First broadcast: 1990
Stars: Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie
Adapted by: Clive Exton, based on the stories by P.G. Wodehouse
The lowdown: Long-time comedy partners Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry are perfectly cast in the title roles in this sparkling comedy-drama. Laurie stars as the foppish rich gentleman Bertie Wooster, with Fry as his intelligent valet Jeeves - or "gentleman's personal gentleman". Set against the backdrop of the 1920s and 1930s and with a host of larger-than-life characters, each episode sees Wooster unwittingly caught up in some kind of scrape – and each time it’s down to his trusty aide to try and get him off the hook thanks to an elaborate plan.
Memorable moments: In series three, when Wooster takes on the identity of his good chum Gussie Fink-Nottle, who has been arrested for newt-spotting in the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Much humour arises from the chaos and confusion surrounding Wooster’s new temporary identity, especially when he is taken to meet Gussie's future wife's Godmother. Even Jeeves finds his cunning is pushed to its limits.
Trivia: Both Fry and Laurie are huge fans of the original books by Wodehouse. Fry even wrote to the author before his death in 1975, receiving a signed photo.
