The Jeeves: Difference between revisions

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[[The Jeeves]] is the perfect English butler, valet, or manservant. Always well-dressed, unfailingly polite, devoted to his employer... and usually much smarter or more level-headed than [[Upperclass Twit|his employer]], too. Usually can manipulate him so subtly that he does not even have to speak [[With Due Respect]] to achieve his ends.

The canonical example is Jeeves himself, from the [[Jeeves and Wooster (~~Literature~~)|Jeeves and Wooster]] short stories and novels of [[PG Wodehouse ~~(Creator)~~|PG Wodehouse]] and the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (TV)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' TV series based on them. The original Jeeves, just for the record, is a valet, [[You Keep Using That Word|not a butler]].

The canonical example is Jeeves himself, from the [[Jeeves and Wooster (novel)|Jeeves and Wooster]] short stories and novels of [[P. G. Wodehouse|PG Wodehouse]] and the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (TV series)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' TV series based on them. The original Jeeves, just for the record, is a valet, [[You Keep Using That Word|not a butler]].

A somewhat common subversion, which began while Wodehouse was still writing, is to have the butler as a brutish thug (and possibly a [[Battle Butler]]). Both the original and the subversion are examples of

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== Anime & Manga ==

* The central premise of ''[[~~Black Butler (Manga)|~~Black Butler]]''

* The central premise of ''[[Black Butler]]''

* [[Old Retainer|Genji]] and especially [[Supreme Chef|Gohda]] from ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro Ni]]'' fall into this trope.

* [[Old Retainer|Genji]] and especially [[Supreme Chef|Gohda]] from ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro ni]]'' fall into this trope.

* Pagan, the Darlian's butler from ''[[Gundam Wing]]''.

* Tokita, the Itoshiki-family butler in ''[[Sayonara Zetsubou ~~Sensei~~]]''. He's ultra-competent and ''seems'' more sensible than his employers, although since this is a [[World Gone Mad]], he has his own quirks.

* Tokita, the Itoshiki-family butler in ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei]]''. He's ultra-competent and ''seems'' more sensible than his employers, although since this is a [[World Gone Mad]], he has his own quirks.

* In ''[[Wild ~~Rose (Manga)~~|Wild Rose]]'', Mikhail's butler Bernt is utterly unflappable and appears like a phantom the moment Kiri slacks off in his work.

* In ''[[Wild Fangs|Wild Rose]]'', Mikhail's butler Bernt is utterly unflappable and appears like a phantom the moment Kiri slacks off in his work.

== [[Comic Books]] ==

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* Cadbury, the butler of [[Richie Rich]].

* From [[Archie]] Comics, the Lodge family butler, Smithers.

* Nestor, the butler of Marlinspike Hall in the ''[[Tintin ~~(Comic Book)~~]]'' series.

* Nestor, the butler of Marlinspike Hall in the ''[[Tintin]]'' series.

== [[Film]] ==

* Hobson, Arthur's valet from ''[[Arthur (~~Film~~)|Arthur]]''.

* Hobson, Arthur's valet from ''[[Arthur (film)|Arthur]]''.

* Martin from the 1998 version of ''[[The Parent Trap]]''.

* Leonard's butler in ''Leonard Part Six''.

* ''The Admirable Crichton'' (Title and description of Jeeves-like hero).

* Wadsworth in ''[[Clue (~~Film~~)|Clue]]''.

* Wadsworth in ''[[Clue (film)|Clue]]''.

* Bates from ''[[~~Top Hat (Film)|~~Top Hat]]'' for Horace.

* Bates from ''[[Top Hat]]'' for Horace.

* Bensonmum in ''[[Murder By Death]]'', memorably acted by Alec Guinness.

** That's [[Running Gag|Jamessir Bensonmum]], to be precise.

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== [[Literature]] ==

* Jeeves from the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (~~Literature~~)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' series of short stories and novels by [[PG Wodehouse ~~(Creator)~~|PG Wodehouse]], later adapted into the popular ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (TV)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' TV series. The [[Trope Namer]], of course.

* Jeeves from the ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (novel)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' series of short stories and novels by [[P. G. Wodehouse|PG Wodehouse]], later adapted into the popular ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (TV series)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'' TV series. The [[Trope Namer]], of course.

** Mention should also be made of Sebastian Beach, the butler supreme of Blandings Castle.

** [[Subverted Trope|Subverted]] with Voules, Reggie Pepper's manservant. Reggie Pepper was a [[Upperclass Twit|scatterbrained aristocrat]] who was later [[Expy|Expied]] into Bertie Wooster, and Voules at first appears to be a cool, calm forerunner of Jeeves...until he turns out to be an angry, drunken [[Jerkass]] who betrays his master. [[Characterization Marches On]], what?

