TV Villains' Anthem: The Gilbert & Sullivan Song Embraced by the Rich and Horrible
If you are caught up with the latest season of Industry, you will have witnessed Kit Harington's character, Henry Muck, descending into chaos. In season four, Muck has been portrayed as depressed, intoxicated, suicidal, and horny, culminating in a sweaty club encounter. However, the true sign of his unraveling came just before this scene, when he was shown singing For He is an Englishman from Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore in the shower.
A Satirical Rallying Cry for Villains
This is not an isolated incident. Recently, in The Night Manager, Hugh Laurie's character Richard Roper also burst into a rousing verse of the same song. Both Muck and Roper embody a sense of superiority by birthright, making this tune their unofficial anthem. Despite Gilbert and Sullivan's reputation for being chummy and pompous, For He is an Englishman is a biting satire on faux-patriotism and blind nationalism.
The lyrics mock the idea that exceptionalism is based solely on one's birthplace, with lines like, "For he might have been a Roosian, a French, or Turk or Proosian, but in spite of all temptations to belong to other nations, he remains an Englishman." This has made it the perfect rallying cry for wealthy, detestable characters on television.
Evolution of the Song's Use on Television
Over the years, the song has appeared in various TV shows, not always to denote villainy. In The West Wing, an episode titled And It's Surely to Their Credit features characters debating whether the song is from HMS Pinafore or The Pirates of Penzance, ending with the cast singing it together. However, this rendition lacks thematic depth, serving more as a display of cultural knowledge.
Similarly, in House, Hugh Laurie's character sings it to mask the sound of faking a urine sample, adding a meta-layer since Laurie is English. He is likely the only actor to perform the song twice on different shows, in both his native accent and an American one.
The Gold Standard: The Simpsons' Cape Feare
Despite these recent uses, the benchmark for televisual renditions remains The Simpsons episode Cape Feare. In this classic, Sideshow Bob performs the entire HMS Pinafore at Bart Simpson's request, culminating in For He is an Englishman with a union jack backdrop. This scene perfectly captures the song's pomposity and exposes Bob's anglophile pretensions, while reinforcing his villainous nature.
The resurgence of this song among TV baddies in 2026 reflects perceptions of the UK as isolated, stuck in the past, and out of touch, yet still self-important. However, no rendition has yet surpassed The Simpsons in its execution and impact.
