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Blackadder

Blackadder is a British sitcom made by the BBC. The title does not refer to a specific series, but rather denotes the programmes — four series and several one-off episodes — taken as a whole. The first series was written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson; subsequent series were written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. The show was produced by John Lloyd, and starred Rowan Atkinson as the eponymous protagonist, and Tony Robinson as his sidekick Baldrick. Blackadder came second in a 2004 BBC poll to find 'Britain's Best Sitcom'.

Four series of six half hour episodes were made, each one set in a different period of British history. The first series was called The Black Adder and was made in 1983; this was followed by Blackadder II in 1986, Blackadder the Third in 1987, and finally Blackadder Goes Forth in 1989.

In addition to the series themselves, three specials were also made: "Blackadder: the Cavalier Years" appeared as a 15 minute insert in the 1988 Comic Relief Night; "Blackadder's Christmas Carol" was a 1988 Christmas special which lasted for 45 minutes; and Blackadder: Back & Forth was a 45 minute film originally shown in a special cinema at the Millennium Dome during 2000, and later broadcast by the BBC.

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Blackadder overview

It is implied that in each series the Blackadder character is a (far) descendant of the previous one. With each observed generation, Blackadder's social standing is reduced, from prince, to nobleman, to royal butler, to army captain — and by the end, in the last episode of the last series, nothing more than cannon-fodder.

Each series also tended to feature the same set of actors in different period settings; thus Stephen Fry played Lord Melcett, an advisor to the Queen in the second series, and General Melchett, a blustering buffoon, in the fourth. Anachronistic references were plentiful and mainly humorous.

It popularised the use of simile and associated devices for comic effect in Britain. Examples include:

  • "Madder than Mad Jack McMad, winner of last year's Mr. Madman competition."
  • "I've got a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel." or "As cunning as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University."
  • "I'm as happy as a Frenchman who's just invented a pair of self-removing trousers."
  • "I'm as weary as a dog with no legs that's just climbed Ben Nevis."

It also turned the implied wit of wordplay on its head for humorous effect, to wit:

  • "Blackadder, you twist and turn like a twisty, turny thing."
  • "The grave opens up before me like a big hole in the ground."
  • "Disease and deprivation stalk our land, like two giant stalking things."
  • "We're as similar as two completely dissimilar things in a pod."

The theme tune is same melody throughout the series, but being played in roughly the style of the period in which it is set (on harpsichord for Blackadder the Third and by a military band in Blackadder Goes Forth).

The series and specials

Series 1: The Black Adder

Set in the Middle Ages, this is in fact a secret history. It opens with the Battle of Bosworth Field (1485) being won by Richard III (played by Peter Cook), instead of Henry Tudor who won in reality. However, Richard III is then accidentally killed by Blackadder (Richard tries to borrow Blackadder's horse, but Blackadder thinks he is stealing it and cuts his head off). The late King's nephew, Richard, Duke of York is then crowned as Richard IV. Black Adder never took part in the battle (he arrived late and went the wrong way, but claimed to have killed 1000 men).

Richard and his wife Queen Gertrude of Flowers, the Witch Queen have two sons:

It is later revealed in the episode "Born to be King" that after Harry's birth and preceding Edmund's Queen Gertrude had an affair with Donald McAngus, Third Duke of Argyll. There is a possibility that Edmund was this affair's result. If so then Edmund is Harry's half-brother and also has another half-brother:

  • Lord Dougal McAngus, Supreme Commander of the King's Army (c. 1462 - 1487).

By the end of the series, events converge with our timeline, when King Richard IV and his entire family are poisoned, allowing Henry Tudor to take the throne as King Henry VII. He then proceeds to rewrite history, presenting Richard III as a monster, and eliminating Richard IV's reign from the history books.

In this series, the character of the Black Adder is somewhat different from later incarnations, being largely unintelligent, and relying more on the plans of Baldrick. The character does evolve through the series, however, and he begins showing signs of what his descendants will be like by the final episode, where he begins insulting everyone around him and making his own plans. "The Black Adder" is also a title that Edmund adopts during the first episode: presumably one of his descendants adopted it as a surname prior to Blackadder II, where the title character bears the name "Edmund Blackadder".

