Keeping Up Appearances

A Barbecue at Violet's

Season 5, Episode 8, Aired 10/22/95

Episode Summary

A "luxury barbecue" at Violet's house looks like being a disaster because Bruce and Violet keep having violent arguments. Hyacinth organises a sing song in an attempt to take everyone's mind off their hosts' battle. Later, Hyacinth goes along to a rehearsal of "The Boy Friend" to offer her services to Emmet.moreless

9.3

EPISODE RATING: Superb

25 votes

Your Rating: 10

"Perfect"
Your Rating: 9.5

"Superb"
Your Rating: 9

"Superb"
Your Rating: 8.5

"Great"
Your Rating: 8

"Great"
Your Rating: 7.5

"Good"
Your Rating: 7

"Good"
Your Rating: 6.5

"Fair"
Your Rating: 6

"Fair"
Your Rating: 5.5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 4.5

"Poor"
Your Rating: 4

"Poor"
Your Rating: 3.5

"Bad"
Your Rating: 3

"Bad"
Your Rating: 2.5

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 2

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 1.5

"Abysmal"
Your Rating: 1

"Abysmal"

Rate It

Watch Online

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Jeremy Gittins

The Vicar (Michael)
Patricia Routledge

Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet")
Josephine Tewson

Elizabeth Hawksworth Warden

Fan Episode Reviews (1)

See All

An extremely funny episode, and one of the few occasions in which we actually see Hyacinth's sister, Violet, and her turf account husband, Bruce.

9.5

"Superb"

By Lady_Lancaster, May 18, 2010 Report Abuse

We all know about Violet and Bruce, Hyacinth's sister and brother-in-law, the ones who live 'in a large house with a swimming pool, sauna and room for a pony.' We also know that Violet has a lovely new Mercedes and that Hyacinth is very jealous!

When Hyacinth decides to hold a luxury early evening barbecue, she chooses Violet and Bruce's house as the venue and invites Elizabeth, Emmett, the Vicar and his wife and others. The only problem is, when Hyacinth and Richard arrive early to set up, they find Violet and Bruce in the middle of a very loud, violent argument which means that noise coverage to drown the two of them out is essential. Hyacinth comes up with the idea of a sing-a-long and when the guests arrive, they are instructed to sing along with the name of the song which Hyacinth holda up, printed on white cardboard.

As the arguments gets louder, so does the singing and the expressions on the faces of the guests are a sight to behold as they wonder what on earth is going on! Meanwhile, it's not just the fighting which is a problem when a fire breaks out and ruins everythbing!

Hilarious and entertaining all the way through.moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
1 0

Write a Review

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

Trivia
- Help by adding trivia to this episode. Add trivia
Notes
ADD NOTES
- On the DVDs, this episode is titled "A Bon Vivant Buffet." Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Hyacinth: There! (shows Richard a sign which reads "There will always be an England") Richard: What are you going to do? Show it to Bruce and Violet and hope they surrender? Edit
Allusions
- Help by adding allusions to this episode. Add allusions