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* [[Lord Peter Wimsey]]'s valet Bunter is not, in fact, smarter than his amateur-detective employer, but he does have a number of useful skills that his boss doesn't -- like knowing how to develop a photograph.

* The [[Meaningful Name|meaningfully-named]] Jock Strapp of the ''[[Charlie Mortdecai]]'' series is written as the subversion type, and is actually described as the anti-Jeeves. He's crude [[Dumb Muscle]] and completely loyal to his cunning employer, the titular [[Villain Protagonist]] (or anti-hero on a good day).

* Butler, the [[Battle Butler]] of the ''[[~~Artemis Fowl (Literature)|~~Artemis Fowl]]'' series has some resemblance to the subversion, but is well-spoken enough to resemble [[The Jeeves]].

* Butler, the [[Battle Butler]] of the ''[[Artemis Fowl]]'' series has some resemblance to the subversion, but is well-spoken enough to resemble [[The Jeeves]].

* Vimes' butler Willikins in the ''[[Discworld]]'' books encompasses both this trope and its subversion: normally, he is the perfect Jeeves (minus the subtle manipulation of a wayward master), but in his childhood or when the situation demands, he was and becomes a thug.

** Indeed, in ''[[Discworld ~~(Literature)~~/Jingo|Jingo]]'' he switches from one to the other in mid-sentence. "''Let 'em 'ave it right up the...'' oh, is that you, Sir Samuel?"

** Indeed, in ''[[Discworld/Jingo|Jingo]]'' he switches from one to the other in mid-sentence. "''Let 'em 'ave it right up the...'' oh, is that you, Sir Samuel?"

** In ''[[Discworld ~~(Literature)~~/Thud|Thud]]'', he keeps acting like the perfect Jeeves even after personally eliminating half of a commando squad attacking the Vimes home, and then hosing down their invasion tunnel with a flame-thrower.

** In ''[[Discworld/Thud|Thud]]'', he keeps acting like the perfect Jeeves even after personally eliminating half of a commando squad attacking the Vimes home, and then hosing down their invasion tunnel with a flame-thrower.

*** Also in the same book, Willikins admits to having been a street gang member (in a gang even Vimes, a gang kid and possibly the Disc's dirtiest fighter, describes as a tough, mean lot) in his youth, favoring a cap-brim lined with sharpened penny coins. We also see him assisting the watch as a volunteer reservist later. Vimes marvels at the difference in Willikins' working-class background and his current highbrow butler status.

** In ''[[Discworld ~~(Literature)~~/Snuff|Snuff]]'', {{spoiler|Vimes insists that Willikins come with the family to the country manor. Willikins acts as personal manservant, preparing drinks and getting the manor's staff to respect their new master, and bodyguard, heavy on the latter. While the examples above could fall into service or self-defence, some of Willikins' actions are very shady, things Vimes may want to but won't order, such as shooting at an old lady while making a gang think one of their own did it, making them definitely in the wrong and giving the police an opening; and killing the [[Psycho for Hire]] when he escapes for a second time, rather than delivering him to the police.}}

** In ''[[Discworld/Snuff|Snuff]]'', {{spoiler|Vimes insists that Willikins come with the family to the country manor. Willikins acts as personal manservant, preparing drinks and getting the manor's staff to respect their new master, and bodyguard, heavy on the latter. While the examples above could fall into service or self-defence, some of Willikins' actions are very shady, things Vimes may want to but won't order, such as shooting at an old lady while making a gang think one of their own did it, making them definitely in the wrong and giving the police an opening; and killing the [[Psycho for Hire]] when he escapes for a second time, rather than delivering him to the police.}}

** The Igors are pretty much this for the [[Mad Scientist]] type. Although they are willing to work for non-mad scientist types.

* Stevens in Kazuo Ishiguro's ''[[The Remains of the Day]]'' is a [[Deconstruction]] of this, {{spoiler|what with all the realising that his life has been meaningless and the Nazis and everything.}}

* In Robert Asprin's ''[[Phules Company]]'' books we have Beeker, the batman of Willard J. Phule. Whilst his insanely rich employer is busy inspiring his [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits]] troops (and he does -- no [[Upperclass Twit]] here), he's the one who frequently has to pull his arse out of the <s>line of</s> fire.

* Sam Weller of ''[[The Pickwick Papers]]'', while somewhat less polished than most, is certainly far more level-headed than Pickwick himself.

* Lugg in the [[~~Albert Campion (Literature)|~~Albert Campion]] mysteries is a good example of the subversion.

* Lugg in the [[Albert Campion]] mysteries is a good example of the subversion.

