My Favorite Characters-Benson DuBois

So let’s go to the world of sitcoms and discuss a character I loved for years. Yeah he is saecastic and always has a joke ready, but is that all I like about him? I’m talking about..

Benson DuBois

Of course Benson, played of course by Robert Guillaume, got his start as the Butler to the Tate family on “Soap”. I’ve only seen bits of that show but it seems like he played the straight man, commenting on the craziness around him while giving a few shots at his employer along the way. Think Geoffrey from “Fresh Prince”.

When he was spun off to “Benson”, they did what they always have to do when a supporting character becomes the star of their own show. And dial him down a little, so that yes he was sarcastic but the meaner qualities disapeared. Of course this is the version of the character I love. And while I love his sarcastic side, there is more to him that that. Yeah he comes off gruff and acts like he doesn’t care about anything at times but that is a show. He is a truly caring person who really cares about people and his friends. When the Governor promoted him to Budget Director he says he didn’t do it as a reward, but becuse he saw something in Benson. This caring and concern extends to anyone, not just his friends.

One of my favorite examples of this to cite is an early episode. Benson and Ms.Kraus were at odds from day one. Always bickering. In one episode they have to go get food at a convenience store late at night. When there’s a holdup. As the episode plays, we see Kraus begin to fall apart. Benson drops the bickering and is very genuine, telling her it’ll be ok and even using her first name Gretchen (he always called her Kraus). That scene is the perfect example of Benson as a charactr to me. Yeah he comes off as sarcastic and not caring about anything or anyone. But truth is that isn’t accurate, and when he kets his real self shine you see what kind of person he is. He is also really smart and is always using that smarts to help himself and his friends out ot tight situations, especially the governor. It’s no wonder he went from Head of Household Affirs to Budget Dieector to Lieutenant Governor by the series end. It’s clear the other characters admire and respect him, some more quietly than others, and why he’s someone you can always count on.

And that is why I always wanted to be like him. Ready with a joke at a moments notice, but there for his friends with real compassion when the chips are down.