Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

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Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
Mr-bean-animated-episode-opening-card.PNG
Title card for the first three seasons
Genre Animated series
Created by Rowan Atkinson
Based on
Mr. Bean
by
Voices of
Composers Howard Goodall
John Greswell (Bean Hypnotised)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageBritish English
No. of series5
No. of episodes130 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Claudia Lloyd (season 1)
  • Tom Beattie (season 2 and 3)
  • Christopher Skala (season 3)
Editors
  • Mark Edwards (season 1)
  • Thomas Ernst (season 1)
  • Zsolt Iván Varga (series 1)
  • Graham Silcock (season 2)
Running time11 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network ITV (CITV)
ITVX Kids
Release5 January 2002 (2002-01-05) 
2 June 2004 (2004-06-02)
Release16 February 2015 (2015-02-16) 
8 October 2019 (2019-10-08)

Mr. Bean: The Animated Series is a British animated sitcom produced by Tiger Aspect Productions in association with Richard Purdum Productions and Varga Holdings (for the first season). Based on the live-action television sitcom of the same title created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, the sitcom centers on Mr. Bean (Atkinson), Teddy, Irma Gobb (Matilda Ziegler), the Reliant Regal's mysterious driver, Mrs. Julia Wicket (Sally Grace) and her cat Scrapper. In February 2001, the series was officially announced, with it premiering shortly afterwards. [2] [3]

Contents

Debuting on 5 January 2002 and originally ending on 2 June 2004, the first three seasons featuring 52 episodes in total were broadcast, each consisting of two 11-minute segments. The first two seasons were originally broadcast on ITV at a Saturday night slot. In May 2004, the sitcom left the Saturday night slot and the third season was instead broadcast daily on CITV due to the show's popularity with younger audiences.

In January 2014, a revival of the sitcom was announced, with Rowan Atkinson returning as the voice of Mr. Bean, along with other cast members reprising their roles. The revival premiered on 16 February 2015 and ended on 8 October 2019 on CITV. [4] It contained more actual dialogue than in the original live-action sitcom, which mostly featured little sound effects and mumbling.

In January 2024, another revival was announced, set to release in 2025 on ITVX in the United Kingdom and Cartoonito in Europe. [5] [6]

Cast and characters

Main

The show's characters and props. From left to right: Mr. Bean, Teddy, Mrs. Wicket, Scrapper, Miss Wince, Irma Gobb, and Mr. Bean's Mini. Mr Bean animated characters.jpeg
The show's characters and props. From left to right: Mr. Bean, Teddy, Mrs. Wicket, Scrapper, Miss Wince, Irma Gobb, and Mr. Bean's Mini.

Supporting

Episodes

Reception

The show was met with mostly positive reviews from television critics. Common Sense Media, an education and advocacy group that promotes safe technology and media for children, gave the show 3 stars and wrote that the "UK slapstick cartoon [is] geared toward older kids, adults." [8]

Home media

Mr. Bean: The Animated Series has been released on DVD by A&E Home Video in Region 1, and by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment in Regions 2 and 4. In the United States, the first three seasons of the show were released in its entirety on six volumes, while in the United Kingdom and Australia, the six volumes only contained 47 out of all the 52 episodes, with the remaining episodes instead appearing as extra features on DVDs of the original live-action sitcom.

The reason for this was that when the five episodes were classified by the British Board of Film Classification in the United Kingdom, they were each given a PG certificate instead of a U certificate unlike the other episodes. It was then decided that all DVDs of the series should have a U certificate each, resulting in the five PG-rated episodes not being included.