* Because he apparently hated butlers (going so far as to say they had their own circle of hell, [[Laser-Guided Karma|where kitchen-maids and journalists could watch their torments from Heaven]]), [[Hilaire Belloc]] wrote a different kind of subversion in ''The Emerald of Catherine the Great''. The butler acts like [[The Jeeves]] around his master (except his schemes don't work), but is thuggish to the other servants. He even switches between [[British Accents|posh dialect and Cockney]], depending on whether there are toffs around or not.

* [[Poul Anderson]]'s [[Technic History]] has the valet of Dominic Flandry, Chives, who is a clear [[Shout-Out]] to Jeeves. Even if he is not human.

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== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* Massively defied by Edmund Blackadder in ''[[~~Black Adder~~]] the Third'', who constantly manipulates his self-confessed "thick as a whale omelette" employer for his own ends. Interestingly, his employer is portrayed by [[Hugh Laurie]], who also played Wooster.

* Massively defied by Edmund Blackadder in ''[[Blackadder]] the Third'', who constantly manipulates his self-confessed "thick as a whale omelette" employer for his own ends. Interestingly, his employer is portrayed by [[Hugh Laurie]], who also played Wooster.

* Geoffrey from the sitcom ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel Air]].''

* Geoffrey from the sitcom ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]].''

** And his spiritual ancestor, Benson DuBois of ''[[Soap]]''.

* Frasier hires one of these in one episode of the [[Frasier|show named for him]], although he only plays up the [[British Stuffiness]] when on the clock, and is happy to discuss Man Utd with Daphne in the kitchen.

* Niles from ''[[The Nanny]]''

* There is Frick from the mini-series ''[[Merlin (TV)|Merlin]]''. He is the polite and well-mannered servant to Queen Mab who horribly mistreats him. He often tries to serve as the voice of reason only to be ignored and is often the one to actually carry out her plots. {{spoiler|He leaves her employ/is fires when Mab kills the woman he loves. He then helps Merlin destroy her.}}

* There is Frick from the mini-series ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]''. He is the polite and well-mannered servant to Queen Mab who horribly mistreats him. He often tries to serve as the voice of reason only to be ignored and is often the one to actually carry out her plots. {{spoiler|He leaves her employ/is fires when Mab kills the woman he loves. He then helps Merlin destroy her.}}

** He defines his role and the trope perfectly when Merlin meets him at the end saying: ''"There will always be a need for the perfect gentleman's gentleman, and I was and always will be one of the best."''

* In an episode of [[Even Stevens]] Louis hires Chives, an English butler, for a week.

* Kryten of ''[[~~Red Dwarf (TV)|~~Red Dwarf]]'' is named after the Admirable Crichton, although he's [[The Woobie]] as much as [[The Jeeves]].

* Kryten of ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' is named after the Admirable Crichton, although he's [[The Woobie]] as much as [[The Jeeves]].

* Hudson from [[Upstairs, Downstairs]], who often puts duty and rectitude before compassion or flexibility, or even his own selfish needs. In one story, he panics when he is seen by Sir Richard at a restaurant entertaining relatives from Australia because he thinks he is aping his betters and thus deserves to be sacked. He is quite shocked when Bellamy doesn't get rid of him, though Bellamy's brother makes him squirm quite a bit.

* Carson from ''[[Downton Abbey]]''. Only [[World War One]] can stop him from running the house perfectly

== Theater ==

* Speed definitely comes off this way in ''[[~~Two Gentlemen of Verona (Theatre)|~~Two Gentlemen of Verona]]''; he's a cheerful [[Servile Snarker]] with an unbelievably quick wit, as likely to rib his master for being in love as he is to help him put his gloves on.

* Speed definitely comes off this way in ''[[Two Gentlemen of Verona]]''; he's a cheerful [[Servile Snarker]] with an unbelievably quick wit, as likely to rib his master for being in love as he is to help him put his gloves on.

* Tranio in ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''--a [[Gentleman and A Scholar]] who's willing to do [[Puss in Boots|literally anything to help his master out]]. (And, incidentally, to help himself to some of his master's power.) Lucentio never does a thing without consulting him.

* Tranio in ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''--a [[Gentleman and a Scholar]] who's willing to do [[Puss in Boots|literally anything to help his master out]]. (And, incidentally, to help himself to some of his master's power.) Lucentio never does a thing without consulting him.

* ''[[Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]'': In the song "Go, Go, Go, Joseph", the Pharaoh's butler is referred to as "the Jeeves of his time".

* ''The Admirable Critchton'' appeared before even Jeeves. Though he plays [[Hypercompetent Sidekick]] to an entire family of [[Upperclass Twit|Upper Class Twits]] (and single-handedly saves the day when they end up on a [[Deserted Island]]), he still believes that it's wrong for the upper and lower classes to mingle too much and maintains that, as a mere servant, he should know his place.

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* Lawrence is one of these to Dr. Nefarious in the ''[[Ratchet and Clank]]'' series.

