MovieChat Forums > One Foot in the Grave (1990) Discussion > Victor's Parents

Victor's Parents

posted 12 years ago by Troll_Dahl
10 replies | jump to latest

Something I was thinking about, and wondering if there was any particular reason for, is that Victor's parents are rarely talked about on the show. We do know that Victor's father was apparently also named Victor Meldrew, because we once see Margaret leaving flowers at Victor's dad's grave (a deliberate attempt to mislead the audience into thinking Victor had been killed). I really only remember one conversation, and I don't even remember which episode it was, when they talked about both of Victor's parents and the suggestion, interestingly, was that they hadn't entirely intended to have Victor, which suggests he may have some old baggage or issues with his parents. Do you think part of his problem was that he didn't grow up in a completely warm, loving household?

At any rate, we can assume that his parents both passed away years ago, but is it just understood between Victor and Margaret that the subject isn't discussed? Is it too difficult?

Also, does the fact that Victor was named after his father make it seem likely that he was the older brother to Alfred? Yet it seems like Alfred retired first in the one episode when we meet him ('The Broken Reflection'). Speaking of siblings, I remember one tiny passing reference to Margaret's sister. Then she's never mentioned again! Aren't the Meldrews close to their family? Do they ever talk about them or have them over!?? Of course, it could just be that Margaret's sister can't stand Victor! Margaret's mum was in the picture for a long time but never the sister.

All in all, there's a lot we don't know about the Meldrews' family, which I think is another thing to make them more intriguing.

'Irregardless' is not a word

[–] tremas-1 12 years ago

In that same episode ("The Broken Reflection," Season 3), brother Alfred –visiting from New Zealand – finds some family pictures dating back to the 1930s and says to Victor, "That was when we were still living in Dibley Street, remember? The five of us in that little terraced house at the top of the hill."
The "five of us" suggests 2 parents and 3 children, so there may be another sibling, although the fifth relative may have been "Granny Gosling," whom Alfred also mentions in his reminiscence.
I'll be mindful of references to relatives the next time I replay an OFITG episode (or two).
By the way, the old photos Alfred was going through were authentic in size. Family snapshots made in the 1930s and earlier were usually printed on 3x4-inch paper, at most 5x7, seldom in 8x10. I also was struck by the fact that a late-1930s British newspaper held by Alfred carried a portrait of the Queen Mother. Nice touch of authenticity there.
In response to one of Mr. Dahl's observations, I would say that Victor's attitude was fostered by strict parents. Anyone born in the 1920s or 1930s would have parents who were born and raised at the turn of the century, when moral standards were pretty high and enforced strictly. Victor's law-and-order mindset was likely instilled in him by his parents.
That may be why I empathize with Victor. I was born in the 1930s to parents who were born before the turn of the century (my father was born in 1879, my mother in 1889.)

[–] Troll_Dahl 12 years ago

I remember the family pictures. When Alfred said "the five of us", I had assumed from the dialogue that followed that he meant Granny Gosling. I suppose she was there maternal grandmother, since the other one would have been Granny Meldrew. (Assuming "Gosling" is a family name; I've never heard it as a given name.)

There are sometimes passing to Uncle This or Auntie That, as well as a couple of cousins. Most of them seem to be deceased. In 'The Return of the Speckled Band', the electric man comes to read their meter and they end up accidentally giving his shoes away (which Victor had made him take off so as not to get mud in these house), so Victor gives him an old pair of shoes that used to belong to an Uncle George, who reportedly had "feet like a yeti" (the electric man's feet were very large, which was why none of Victor's shoes would fit him). It all leads me to wonder if Victor has very much family left.

There is the legendary Great Aunt Joyce and Uncle Dick. If Victor is 60, his great aunt must be getting on in years! (A notion supported by the fact that she memorably knitted a pair of gloves with six fingers on each hand and tried to tell him he'd grow into them.)

I distinctly remember that according to the gravestone Vince made for him as a present (when they were staying at the seaside), Victor was born in 1928. I take it that Margaret is a couple of years younger, because a big deal was made of her turning 60 when they were in the Algarve and that was a bit later in the series. Plus, Marageret's mother was still alive for a while and they once mentioned her 80th birthday. I'm assuming she wasn't *too* young when she had Margaret, at least in the 23-25 range.

Victor obviously isn't very fun loving. There could be many reasons in his life for that, some of which we find out throughout the series such as the death of their baby and that sort of baggage of which there seems to be more than enough, but I guess I'd always seen it more as a deeply held conviction about social responsibility than a fixation on "law and order" per se. It sounds like your background is quite different from mine, so maybe that's why I don't see some of the same things.

