Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s comedy series ‘Man vs Bee’ revolves around Trevor Bingley (Rowan Atkinson), a house sitter who looks after Christian and Nina’s mansion when the couple goes on a vacation. As Trevor starts his house sitting, a bee commences to disturb him. The show progresses through Trevor’s attempts to kill the bee as the insect becomes the reason behind the damages caused to the mansion, threatening his job. As Atkinson’s portrayal of the realistic character captivates us, the viewers may want to know whether Trevor is based on a real person or the actor’s iconic character, Mr. Bean. Well, let us share the answer!
Is Trevor Bingley Based on a Real Person?
No, Trevor Bingley is not based on a real person. The character was conceived to tell the tale of a house sitter. “We just liked the idea of a house sitter who was clearly under-qualified for the task he had, which was to look after a very wealthy couple’s house, full of extremely valuable objects,” co-creator Rowan Atkinson told British Comedy Guide. Along with co-creator William Davies, Atkinson further developed the character. However, the relatability of Trevor isn’t coincidental. The character is deliberately conceived to be a typical and familiar man.
“[…] I think Trevor was supposed to be much more of a real guy, really. He’s something of an everyman,” David Kerr, the director of the show, told Variety. The character is also conceived to address “obsessiveness” as a human trait. According to Kerr, Trevor “has a decidedly obsessive streak,” which paves the way for his misfortunes and “war” against the bee. Trevor’s obsession to annihilate the bee even leads him to burn down the very house he is supposed to look after, which shows how the trait can be destructive.
Although Trevor isn’t based on a real person, the admirers of the character must be wondering whether “Mr. Bingley” is an alternative version of Mr. Bean, Atkinson’s best-known character. Well, let’s find out!
Is Trevor Bingley Based on Mr. Bean?
No, Trevor Bingley is not based on Mr. Bean. The character’s distinctiveness from Mr. Bean is also not coincidental. “It was really important to all of us that Trevor shouldn’t just be Mr. Bean,” Kerr added to Variety. Atkinson, who portrays and co-conceived the character, acknowledged the parallels between his two characters but he had made it clear that they are independent. “The idea of a man stuck in a house with a bee – it’s undoubtedly redolent of Mr. Bean, it’s got a hint of the Mr. Bean world. But I knew that for this kind of thing, Mr. Bean as a character wouldn’t work at all,” the actor said in a press conference.
According to Atkinson, Trevor had to be a more appealing and pleasant character than Mr. Bean. “He [Mr. Bean] would be too self-centered, too sort of unpleasant, or there’s a risk of it being unpleasant. So we decided that we really needed just a nicer man. So Trevor Bingley, who’s the hero of Man vs Bee, he’s just an ordinary bloke really, a pleasant guy who clearly hasn’t been very successful in life,” Atkinson told the press regarding the differences between the two characters.
Trevor’s pleasing appeal helps the viewers to connect with him and his struggles, which is essential to understand the nuances of his downhill caused by his aforementioned obsession. Still, it is sure that ardent Mr. Bean admirers will think of the iconic character’s encounter with a wasp during a picnic while watching Trevor’s battles against the bee.
Read More: Is Man vs Bee Based on a True Story?
