MovieChat Forums > One Foot in the Grave (1990) Discussion > Mrs Warboys/Mr Swainey and Patrick and P...

Mrs Warboys/Mr Swainey and Patrick and Pippa

posted 12 years ago by kathmaxwell828586
14 replies | jump to latest

Anyone notice how Mr Swainey and Mrs Warboys never have scenes with Patrick and Pippa? Even though Swainey is their neighbour two doors along you never see them interact. I think this was good because it was more realistic, there was no reason for Mrs Warboys to know the Meldrews neighbours and although the trenchs and Swainey must have known each other it doesn't mean they would have a lot to do with each other, i have a neighbour two doors down who i have never spoken to!

[–] Henry_Marzini 12 years ago

Mr Sawiney actually did have a scene with Pippa in the episode "Who will buy" I think but yeah I see what you mean. It is kinda strange but not unrealistic that Mrs Warboys and Mr Swainey and the Trenches didn't have any proper scenes together.

Remember, there might be some MOMENTARY DISCOMFORT.

[–] kathmaxwell828586 12 years ago

ah right, i'll have to take another look at that episode then as i can't remember that at all.

I couldn't see Swainey and Patrick ever getting on or having much in common either.

[–] Henry_Marzini 12 years ago

It's a fairly short scene between Mr Swainey and Pippa. so it is.

And yes Patrick and Mr Swainey never had a scene together. I always wondered though what a scene with them two would be like.

Remember, there might be some MOMENTARY DISCOMFORT.

[–] tremas-1 12 years ago

Board contributor r-sloan99 writes: "Was it intentional of the writer or was it just concidence that [Patrick and Mr. Swainey] never had any scenes together? I could imagine Patrick complaining about Mr Swainey the same way he did about Victor."
If Patrick had met Mr. Swainey, chances are that he would have flogged the mild and guileless lad with his acid tongue in a nasty, vicious, uncalled-for way.
True, Patrick raked Victor over the coals, but it always was for something Victor had done (or something that Patrick THOUGHT Victor had done). Mr. Swainey was the show's naive, child-like do-gooder who never harmed anyone. Exposing him to Patrick's ire would have been like kicking a puppy and would have soured the flavour of the show.
That's why writer David Renwick never placed those two in a social situation, I think.

[–] Henry_Marzini 12 years ago

Ah that's a good point. That's probably the reason why.

Remember, there might be some MOMENTARY DISCOMFORT.

[–] tremas-1 12 years ago

Right you are, r-sloan99, the Swainey-Pippa scene appears in "Who Will Buy?" (Season 2) and it's a brief conversation backstage in a theater where Victor has just performed a ventriloquism act. There's no indication that Swainey and Pippa know each other socially. She tells him she has come to pick up Victor in her car and he tells her he's distressed because he has just heard of the murder of a blind man he knows.
I suspect that series writer David Renwick didn't want to create subplots between secondary characters because such subplots would draw the viewers' attention from the two main characters, Victor and Margaret.

[–] Henry_Marzini 12 years ago

Yes that is ther only scene where they interact. It is kinda strange though isn't it the way Mr Swainey and Patrick never interacted considering Mr Swainey and Mrs Warboys had a couple of scenes together. I wonder was it intentional of the writers or was it just concidence they never had any scenes together ? I could imagine Patrick complaining about Mr Swainey the same way he did about Victor.

I'm watching One foot in the grave again. Brilliant show, absouletly brilliant.....or so I'm told by people who have actually seen it.

Remember, there might be some MOMENTARY DISCOMFORT.

[–] Troll_Dahl 12 years ago

The one time I remember Mrs. Warboys and Mr. Swainey having a substantial amount of time together was in 'Hearts of Darkness' during the outing to the countryside. Even then, we didn't spend most of the episode with them. But they did interact and I think it was one of the few times. It's quite realistic that way, in a sense. Mrs. Warboys, Mr. Swainey, and the Trenches (Patrick and Pippa) are all different components of the Meldrews' social lives and it's a lot more believable than conveniently *always* having everyone assembled in one room.

'Irregardless' is not a word

[–] dale79 7 years ago

In 'Descent Into the Maelstrom' (Season 4, Episode 2), Nick Swainey is on the floor, his back has gone after having mended the Meldrews' waste disposal unit. Mrs Warboys comes into the kitchen and asks if he is dead!

[–] johnbalance 7 years ago

Just watched that episode now. There's no indication given that Swainey and Pippa know each other or have ever met before.

[–] heat22000 12 years ago

I was going to say that I didn't think that there was a single scene either where it is just Margaret and Patrick together even though there are quite a few Margaret/Pippa and Victor/Patrick scenes... but they are very briefly alone together in 'The Man in the Long Black Coat' when Margaret is returning his missing ginseng.

[–] carterjames345 12 years ago

Same with Ronnie and Mildread they never share any time with Mrs Warboys (dread to think how Victor would cope with that lol) The closest we get to Nick/Patrick scene is in beware of the trickster on the roof, at the very end Victor is talking to Nick about someone looking watching over us and agrees. Then sees Patrick approching looking very angry and turns to Nick and says some of us then looks at the TV arial.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Kraal718 11 years ago

I've just been rewatching the series recently,and i was thinking the exact same thing.In particular Mrs Warboys and Patrick/Pippa,why was there never any interaction between these characters.
In the episode SECRET OF THE SEVEN SORCERERS they almost come close as Victor And Margaret have invited the Trenchs over for a "bury the hatchet" meal,and as they arrive Mrs Warboys who is in the kitchen fretting about her husband's affair leaves.
I can think of endless comical scenarios had these characters met,and could easily picture Patrick's bemused facial expressions at Mrs Warboy's lack of tact and sensitivity.