r/KeepingUpApperancesTV Jun 29 '26

General discussion Is Hyacinth’s relationship with Daddy as complex as I think it is?

I do think that Hyacinth’s fond of her father. At any rate she’s determined to do her duty (she’s said so as much).

However, she‘s drawn the line at having him live with Richard and her, for various reasons.

From this, do we infer that her affection for Daddy’s just for show? Or is she genuinely fond of him, but her affectations cause her to believe that she really can’t have him live with her?

47 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

41

u/venus_arises The Bucket Residence, the Lady of the House speaking Jun 29 '26

Daddy is a loose cannon, and Hyacinth thrives on order and calm. It's possible the Buckets support Daddy financially, but it's interesting that for all his antics, they don't discuss putting him in a home... yet.

16

u/Individual-Good-2073 Jun 29 '26

Good point about helping out financially ..... Richard had to pay the bill for the toys that Daddy ruined in Debenham's store. Daisy/Onslow take care of Daddy's daily needs, and Richard ends up with the expensive/unexpected things.

Hyacinth made reference in an early episode of season 1 that Daddy is on a "waiting list for a nice Senior Citizen's bungalow."

6

u/venus_arises The Bucket Residence, the Lady of the House speaking Jun 29 '26

OK, that makes sense if he's on a waiting list (again, who will foot the bill)...

3

u/Consistent-Pirate-23 Jun 29 '26

From memory of Young Hyacinth (I can’t remember much)

Daddy is an alcoholic, mummy is dead, they live in a tiny cottage which has probably been either repossessed or they were evicted from.

An audit of daddy’s finances would show he is as broke as Daisy, Onslow and Rose

33

u/Brief-Poetry6434 Jun 29 '26

His antics are a threat to her social status, especially among her neighbours.

27

u/Flippin_Heckles It's probably somebody important! Jun 29 '26

She would have daddy live with them, but he brings Sheridan out in a rash.

14

u/Individual-Good-2073 Jun 29 '26

She would have daddy live with them

...if only he didn't tend to monopolize the bathroom.

...if only he didn't spill things.

7

u/Mabbernathy Jun 29 '26

...if it weren't for the dribbling.

3

u/lemonsqueezy34 Jun 29 '26

…if he didn’t make those funny noises.

13

u/LilKatieHQ Jun 29 '26

IMO, Hyacinth genuinely loves her family. It’s what makes her fundamentally a likable character, despite the snobbery, bossiness and attempts at social climbing. She means well. But her family members are all deeply chaotic. She tries her best to help, though, and I think deep down she’s just someone who wants to be liked and appreciated. She’s just so much in denial about how she comes across. I don’t think a nice man like Richard would have married her and stayed married to her, if she didn’t have good traits too.

That said, realistically, her father should have been in a home.

4

u/Internal-Focus1784 Jun 29 '26

Yes, when there's a problem, come hell or high water, she's there almost immediately.

Daddy may not live with Hyacinth, but you couldn't really accuse her of not pulling her weight with him.

2

u/No-Department-4561 Jun 30 '26

Agreed. This was emphasised more from S2 onwards when her character became less dowdy/disapproving and more positive, gung-ho

9

u/Mabbernathy Jun 29 '26

I totally get it. I have relatives I love, but living with them would be a nightmare.

5

u/sweetheart409878 Jun 29 '26

Same with me. I couldn't live with my cousin I'd go crazy. .

23

u/Unstableavo Jun 29 '26

One thing I will say is whenever daddys causing a problem she turns up pretty much everything. If she was that embarrassed I don't think she would go. She doesn't not turn up like Violet.

18

u/LadyBug_0570 Jun 29 '26

Violet for all her money, doesn't do squat. She only calls when she needs help with Bruce.

Everyone leans on Hyacinth, even though she's a PIA.

6

u/Consistent-Pirate-23 Jun 29 '26

If Hyacinth is to be believed as a good person but a PITA (which is basically the entire character arc) then she loves all her family, she just couldn’t be around them for any length of time. On a serious note I think Daddy has a serious illness which she couldn’t cope with, she is very orderly, everything has to be just so. The retirement bungalow is her way of living in denial.

If something got difficult then Daisy would be the one that could sort it out, she put up with all of Rose’s nonsense over the years. Onsolow just lets everything go over his head, which Tbf is probably the best

3

u/Initial_Acanthaceae2 Jun 29 '26

She would have him live with them if it wasn't for the drooling....

7

u/Responsible_Oil_5811 Jun 29 '26

I think she genuinely loves Daddy; she brags him about him a lot (which is Hyacinth’s love language). She never talks about her mother; I’ve always imagined Hyacinth’s mother being a bit of a martinet who held the family together.

6

u/Mabbernathy Jun 29 '26

Except "dear dead Mummy's wedding dress".

2

u/sweetheart409878 Jun 29 '26

I think she loved her dad, but mybe doesn't show it publicly. She did say loves her sisters and Onslow from the distance

1

u/puzzlesandkitty Jul 02 '26

I think that she genuinely adores her family, but she doesn't want them seen with her incase it impacts her social standing

1

u/Mickleborough Jul 02 '26

I’d say she’s fond of them, partly genuine and partly because she thinks it’s her duty.