June 27th, 2008 (10:14 am)
current song: Jeeves and Wooster theme
Episode: Jeeves Saves the Cow-Creamer
Writer: Clive Exton
Season: 2
Adapted From: The Code of the Woosters
Ranking: 5 out of 5
Bertie gets a visit from his Aunt Dahlia who has a task for him. Recently, Uncle Tom had reserved an 18th Century silver cream jug in the shape of a cow at an antique shop in Bond Street for purchase to add to his silver collection. Aunt Dahlia wishes for Bertie to go down and make derisive remarks about its quality, so as to shame the proprietor into lowering the price. Jeeves further advises that he should imply that it looks to be modern Dutch work, which could cause the proprietor to practically give it away. But while at the shop, Bertie has the misfortune to run into Sir Watkin Basset (the judge who had fined Bertie five quid for stealing a constable's helmet on Boat Race Night) and his pal Sir Roderick Spode, who is the leader of a Fascist group called the Black Shorts (that is not a misspelling). Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, Bassett comes to believe that Bertie was attempting to rob the shop. After Bertie makes his escape, Bassett takes notice of the cow creamer and falsely claims to be representing Uncle Tom and buys it. Naturally Aunt Dahlia is enraged and insists that Bertie go to the Bassett country estate of Totleigh Towers and steal it back. What with the unfortunate incident at the antique shop, he's not inclined to do any such thing. But events are conspiring against him. A telegram is received from Gussie Fink-Nottle, who is engaged to Bassett's daughter Madeline. Though it doesn't go into specifics, apparently something had happened which caused Madeline to break off the engagement. As she operates under the delusion that Bertie pines for her, his cherished bachelorhood is in peril if measures aren't taken. Once he arrives at Totleigh though, it's all blown over. Apparently Madeline had gotten the impression that Gussie had been making advances on her cousin Stephanie "Stiffy" Byng, but it was simple misunderstanding. It could still go wrong though. As it happens, Stiffy is in love with Harold "Stinker" Pinker, the curate at the local parish. However, Bassett (to whom Stiffy is ward to) refuses to permit the two to marry. So she gets the idea to have Bertie steal the cow creamer and Stinker will waylay him, thus earning Bassett's gratitude. Bertie is completely against it, as Spode has already threatened him with violence if the cow creamer disappears. However, Stiffy informs him that if he doesn't play along, she'll tell Madeline that Gussie really had been getting fresh with her. It's all very troubling.
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