Please Look After This Bear

"Please Look After This Bear" is the first episode of Paddington Bear. It aired on December 2, 1989 in syndicated markets that featured the The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera programming blocks. It was written by Gordon Kent.

While picking up their American nephew at the train station, Mr. and Mrs. Brown find and adopt an orphan bear, who they name Paddington, after the station.

Detailed summary
Mr. and Mrs. Brown come to Paddington station in search for their nephew, David, only to find a lonesome bear, who informs them he comes from darkest Peru. Mrs. Brown worries that he must be hungry, but the bear has a suitcase full of marmalade, which he claims his kind to like. While the bear is checking on his marmalade, Mrs. Brown spots the note on the bear, which reads, "Please look after this bear. Thank you." Immediately, Mrs. Brown feels responsible about him and asks Mr. Brown what they should do. Although, somewhat hesitant at first, he asks the bear what he feels like about coming home with them, which he likes the idea of. With that settled, all that's left is the bear's name. His only name in Peruvian would be hard for them to understand, so Mary picks out "Paddington," when seeing the Paddington station sign. Mary then goes to pick up David, while Mr. Brown takes the newly christened Paddington for tea and buns.

At the station's cafe, Paddington acts so ever polite helping Mr. Brown with his chair, although he himself is revealed to be quite messy and impolite. He squirts the marmalade from the buns everywhere and decides to stand on the table, knocking over plates and cups, and when he spills hot coffee on his foot, he jumps around in pain. They get the attention of everyone around them, while Mr. Brown hides underneath the table. Mrs. Brown and David see the commotion, and find Paddington trapped inside the table's umbrella, and his hat filled with money as if he had been performing a show. The commotion gets the attention of the cop, who is thinking about bringing Paddington in, although Mr. Brown tries to explain he's new and trying to get the hang of things, and then tries to sweeten the deal by sheepishly trying to bribe the cop, but acts like he's donating to the Police Benevolent Fund. The cop isn't falling for it and wants the money as evidence, but Paddington sneaks it away in hidden compartment in his suitcase. Free from the cop, the Browns, Paddington, and David head home, which is a whole other story.

The cab driver wants extra for the sticky bear. When they get to Windsor Gardens, Mrs. Brown introduces her kids to David Paddington, who momentarily gets stuck in the taxi until Mr. Brown pulls him out. Paddington uses some of the money in his suitcase to pay the driver for sticky mess he left behind. The kids welcome him to the family, although Judy thinks Paddington should take a bath first before meeting Mrs. Bird, their houskeeper. Paddington doesn't exactly like the idea, but he agrees in any case. The kids think it's best to just act like Paddington is David's stuffed bear, and although they seem to get away with it, Mrs. Bird asks if she should buy more marmalade.

Characters
In order of appearance:


 * Henry Brown (John Standing)
 * Mary Brown (B.J. Ward)
 * Paddington Bear (Charlie Adler)
 * David Russell (R.J. Williams)
 * Cop
 * Taxi driver
 * Jonathan Brown (Cody Everett)
 * Judy Brown (Katie Johnston)
 * David's mother
 * Mrs. Bird (Georgia Brown)

Locations

 * London, England
 * Paddington Station
 * South America
 * Peru
 * United States

Errors

 * While Mrs. Brown and David were in the taxi, David's hair was yellow.

Home availability

 * The Warner Archive Collection will release this episode on DVD for the first in the United States on August 2, 2020, as part of Paddington Bear: The Complete Series.