I'll have to try and find that episode I'm thinking of where they talk a little about his parents. Interestingly, I think Margaret is the one to bring him up. It's a testament to the show's enduring quality that I remember so many little moments. In fact, I remember moments more clearly than whole episodes sometimes, much like life. Sometimes I occasionally forget that a certain subplot happens in a certain episode and pleasantly surprised to rediscover it, because so many different things can happen in an episode--they are so dense--that you can remember disparate subplots and not associate them as being in the same episode.

'Irregardless' is not a word

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Troll_Dahl 12 years ago

I found the other episode I was thinking of it. It was the Christmas special after the third series--'The Man in the Long Black Coat'. They've been talking about how Patrick and Pippa are expecting a baby, and Margaret casually mentions that Victor was conceived completely by accident! She says that Victor's father told her at their wedding reception. Victor had never known this. I think it's the one time when Victor's mother is directly referenced--Margaret says that the mother would have preferred a new cooker or something equal ridiculous! To me, this exchange is telling as to Victor's childhood and upbringing. It makes it seem like there wasn't necessarily a whole lot of affection in the house. The other odd thing I just thought of is that Margaret specifically says that Mr. Meldrew the Elder told her this. Come to think of it, she almost makes it sound like the mother wasn't about. This thought is totally out of left field, but it makes me wonder if the elder Mrs. Meldrew died young?

'Irregardless' is not a word

[–] macpro75 12 years ago

Something else they only touch upon once was that they (Victor and Margaret) had a baby who died at some point in childhood or infancy. Or at least that's how I interpreted it.

now I'm sad....

"It's a real burden being right so often." Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly

[–] Troll_Dahl 12 years ago

Yes, I think it goes a long way to explaining how Victor feels about life general as well. It makes sense when taken together with his seemingly constant depression or moroseness, as well as his feeling that almost nothing has ever gone right for him in his life. The baby was briefly mentioned in the episode Timeless Time, when they stayed up talking all night. It was right at the end of the episode, the revelation being the dramatic high point. I remember that his name was Stuart and it sounded like he died during infancy or soon thereafter. They never go out of their way to explain things on One Foot; I think the conversations are supposed to be as realistic as possible, without forced exposition regarding understandings that the characters already share, so they didn't go into detail about the story. As it should be. If they're going to talk about, they shouldn't just discuss how he died.

'Irregardless' is not a word

[–] macpro75 12 years ago

The baby was briefly mentioned in the episode Timeless Time, when they stayed up talking all night. It was right at the end of the episode, the revelation being the dramatic high point. I remember that his name was Stuart and it sounded like he died during infancy or soon thereafter.

Yes, that's the episode. Thanks! I couldn't recall and I don't have the discs handy!

...his seemingly constant depression or moroseness....

That's interesting. I always thought of him as more angry, railing and raging against the injustices in the world. (I particularly loved his rant thanking Saint Total B*****d, Patron Saint of insurance companies in "The Man Who Blew Away".) I'm not saying you're wrong, it's just a perspective that I never considered. Although thinking about it, he is often saddened by what he sees....

They never go out of their way to explain things on One Foot; I think the conversations are supposed to be as realistic as possible, without forced exposition regarding understandings that the characters already share, so they didn't go into detail about the story. As it should be. If they're going to talk about, they shouldn't just discuss how he died.

That's an almost perfect way to describe it. In real life, it would be too painful to discuss at length and people wouldn't do it. I remember there was an episode of Buffy where someone is doing exposition which was necessary for the viewer but ridiculous for the characters and Faith turned around and said, "What are you, the narrator?" I always get a kick out of that.

"It's a real burden being right so often." Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly

[–] Troll_Dahl 12 years ago

"Disgruntled" would be a good word for Victor. He looks at the world and is obviously very upset and driven near the brink of insanity at times by what he sees. I think frustration, angry outbursts, and general bad temper can come from a mindset of chronic depression.

People don't generally repeat details they already know, unless they have to explain it to someone else and I think it's obviously forced to have characters directly revealing too much information they would already know and wouldn't be likely to summarize the details of again and again.

'Irregardless' is not a word

[–] macpro75 12 years ago

"Disgruntled" would be a good word for Victor.

That's actually a pretty perfect way to describe him.

He looks at the world and is obviously very upset and driven near the brink of insanity at times by what he sees.

Can you blame him with the things that happen on this show?

"It's a real burden being right so often." Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly

[–] avia2 9 years ago

Exactly this. Victor sees things for what they really are (unless they're proper wackos like the man in the shed!). He dislikes people who are dislikeable - the only neighbour he seems to tolerate is Mr Swainey who seems quite nice.