《廢柴舅舅》(Uncle)是BBC于2014年播出的一部新劇,目前第一季已經完結。該劇講述的是一個落魄音樂家Andy與外甥Errol之間的故事,但如果你以為這是一個溫情滿滿的故事,那你就錯了——至少故事的開頭就有點黑暗。
在第一集開頭,失戀的Andy寫好了給前女友的遺書,準備自殺。一切就緒時,他突然接到了姐姐Sam的電話,請他幫忙去接兒子Errol放學。Andy原本不想理會,但離婚的Sam此時正在爭奪兒子的監護權,不敢有任何疏忽,于是Andy只得暫停自殺計劃,也因此惹上了Errol這個“拖油瓶”。年過三十,一事無成,戀情告吹,經濟拮據,Andy一直過著吊兒郎當的邋遢生活,如今還得不時接受姐姐的“指派”去照顧一個處于青春期的孩子。Errol看上去是個呆萌無害的正太,但其實也完全不是省油的燈:他對花粉過敏,對小麥過敏,對香煙過敏,有乳糖不耐癥、強迫癥,同時還有一副毒舌和一肚子鬼點子。兩人一開始互相算計,對彼此都無好感,但隨著他們一起經歷大事小事,點點滴滴的溫情逐漸顯現。與其說是Andy在幫姐姐“看孩子”,倒不如說是他與Errol在一起應對成長的煩惱。
下面摘錄的一些臺詞也許更多地體現了“廢柴舅舅”和“怪胎外甥”之間的溫馨場景,但在劇中,兩人的關系可并非一直這么和諧。好在無論他們有什么雞飛狗跳的經歷,最終都有溫情呈現,或許這也是他們的可愛之處吧。
1 " "Quotes from Season 1 Episode 1
Errol: Andrew.
Andy: I prefer Andy, but what is it?
Errol: No. That’s my middle name—Andrew. I was named after my uncle.
Andy: Oh.
Errol: Do you think you can remember that?
Andy: Yeah. I’ll give it a go (試一試).
背景鏈接:作為舅舅,Andy實在是很不稱職。他不知道Errol的生日是哪天,不知道他有哪些過敏癥狀,甚至連他的中間名是什么也不知道,還狡辯說自己不擅長記這些細節的東西。而在兩人相處的第一天即將結束時,Errol告訴Andy自己的中間名取自他的名字。這一聯系似乎具有某種神奇的力量,開始慢慢將兩人的距離拉近。
3 " nbsp;Quotes from Season 1 Episode 3
Andy: Errol, I know you’re mad at me. I deserve it, all right? … I mean, what do I know about girls? Look at me. My love life is a nuclear disaster zone. I’m sorry I messed things up between you and Ruby. I just really wanted things to work out for you because I really need you in this band. I should have just told you to be yourself. I mean, if you’re with the right girl, that’s all that really counts. Ruby’s the one that’s missing out.
背景鏈接:Andy報名參加了一個樂隊比賽,在苦于沒有同伴之際,他突然發現Errol琴彈得不錯,于是決定請Errol與他一起組成樂隊。作為交換條件,他將幫Errol追求心儀的女生Ruby。結果,Andy幫了倒忙,Errol徹底沒了機會。當Errol生氣又失落地把自己關在房間里時,Andy一改往日的粗魯,溫柔地向Errol表達了自己的歉意。
2 " "Quotes from Season 1 Episode 2
Errol: You don’t know what an actuary (精算師) is, do you?
Andy: No. But what I do know is that, if we leave now, you’re gonna get bullied for the rest of your life. You’re gonna get a shit job, with shit friends, and you’re gonna marry an ugly woman and you’re gonna buy a shit house and you’re gonna have ugly kids in it.
Errol: I don’t want ugly children!
背景鏈接:Errol裝病不去參加同學Alfie的生日聚會,被Andy識破后只能硬著頭皮去參加。在聚會上,Errol被Alfie欺負,瘦弱的他一心只想拉著舅舅趕快離開,Andy則用特有的毫不客氣的方式教育Errol要勇于面對欺凌。
4 " "Quotes from Season 1 Episode 6
Interviewer: You’ve been working as a babysitter. How did that come about?
Andy: I got that gig (工作) through a family connection.
Interviewer: I can’t handle kids, personally. Don’t have the patience for them.
Andy: I know what you mean. It’s weird. I mean, one minute you want to throw them in the river tied to a bag of rocks, and the next minute you find yourself … doing the most ridiculous things in order to make them happy.
背景鏈接:在第一季的末尾,Andy照顧Errol時發生了重大失誤:他帶Errol參加聚會,導致Errol誤吞裝在薄荷糖盒子里的毒品并因此住進了醫院。此時Andy才意識到自己是個多么不靠譜的人,并決定開始對自己負責,去應聘地毯銷售員的工作。在回答面試官的問題時,Andy猛然發現自己的生活已經在不知不覺中被Errol改變。