical comedy. Still funny though.
I agree with you, his theatrical work and one man shows are genius!
shareMost certainly not Bean, I have to say. Always loved Black Adder in all his incarnations, I found both Johnny English-movies to be funny (though I realize I might be in the minority here), but Bean...
I remember watching Bean for the first time right after (or during) the time "Blackadder Goes Forth", I was 17 - 18 yrs at the time, and I can recall laughing so hard I had trouble breathing. It was the one with the exam, the blind guy on the beach, singing in church, etc. The next few times I saw anything with Bean, it fell from hilarious to funny to mildy amusing -- and in a relatively short time to mostly annoying, as the character became extremely repetative, and a children's cartoon (both in actuality and in essence).
One of the reasons why I found it so funny in the beginning was of course the stark and unexpected contrast to Black Adder, and of course that the character (and the way Atkinson plays him) IS funny -- for a short little bit. I know this sounds judgemental and probably arrogant, but I've always believed that if you're capable of enjoying Mr. Bean equally over a long period of time, you're either a child or a person who is... shall we say, "easily pleased".
The character has made him a wealthy man, and I'm happy for his success, but I have to say I'm incapable of seeing Mr. Bean nowadays without sighing and wishing he'd do more Black Adder.
IMDb-boards would be less confusing if people would mark their signatures clearly.