Long-suffering spouses in sitcoms

Keeping Up Appearances thread and sitcom descriptions at BBC site made me think how often phrase "long-suffering wife/husband/partner/family" is used when describing a sitcom. Think Hyacinth's, Victor Meldrew's, Gareth Blackstock's, and beyond the Pound, also Ray Barone's spouses. Discuss them, pigeonhole them (OK, this sounds kinda rude), rate them into most and least tolerant long-suffering life partners, etc.
Life partners, equals to the freakish main character(s) (think My Family, Thin Blue Line, perhaps Fawlty Towers) and naively unaware ('Allo 'Allo) do not count.

And for a change, you could keep your threats and desires to anally rape each other to minimum in this thread

I'm not certain what some of your conditions are exactly, but straight away Frank and Betty spring to mind. Albert and Harold. George and Mildred. Del and Rodney. Etc.

Oh yes, Frank and Betty. Classic case of she-should-have-strangled-him-long-ago
Not sure what are Albert and Harold.

George and Mildred (btw, just got it... just love it!) probably wouldn't apply. Mildred is not exactly suffering

Albert and Harold - Steptoe and Son.

Mildred not suffering? Just how much of it have you watched?!

Quote: Aaron @ January 19, 2008, 5:57 PM

Mildred not suffering? Just how much of it have you watched?!

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first series of Man About the House, first series of George and Mildred, and almost four seasons of Three's Company.

I was kind of thinking about those partners, spouses, etc., who basically bow their heads and suffer - like Richard Bucket and Betty. Not like Mildred, who is always quick with comeback, who always mocks George and belittles him.

Watch the other 4 series' of George and Mildred, and come back to me.

I think Diana Coupland, especially when Sid James was up to no good

Pippa Heywood in the Brittas Empire and John Ringham as daphne's husband in Just Good Friends. Niles also by two different wives in Frasier

Who was the long suffering one in Niles's marriages?

I think it was Niles both times. (As I *think* you've said too...)

The title says spouses which can be either sex. Therefore Basil Fawlty & George (Mr Mildred) both suffered.

I reckon Mildred suffered worse. Yes she always snapped back at him, but ultimately she was constantly embarrassed by him and held back by him, putting up with his crudity, selfishness, and how stubborn he was.

George I would argue didn't suffer at all, 'cos he was largely oblivious. Occasionally would succumb to what she wanted (an early night for example), but for the most part pretty much within his own world.

Well maybe I did't watch it that much because I thought it was a typical ITV comedy - that's not being complimentary - and I always thought he was a crap actor.

Elizabeth in Reg Perrin and the wife in Ever Decreasing Circles. Mainwaring in Dad's Army.

Quote: Nick @ January 20, 2008, 1:19 PM

Elizabeth in Reg Perrin and the wife in Ever Decreasing Circles. Mainwaring in Dad's Army.

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I don't think Reggie's wife ever suffered. She always seemed so placid and contented. Even dressed as a yokel.

Jerry Leadbetter!