In Region 4, the DVD Mr. Bean: The Animated Series: Season 2, Volume 3 – Racing Adventures was an exclusive product for Big W; nowadays, it is no longer available. [9]

Mr. Bean: The Animated Series home video releases
SeriesEpisodesRelease dates
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
1 200218Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 29 August 2005; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010; twenty-fifth anniversary reissue: 20 July 2015
Episode(s) featured: "In the Wild" – "Spring Clean"
Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 27 March 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Birthday Bear" – "Homeless"
Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 13 November 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Nurse!" – "The Bottle"
The Bean Boxset!: 18 March 2008; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Cat-Sitting and More Paw-some Adventures!: 29 August 2016
Episode(s) featured: "Birthday Bear" • "The Mole" • "Dead Cat" • "Magpie" • "Cat-Sitting"
Egg and Bean and Other Springtime Surprises: 3 April 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Spring Clean"
Volume 1: Bean There, Done That: 30 September 2003 [10]
Episode(s) featured: "Nurse!" – "The Bottle"
Volume 4: Grin and Bean It: 28 September 2004 [11]
Episode(s) featured: "No Parking" • "Bean's Bounty"
Volume 6: It's Not Easy Being Bean: 28 September 2004
Episode(s) featured: "In the Wild" • "Missing Teddy" • "Mime Games" – "Homeless"
Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 18 August 2004
Episode(s) featured: "In the Wild" – "Spring Clean"
Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 4 July 2007
Episode(s) featured: "Birthday Bear" – "Homeless"
Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "Nurse!" – "The Bottle"
2 200316Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 31 July 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Royal Bean" – "Toothache"
Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 13 November 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Neighbourly Bean"
Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 19 March 2007; twentieth anniversary reissue: 9 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Inventor" • "Car Trouble" • "Restaurant" • "Wanted"
The Bean Boxset!: 18 March 2008; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Cat-Sitting and More Paw-some Adventures!: 29 August 2016
Episode(s) featured: "In the Pink"
On Thin Ice and Other Winter Wonders: 2 October 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Young Bean" • "Dinner for Two"
Volume 1: Bean There, Done That: 30 September 2003
Episode(s) featured: "Goldfish" • "Inventor"
Volume 2: Whatever Will Bean, Will Bean: 30 March 2004 [12]
Episode(s) featured: "Royal Bean" – "Restaurant"
Volume 3: It's All Bean to Me: 30 March 2004
Episode(s) featured: "Art Thief" – "Wanted"
Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "Royal Bean" – "Toothache"
Volume 4: Seven Smashing Stories: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "Neighbourly Bean"
Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "Inventor" • "Car Trouble" • "Restaurant" • "Wanted"
3 200418Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 29 August 2005; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010; twenty-fifth anniversary reissue: 20 July 2015
Episode(s) featured: "Artful Bean" • "The Fly"
Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 27 March 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "No Pets" • "Ray of Sunshine"
Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 31 July 2006; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Camping" • "Chocks Away"
Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 19 March 2007; twentieth anniversary reissue: 9 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "Gadget Kid" – "Keyboard Capers"
Volume 6: Eight Sticky Scrapes: 22 November 2007; twentieth anniversary reissue: 9 September 2010
Episode(s) featured: "A Royal Makeover" – "Egg and Bean" • "Hopping Mad!" • "A Grand Invitation" • "Bean in Love" • "Double Trouble"
The Bean Boxset!: 18 March 2008; twentieth anniversary reissue: 6 September 2010
Cat-Sitting and More Paw-some Adventures!: 29 August 2016
Episode(s) featured: "The Fly" • "Hopping Mad!" • "No Pets"
Egg and Bean and Other Springtime Surprises: 3 April 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Egg and Bean" • "Hopping Mad!" • "Ray of Sunshine"
Volume 3: It's All Bean to Me: 30 March 2004
Episode(s) featured: "Gadget Kid" – "Keyboard Capers"
Volume 4: Grin and Bean It: 28 September 2004
Episode(s) featured: "Artful Bean" – "Egg and Bean"
Volume 5: The Ends Justify the Beans: 28 September 2004
Episode(s) featured: "Camping" – "Double Trouble"
Volume 1: Eight Amazing Adventures: 18 August 2004
Episode(s) featured: "Artful Bean" • "The Fly"
Volume 2: Eight Exciting Escapades: 4 July 2007
Episode(s) featured: "No Pets" • "Ray of Sunshine"
Volume 3: Eight Terrific Tales: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "Camping" • "Chocks Away"
Volume 5: Eight Eventful Escapades: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "Gadget Kid" – "Keyboard Capers"
Volume 6: Eight Sticky Scrapes: 28 October 2009
Episode(s) featured: "A Royal Makeover" – "Egg and Bean" • "Hopping Mad!" • "A Grand Invitation" • "Bean in Love" • "Double Trouble"
4 2015–1652Volume 7: Nine Tremendous Tales (Original release) / Home Movie and More Tremendous Tales! (2017 New Cover Re release): 7 September 2015
Episode(s) featured: "Home Movie" – "Valentine's Bean"
Volume 8: Nine Splendid Stories (Original release) / Holiday For Teddy and More Tantalising Tales! (2017 New Cover Re release): 19 October 2015
Episode(s) featured: "All You Can Eat" – "Lord Bean"
Volume 9: Racing Adventures and More Exciting Escapades!: 23 May 2016
Episode(s) featured: "Car Wars" – "Taxi Bean"
Volume 10: Halloween and More Awesome Stories!: 3 October 2016
Episode(s) featured: "Muscle Bean" – "Halloween"
Volume 11: SuperBean and Other Splendid Stories!: 30 January 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Wrestle Bean" – "Ice Cream"
Egg and Bean and Other Springtime Surprises: 3 April 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Holiday for Teddy" • "Scout Bean" • "A New Friend" • "Ice Cream"
Volume 12: Birthday Bean and Friends: 24 July 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Bean Painting" • "Birthday Party" – "Bean Shopping"
On Thin Ice and Other Winter Wonders: 2 October 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Green Bean" • "Rat Trap" • "Viral Bean" • "Lord Bean" • "Jurassic Bean"
Volume 7: Nine Tremendous Tales: 24 September 2015
Episode(s) featured: "Home Movie" – "Valentine's Bean"
Volume 8: Nine Splendid Stories: 24 September 2015
Episode(s) featured: "All You Can Eat" – "Lord Bean"
Volume 9: Racing Adventures and More Exciting Escapades!: 16 June 2016 [13]
Episode(s) featured: "Car Wars" – "Taxi Bean"
Volume 10: Halloween and More Awesome Stories!: 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Muscle Bean" – "Halloween"
Volume 11: SuperBean and Other Splendid Stories!: 2017
Episode(s) featured: "Wrestle Bean" – "Ice Cream"