* In [[Fallout 3]], when you get a house (either in Megaton or Tenpenny Tower), you are given a robotic butler to help explain the house's functions, give you fresh water, and tell you jokes. Both possible butlers speak with a british accent and have remarkable manners.

* In [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl ~~(Video Game)~~|Pokemon Platinum]] (and [[Pokémon Gold and Silver ~~(Video Game)~~|Pokemon Heartgold and Soulsilver]]), Darach is this to Caitlin. [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Castle_Valet_Darach Just look at him] His title is Castle Valet, and he battles you in place of Caitlin, who is implied to have tantrums when she loses. Darach is polite and proper, and he also says En garde! Caitlin is also a powerful Psychic who can't control her powers, so you can see why she doesn't battle. {{spoiler|Doesn't stop her from [[Taking a Level In Badass]] and becoming an Elite Four member in [[Pokémon Black and White|Black and White]]}}.

* In [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl|Pokemon Platinum]] (and [[Pokémon Gold and Silver|Pokemon Heartgold and Soulsilver]]), Darach is this to Caitlin. [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Castle_Valet_Darach Just look at him] His title is Castle Valet, and he battles you in place of Caitlin, who is implied to have tantrums when she loses. Darach is polite and proper, and he also says En garde! Caitlin is also a powerful Psychic who can't control her powers, so you can see why she doesn't battle. {{spoiler|Doesn't stop her from [[Taking a Level In Badass]] and becoming an Elite Four member in [[Pokémon Black and White|Black and White]]}}.

== [[Web Comics]] ==

* After he won the lottery, Robbie of ''[[PvP]]'' hired a butler ''named'' Butler who plays this to the hilt and can solve any problem the other characters have if they ask him to.

** ... And apparently {{spoiler|1=LolBat in his spare time}}.

* In ''[[No Rest for The Wicked (~~Webcomic~~)|No Rest for The Wicked]]'', Perrault effectively runs his master's life. Until he decides he's bored; and even then setting guidelines for continued success while he's gone.

* In ''[[No Rest for The Wicked (webcomic)|No Rest for The Wicked]]'', Perrault effectively runs his master's life. Until he decides he's bored; and even then setting guidelines for continued success while he's gone.

* In ''[[Girl Genius]]'', Gilgamesh Wulfenbach's assistant Wooster is a {{spoiler|complete aversion}} of this trope, considering that {{spoiler|he works for British Intelligence. Gil knows about this.}}

** Considering [[Jeeves and Wooster (~~Literature~~)|the man's name]], it's not much of a surprise.

** Considering [[Jeeves and Wooster (novel)|the man's name]], it's not much of a surprise.

** Despite being {{spoiler|a spy with his own agenda}} and a university friend rather than someone hired as a professional manservant, he does seem to be good at his {{spoiler|cover}} job. And given [[Mad Scientist|who his employer was]], having a batman with non-traditional talents probably came in handy.

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== Western Animation ==

* In ''[[~~Gargoyles (Animation)|~~Gargoyles]]'', Xanatos' secretary/butler/manservant/majordomo/whatever Owen Burnett (who chose this life over... Nah, that would be telling).

* In ''[[Gargoyles]]'', Xanatos' secretary/butler/manservant/majordomo/whatever Owen Burnett (who chose this life over... Nah, that would be telling).

** And Preston Vogel, whom Owen modeled his personality {{spoiler|and current form}} on.

* Duckworth from ''[[~~Duck Tales~~]]''.

* Duckworth from ''[[DuckTales]]''.

* One of Gromit's many household roles in ''[[Wallace and Gromit]]''. Usually the cause of his misfortune.

* One episode of ''[[The Fairly Odd Parents]]'' had Timmy getting a butler named Jensen. [[Plot Hole|There didn't seem to be a problem with him seeing Cosmo and Wanda]].

* An episode of ''[[Danny Phantom]]'' had Danny getting rich and getting a butler named Hopkins.

* An episode of ''[[Jimmy Two-Shoes]]'' had Beezy getting a butler who literally ''lived his life for him''.

* [[Archer]] has a butler named [[Spell My Name ~~With~~ an "S"|Woodhouse]] ([[PG Wodehouse ~~(Creator)~~|get it?]]) who is definitely more down-to-earth than his employer. Unusually, in contrast to the norm wherein [[The Jeeves]] is the one "really in charge", Archer treats Woodhouse like shit (although we frequently get hints that the valet has his own little ways of getting revenge).

* [[Archer]] has a butler named [[Spell My Name with an "S"|Woodhouse]] ([[P. G. Wodehouse|get it?]]) who is definitely more down-to-earth than his employer. Unusually, in contrast to the norm wherein [[The Jeeves]] is the one "really in charge", Archer treats Woodhouse like shit (although we frequently get hints that the valet has his own little ways of getting revenge).