When the BBC announced a prequel to the legendary sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, fans were both excited and skeptical. The original series, which aired from 1990 to 1995, remains one of the most beloved British comedies of all time, largely thanks to Patricia Routledge’s iconic portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bou-quet, of course).

Her desperate attempts to climb the social ladder, her obsession with appearances, and her hilariously disastrous interactions with her working-class family made the show a timeless classic.

So, when Young Hyacinth premiered in 2016, expectations were sky-high. The prequel aimed to explore Hyacinth’s younger years, showing how she became the woman we all knew and cringed at with delight.

But did it capture the magic of the original? And more importantly—did fans actually love it?

Young Hyacinth was set in the 1950s, long before she married Richard and became the queen of suburban snobbery. It followed a young Hyacinth (played by Kerry Howard) as she struggled to maintain dignity and order in her working-class home, living with her rough-around-the-edges family, including her alcoholic father and three unruly sisters.

The idea was to show that even as a young woman, Hyacinth was determined to rise above her station, speaking with a refined accent while surrounded by chaos. The BBC hoped to give audiences a fresh perspective on Hyacinth’s origins while maintaining the humor and charm that made the original show so successful.

One of the biggest challenges Young Hyacinth faced was living up to Keeping Up Appearances. The original sitcom worked because of Patricia Routledge’s genius performance—her exaggerated mannerisms, her over-the-top voice, and her desperate (but failing) attempts to seem aristocratic.

Kerry Howard’s performance as young Hyacinth was energetic and enthusiastic, but many fans felt something was missing. While she had the posture, the voice, and the attitude, the show didn’t quite deliver the same comedic punch.

Another major issue was the lack of familiar characters. One of the best parts of Keeping Up Appearances was its ensemble cast—long-suffering Richard, lazy Onslow, timid Elizabeth, and ever-patient Emmet.

In Young Hyacinth, these characters didn’t exist yet, and many fans felt the new supporting cast lacked the same charm.

When Young Hyacinth aired, reactions were mixed.

• Some loyal fans enjoyed it, appreciating the attempt to flesh out Hyacinth’s backstory. They liked the nostalgic setting and the effort to capture her early snobbish tendencies.
• Others felt disappointed, saying that without Patricia Routledge, it just didn’t feel like the same show. Many argued that Hyacinth’s humor worked because of her interactions with others, especially Richard and Onslow, and the prequel simply didn’t have that dynamic chemistry.
• Some fans believed that Hyacinth’s mystique was better left unexplored. They didn’t necessarily want to sympathize with young Hyacinth or understand why she was the way she was—they just wanted to laugh at her as she was in the original series.

Unlike Keeping Up Appearances, which ran for five successful seasons, Young Hyacinth didn’t go beyond its pilot episode. The BBC likely saw the lukewarm response and decided not to develop it into a full series.

In a way, the failure of Young Hyacinth proves just how unique and irreplaceable the original show was. Keeping Up Appearances worked because of its perfect timing, its iconic cast, and its balance of humor and social satire. Trying to recreate that magic—even with the best intentions—was never going to be easy.

The idea of exploring Hyacinth’s past isn’t a bad one, but Young Hyacinth struggled because it lacked the original’s heart and cast. Patricia Routledge was Hyacinth, and without her, fans found it difficult to connect in the same way.

Perhaps Young Hyacinth was simply a case of too much nostalgia, too little substance. Some things are better left untouched, and for many fans, Hyacinth Bucket’s legacy remains firmly in the 1990s, where she belongs.

Young Hyacinth was an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to bring back the magic of Keeping Up Appearances. While it had moments of charm, it simply couldn’t match the brilliance of the original.

For fans of the classic show, nothing will ever top Patricia Routledge’s perfect portrayal—and maybe that’s just the way it should be.