In other media

A third-person platform video game based on the series was released in the late 2000s on multiple platforms. It was first released in PAL regions as Mr. Bean on the PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and Microsoft Windows. A Wii port of the game, titled Mr. Bean's Wacky World, was also released shortly after those versions in the same regions, with a North American localisation of the port being available in 2011.

Multiple mobile games based on the series have been released such as Mr. Bean: Around the World, [14] Mr. Bean: Flying Teddy, Mr. Bean: Sandwich Stack,Mr. Bean: Special Delivery and more which are available globally on iOS, Android, and Amazon mobile devices.

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References

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  2. Deans, Jason (6 February 2001). "Mr Bean turned into cartoon". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  3. "Mr.Bean To Become A Cartoon". 10 October 2000. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  4. Guide, British Comedy (22 January 2014). "Rowan Atkinson working on new animated Mr Bean series". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  5. Ramachandran, Naman (4 January 2024). "'Mr. Bean' Animated Series Returns for Fourth Season". Variety. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  6. Cusipag, Jhon Dave (13 January 2024). "Mr. Bean: The Animated Series to have season 4 in 2025". ABS-CBN News . Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  7. {{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDaeLCHeqn8}}
  8. "Mr. Bean: The Animated Series". Common Sense Media . 29 June 2011.
  9. Mr. Bean: The Animated Series: Season 2, Volume 3 – Racing Adventures DVD , retrieved 24 July 2018
  10. "Mr. Bean (2002): It's Not Easy Being Bean / Bean There, Done That". Amazon.com. 2 September 2003.
  11. "Mr. Bean (2002): Grin and Bean It / The Ends Justify the Beans". Amazon.com. 31 August 2004.
  12. "Mr. Bean (2002): Whatever Will Bean, Will Bean / It's All Bean to Me". Amazon.com. 2 September 2003.
  13. "Mr. Bean Animated Season 2 – Volume 3 DVD R4 for sale online". eBay.
  14. "Mr. Bean to Travel Around the World – the Gamer Scene – Gaming News & Reviews". Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2015.