Episode list

  1. "The Foretelling" Richard III wins the historic Battle of Bosworth Field, but is promptly killed by his bumbling grandnephew Edmund. Understandably, the late King is livid at this, and won't let Edmund forget it.
  2. "Born to be King" Edmund's elder brother Harry is looking after the throne while their father is off fighting in the Crusades, but Edmund would much rather that he had it himself. So he obtains evidence that their mother had had an affair, making Harry illegitimate. Of course, Edmund's sums are all wrong...
  3. "The Archbishop" With the Archbishops of Canterbury being bumped off left, right, and centre, appointing one's enemy to the post may seem like a cunning plan. Unfortunately for Edmund, the plan backfires, and he ends up with the post himself.
  4. "The Queen of Spain's Beard" In the name of international diplomacy, the King decides to marry Edmund off to a Spanish princess. Finding the Infanta unattractive, Edmund tries to get out of the alliance, and eventually succeeds, only to end up married to the very young Princess Leia of Hungary, and having to read her bedtime stories.
  5. "Witchsmeller Pursuivant" The Black Death is sweeping across England, and the whole country is in turmoil. Witchcraft is blamed, and so the Witchsmeller Pursuivant is summoned to identify the culprits. The Witchsmeller decides that Edmund is responsible.
  6. "The Black Seal" Edmund is stripped of all his titles and honours, apart from Warden of the Royal Privy. Outraged by the way that his father is treating him, he rounds up six of the most evil men in England to help him seize the throne for himself. He manages to hold it for approximately 30 seconds.

The opening titles consisted of several stock shots of Edmund riding his horse on location, interspersed with different shots of him doing various silly things (and, usually, a shot of King Richard IV to go with Brian Blessed's credit). The closing titles were the same sequence of Edmund riding around, eventually falling off his horse, and then chasing after it. The theme tune also gained lyrics:

The sound of hoof beats 'cross the glade,
Good folk, lock up your son and daughter,
 Beware the deadly flashing blade,
 Unless you want to end up shorter.

Black Adder, Black Adder, he rides a pitch black steed.
 Black Adder, Black Adder, he's very bad indeed.

Black: his gloves of finest mole,
 Black: his codpiece made of metal,
 His horse is blacker than a hole,
 His pot is blacker than his kettle.

Black Adder, Black Adder, with many a cunning plan.
 Black Adder, Black Adder, you horrid little man.

Series 2: Blackadder II

Blackadder II is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, played by Miranda Richardson (reigned 1558 - 1603). The principal character is Edmund, Lord Blackadder, a great-grandson of the original Black Adder (according to the title song), and a close servant of the Queen, who likes to chop off people's heads and play jokes on Edmund. Edmund's hopes of marrying her never bear fruit. The Queen is joined by her advisor Lord Melchett (with whom Blackadder has a mutual relationship of hate) and her insane nanny, Nursie. This series establishes the more familiar character of Edmund: cunning, shrewd, entirely and without fail insulting to everyone he doesn't have to suck up to, and witty, following the BBC's request for the show to be made funnier.

The action is generally split between Blackadder's house (or to be more specific his front room) and the Queen's throne room. Each episode also features another location, from Baldrick's bedroom to a German dungeon. This was done after the first series, with large sets and outdoor scenes, proved too expensive.

Episode list

  1. "Bells" Blackadder falls in love with his new servant, "Bob", whom he thinks is a man, but who is in fact a disguised woman named Kate. When Blackadder finds out, he is much relieved, and the two of them decide to get married. However, during the marriage ceremony, she elopes with the best man, Lord Flashheart (played by Rik Mayall).
  2. "Head" Blackadder is made High Executioner and has to cope with the wife of a man condemned to be executed. Unfortunately, the man is already dead.
  3. "Potato" To impress the Queen and to prove he's better than Walter Raleigh, Blackadder sets out for the sea (guest starring Tom Baker and Simon Jones).
  4. "Money" Blackadder owes a large sum of money to the Baby-Eating Bishop of Bath and Wells that he can't pay, while the Queen keeps "borrowing" his money as soon as he gets it.
  5. "Beer" Blackadder's puritanical aunt and uncle, the Whiteadders, call round to discuss his inheritance, at the same time as he plans to hold a drinking competition with Lord Melchett. To top it all, Edmund's tolerance for beer isn't what it could be, so he runs a significant risk of being found face-down in a puddle (like last time).
  6. "Chains" Blackadder is captured by the Spaniards, and ends up in the dungeons of a weird interrogator Prince Ludwig (played by Hugh Laurie), a German supervillain who aims to kill the Queen. By the end of the episode, Ludwig has killed the entire cast and has disguised himself as Queen Elizabeth, replacing her on the throne.

The opening titles played to a version of the theme on an Elizabethan wind instrument and an electric guitar, over shots of a black adder slithering about on a checkerboard surface. It misbehaves and is eventually removed and replaced with something to do with the title of the episode. The closing titles use a different arrangement of the theme on different instruments, with lyrics reflecting what had happened in the episode, over a shot of Blackadder walking in a palace garden and being annoyed by a minstrel: at the end of the final episode, Blackadder catches the minstrel and dunks him into a fountain numerous times.

Series 3: Blackadder the Third

Blackadder The Third is set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period known as the Regency period. For much of this period, King George III was incapacitated due to poor mental health, and his son George, the Prince of Wales, acted as regent. From 1811 until his father's death in 1820, he was known as "the Prince Regent".

In the series, Edmund Blackadder Esquire is the butler to the Prince of Wales (played by Hugh Laurie as a compete fop and idiot). Despite Edmund's respected intelligence and abilities he has no personal fortune to speak of. According to Edmund he has been serving the Prince Regent all their lives, since they were both breast-feeding (and he had to show the Prince which part of his mother was serving the drinks). There are three main sets: the Prince's quarters, which are large and lavish, the below-stairs kitchen hangout of Blackadder and Baldrick, which is dark and squalid, and finally Mrs. Miggins's pie shop (a running gag, never seen in Blackadder II, now shown).

As well as Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson in their usual roles, this series starred Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent, and Helen Atkinson-Wood (no relation to Rowan) as Mrs. Miggins. The series features rotten boroughs, Dr. Johnson (anachronistically) (played by Robbie Coltrane), the French Revolution and the Scarlet Pimpernel (also anachronistically), bad acting, highwaymen who hate squirrels, and duels.

Episode list

In this series, the episode titles use alliteration in a humorous parody of the titles of Jane Austen's novels Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

  1. "Dish and Dishonesty" Prime Minister Pitt the Younger wants to strike the Prince Regent from the Civil List. The only thing for a royal butler to do is to rig an election.
  2. "Ink and Incapability" Samuel Johnson seeks the Prince's patronage for his groundbreaking new book, the Dictionary.
  3. "Nob and Nobility" After Blackadder disparages the Scarlet Pimpernel, two noblemen (one of whom is played by a returning Tim McInnery) bet him a thousand guineas he can't go to France, rescue an aristocrat and present him at the French Embassy Ball. Meanwhile, a revolutionary (Chris Barrie) seizes the Embassy.
  4. "Sense and Senility" An anarchist (Ben Elton in a cameo) makes an attempt on the Prince's life. Blackadder suggests the Prince show the public how charming and intelligent he his, but first he needs some training in acting.
  5. "Amy and Amiability" Blackadder searches for a wife for his master. The main criterion is that she should be rich.
  6. "Duel and Duality" The Duke of Wellington (Stephen Fry) challenges the Prince to a duel. The Prince, being a huge coward, enlists Blackadder's help to avoid this. Edmund and the Prince change places. But at the end of the episode it is Edmund who survives the duel, while the Prince is shot dead by Wellington who thought he was a useless butler. Mad King George apparently can't tell the difference between his late son and Edmund, and Edmund is more than happy to replace his late master as Prince Regent and possibly later his new "daddy" on the throne.

The opening theme is this time played on a harpsichord and cello over close-ups of Blackadder searching a book-case, the credits and "Blackadder the Third" appearing on some of the books' spines (along with humorous titles such as "From Black Death to Blackadder" and "The Encyclopaedia Blackaddica"). Hidden inside a hollow book, he finds a romance novel, complete with steamy cover art, bearing the episode's title. The closing credits are presented in the style of a programme from a Regency-era play, and with an entirely new closing theme.

Series 4: Blackadder Goes Forth

This series is set in the trenches of the First World War. Another "big push" is planned, and Captain Blackadder's one goal is to avoid getting shot, so he plots ways to get out of it. Blackadder is joined by the idealistic, gung-ho Lieutenant George (Hugh Laurie), and the world's worst cook, Private S. Baldrick. Loony General Melchett rallies his troops from a French mansion, where he is aided and abetted by Captain Darling, pencil-pusher supreme, whose name is played on for maximum comedy value.

Episode list

In this series, the episode titles are, with the exception of the final one, puns on military ranks.

  1. "Plan A: Captain Cook" Blackadder finds out that if he gets a work of art on the cover of the magazine King and Country, it could be his ticket out of the trenches.
  2. "Plan B: Corporal Punishment" A hungry Blackadder shoots General Melchett's favourite carrier pigeon, Speckled Jim, when it brings him orders that due to communications problems, the shooting of carrier pigeons is now a court-martial offence.
  3. "Plan C: Major Star" In order to boost morale (and maybe skip out of the trenches for a few weeks) Blackadder organises a cabaret show. Meanwhile, the General apparently hasn't noticed anything odd about his new driver, Corporal Bob Parkhurst (really a girl named Kate who's pretending to be a man, played by the same actress as in the first episode of the 2nd series)
  4. "Plan D: Private Plane" Though initially put off by the brash Squadron Leader Lord Flasheart (Rik Mayall again), Blackadder comes to believe that the flying corps may be a rather cushy number.
  5. "Plan E: General Hospital" A spy has been traced to the local hospital where George is invalided. Is Blackadder man enough to find him? This will, of course, mean leaving the trenches for several weeks.
  6. "Plan F: Goodbyeee..." With the Big Push looming ever closer, Blackadder decides that feigning insanity is the only way out. Following an old trick from the Sudan, he puts his underpants on his head, sticks a pencil in each nostril and starts saying, "Wibble".

The theme tune here was played by a military marching band over opening title images of Blackadder and George parading their men past Melchett and Darling, while Baldrick plays the triangle. The music starts with the opening bars of 'The British Grenadiers' before segueing into the familiar Blackadder theme. In the closing credits, the full Blackadder theme plays as the men march off down the parade ground. Of note is that the titles here are presented as static captions instead of being rolled as on the previous three series, and that the crew credits are presented in pseudo-military fashion: for example, the designer is credited thus: ' Dgr - 404371 Hull, C '.

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The final episode of the last series, "Goodbyeee...", is known for being extraordinarily moving for a comedy - especially the final scene, which sees the main characters - Blackadder, Baldrick, George, and Darling finally going over the top and charging off to die in the fog and smoke of no man's land. His final line, said before this scene, offered after Baldrick claims to have one last plan to stop them going over the top: "Well, whatever it is, it's too late. It must have been better than my plan to get out by pretending to be mad. I mean, who would have noticed another madman around here?" is particularly poignant and memorable. "Goodbyeee..." also had no closing titles, simply fading from Blackadder, Baldrick, George and Darling dying in No-Man's Land to a field of poppies in the sunlight.

Specials

Blackadder's Christmas Carol

Main article: Blackadder's Christmas Carol

The first special was broadcast in 1988. In a twist on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Blackadder is the the most generous man in England. One of the ghosts that so effectively convinced Ebenezer Scrooge to change his miserly ways reluctantly displays for this Blackadder the contrary antics of his ancestors and descendants, causing him to proclaim, "Bad guys have all the fun."

Blackadder: The Cavalier Years

(1988) - taking place at the time of the English Civil War. It is a short episode, shown as part of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day.

The Episode begins in November, 1648. King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland has already lost the Civil War. Only two men remain loyal to him. Sir Edmund Blackadder, the sole descendant of the Blackadder dynasty at the time and his servant Baldrick, the only son of a pig farmer and a bearded lady (both according to the introduction). They have given refuge to the King in Blackadder Hall. Edmund remains loyal because as a known royalist he sees the King as his own hope of survival and also because of his fear of a hideous age of Puritanism, full of moral prohibitions (as he describes it). During a short absence of Edmund, Oliver Cromwell himself arrives at Blackadder Hall, accompanied by a number of his Roundheads. He is personally investigating the King's whereabouts. Baldrick fails to convince him that he has no idea. Between this and the following scene Cromwell discovers and arrests the King.

The Second scene takes place in the Tower of London, two weeks later. King Charles' praying is interrupted by two subsequent visits. The first by Cromwell who warns him of his doom and the second by Edmund, disguised as a priest. He informs the King that he is planning his escape. While Edmund is still there the King receives a notice that he has been sentenced to death. (Despite its placement in late November or early December, 1648 within the context of this episode, historically King Charles' sentence to death came on January 27, 1649).

As January 29, 1649 arrives and his execution approaches, King Charles is again visited by Edmund. Though his plans for an escape haven't materialised he informs the King that there is still some hope. The Parliament has yet to find a man willing to be the King's executioner. Charles, rather philosophically, proclaims that he isn't looking forward to his execution but "It's a question of balance, isn't it? Like so many other things". Edmund proceeds in assuring Charles that no one would dare to become the King's executioner. Just as he says that, the King receives a notice that they found his executioner.

Back at Blackadder Hall Baldrick is singing as Edmund proclaims his life to be in ruins. While Baldrick informs he has accepted a job, Edmund wonders who could be so utterly without heart and soul, so low and degraded as to behead the King of England. As his own words sink in, he proceeds in interrogating Baldrick who admits he accepted the job. Baldrick explains to the reasonably enraged Edmund that he has a plan to save the King. He presents Edmund with a huge pumpkin, painted to represent a human face. He plans to place it on the King's head and chop it instead. Edmund dismisses the plan as unconvincing as Baldrick will have to hold it in front of the crowd, which is sure to notice. Baldrick, though saddened, says that at least the money, £1000, is good. Edmund's greed awakes at this and he proceeds in taking the money from Baldrick and announcing that he would replace him as the executioner. (Historically King Charles' executioner was Richard Brandon).

January 30, 1649, King Charles' day of execution. King Charles is left alone for a few minutes with his executioner, Edmund in a hood and with a false voice. Edmund takes advantage of these minutes to relieve the King of his money bag. But the King finally recognizes him. He congratulates him for trying to save him even in the last minute and gives him custody of his infant son, the later King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland. (Historically he was 19 years old at the time of his father's death). For lack of a better plan Edmund uses the one Baldrick had suggested. The camera then focuses to Baldrick who is listening at the sounds of the execution. Edmund chops the pumpkin and proclaims that "This is the head of a traitor". Predictably the crowd answers "No, it's not; it's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it". Edmund apologises and says he will try again. Baldrick still listens as Edmund beheads Charles and the crowd cheers.

As the last scene begins Edmund and Baldrick have returned to Blackadder Hall. A disgusted Edmund cradles the infant Charles in his hands. Baldrick tries to console him by saying that at least he tried and that now the future of the British monarchy lies fast asleep in his arms in the person of this infant prince. He suggests to his master that he should be ready to escape to France, because as a known loyalist he is in danger of being arrested by the Roundheads and beheaded. Edmund, who apparently had forgotten that he is in a position of danger, immediately rises from his seat, ready to take action. But before he can do anything. Roundheads are already at the Hall's doors demanding his surrender. Edmund explains to Baldrick that there is no choice for a man of honour but to stand and fight, and die in defence of his future sovereign. Fortunately for him, he was never a man of honour. Passing the prince to Baldrick, Edmund proceeds in removing his long black hair, apparently a wig, his false moustache and beard to reveal short blond hair and a clean-shaven face. Thus unrecognizable, when a Roundhead enters the room he denounces Baldrick as a "royalist scum". The episode ends with Baldrick, still holding the Prince in his arms, being approached by the Roundhead, sword drawn.

Blackadder: Back & Forth

(1999) - Created for showing during 2000 in a cinema built near the Millennium Dome, by Sky Television and the BBC, with sponsorship from - among others - Tesco PLC.

Blackadder is entertaining guests on New Year's Eve, 1999. As a practical joke, he plans to convince them he has a working time machine (and win 10 grand into the bargain). Amazingly, the time machine, built by Baldrick to plans by Leonardo da Vinci, actually works.

Having been charged by his guests, a Melchett, a Darling, a George and Lady Elizabeth, an illegitimate descendant of Queen Elizabeth I (Stephen Fry, Tim McInnery, Hugh Laurie and Miranda Richardson) to travel back through time to bring back: Wellington's boot, a really smelly pair of underpants and a couple of other items, Blackadder intends to scam his guests by dredging the items from his personal store. However, in pulling a lever, he discovers the machine works.

Blackadder and Baldrick travel back into the far distant past and put Shakespeare off writing plays, kill the dinosaurs, Robin Hood and Wellington, before returning to the present day. Having irreversibly changed history, he finds a Britain under the rule of the French, who won at Waterloo, among other irregularities. He immediately travels back to rectify these discrepancies.

In the closing scenes, Blackadder is reminded how problematic it must have been, and that an unscrupulous person could have gained great power and wealth with such a machine... which gives him a Cunning Plan...

This is a short film commissioned especially for showing in a cinema erected just south east of the Millennium Dome on the Greenwich peninsula in east London throughout the celebratory year 2000. Note: this is the only Blackadder story to be shot entirely on film and with no laugh track, although one was added for a later BBC screening.

The film closes with the promise that 'Blackadder will return' ...in the year 3000!

Diverse characters

Tie-ins

All series and many of the specials are available on DVD and Video, as well as many available on BBC Audio Cassette.

The only books of particular note, are:

  • Blackadder: The Whole Damn Dynasty 1485-1917 (Being the - almost - complete scripts of the four regular series)
  • Cunning: The Blackadder Programme Guide (an unofficial guide to the series, with asides, anecdotes and observations)
  • Blackadder: Back and Forth (A script book with copious photographs from the most recent outing)
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