What is 'Blackadder'?
If you had to ask that, then you need to read this. Because if you've never seen any 'Blackadder' episode, then you're lost and just plain sad. Or you've just never seen an episode, whichever suits you best.
Series 1
'The Black Adder' is what started it all. Fortunately, none of Blackadder's descendants were cursed with the hair that Edmund Blackadder the First (Rowan Atkinson) had. A sad style, indeed.
Don't stop reading yet! In the first
series, viewers learned that Blackadder is basically a
mean, rude, funny man. He enjoys being superior (which
isn't really saying much) to the surprisingly clever
Baldrick (Tony Robinson) and the dim Percy (Tim McInnerny).
As fans know, Baldrick's descendants lost a few hundred
brain cells in the course of evolution. As is noted in
the Baldrick Family Tree in Blackadder - The Whole Damn
Dynasty, Baldrick is descended from spreadable butters.
How true.
Lord Percy Percy, heir to the Duke of Northumberland, is the dimmest wit (compared to Baldrick - and Blackadder!) in Medieval Europe. He is a perfect twit in all senses of the word, but you have to feel sorry for him. I mean, he's friends with Blackadder.
Edmund Blackadder (formerly Edmund
Plantagenet), in the first series (yep, we're still there)
killed his uncle, King Richard, in the War of the Roses.
That pretty much gives you the basis of the character. He
exists to thwart history and to be extremely funny while
doing it. Through the course of 'The Black Adder', he
manages to get a stupid haircut, herd sheep, become a
corrupt archbishop, almost marry the Spanish Infanta (trust
me, it's a good thing he didn't), be declared a witch, gather
together the seven most evil men in the world, and wipe
out the whole royal family (well really, it was Percy,
but I thought it was worth mentioning).
Series 2
In the Elizabethan Era, Edmund Blackadder
the Second emerges. An upper class favorite of Queen Elizabeth (Miranda
Richardson), Blackadder is exceptionally cunning and quick, but still
manages to find himself between a rock and a place that isn't too
fluffy. Lord Percy is also
a nobleman, and Baldrick is close to extinction. Queenie
has Lord Melchett (Stephen Fry) to guide her in her
decisions, which comprise of what kind of cake she should
have and such. Nursie is there too, mainly existing to
make unnecessary comments and come to fancy-dress parties as a cow.
This series is generally believed to be an
improvement
on the first series, in terms of the material.
Ben Elton ('The Young Ones') joined
'Blackadder' writer
Richard Curtis on this series, and it has since become a
favorite with many fans, including me. In the course of
the Elizabethan Era, Blackadder falls in love with a girl
called Bob, cuts off the wrong bloke's head, sails to
unknown lands, owes money to the Bishop of Bath and
Wells, offends his Puritan relatives (to the utmost
degree of offense), and kills (or so he thought) Prince
Ludwig (Hugh Laurie). And, of course, encountered a humorously shaped
turnip. We also meet the recurring
character Lord Flasheart (Rik Mayall), hurrah!
Series 3
Blackadder tarnishes the shiny glint of
Regency glory in the third series. Butler to the complete
git Prince George (Hugh Laurie), he has a constant chip
on his shoulder. Baldrick is back as well, scruffier than
ever. He lives in a pipe above the water closet, a
fitting place for him. Mrs Miggins (Helen Atkinson-Woods -- of no
relation to Rowan Atkinson) runs a "coffee" shop that doesn't serve
coffee, just hot water with brown grit.
Like
in the second series, Blackadder is as sharp as a... very sharp thing. This time around, however, the show is
e
ven smoother and to some, funnier, than the second
series. Blackadder isn't able to do much except answer to
the dim Prince. Even so, he is able to elect Baldrick to
Parliament, burn Dr Johnson's (Robbie Coltrane)
dictionary, kill the Scarlet Pimpernel (Tim McInnerny and
Nigel Planer), make a shambles of the theater, become a
highwayman, and become Prince Regent. Also, a splendid
cameo by Stephen Fry as Wellington in which Prince George
gets pummeled. Quite funny.
Series 4
World War I is fought with a Blackadder in
the trench. Baldrick and Lieutenant George, a descendant
of Prince George, are in there with him. It's a right
mess, but dem funny. General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmany
Melchett is in charge of Blackadder and his troop, with
Captain Kevin Darling always by his side to take
important notes, such as to use the word 'gobbledygook'
more often in conversations.
Even with Blackadder set against such a grim
backdrop, the opportunity for laughs is still
there, even
more so than one would think. This series is exceptional
in terms of cast, script, everything. It's hard to find
criticisms on this one. The last episode, 'Goodbyeee',
is
touchingly poignant. You have to see it to really feel
how powerful (is that the word I'm looking for?) it is.
The troop, and Darling, are ordered to go over the top.
After attempting several cunning ways to get sent home,
including sticking two pencils up his nose and putting
underpants on his head, Blackadder realizes his fate. He
takes it with dignity, something the Blackadder's aren't
famous for having. The last scene is of the boys running
over No Man's Land, and then the scene fades out to a
field of poppies. Very, very moving.
Blackadder's Christmas Carol
'Blackadder's Christmas Carol' was made in 1988, between the gap of the third and fourth series. This is one of my favorite Blackadder incarnations. The time is Victorian England, and Ebenezer Blackadder is the nicest man in Britain. He doesn't even laugh at toilet humor. Baldrick is the typical Dickensian chimney sweep type character, but with, well, Baldrick-ishness. Blackadder has to endure the feigned wailings of Mrs. Scratchit, and even gives her money for her enormous son. Three fat orphan charges take his food, and even Prince Albert and Queen Victoria take his turkey. Blackadder doesn't care, though; in the feeling-good ledger of life, he is rich indeed.
In the night Blackadder is visited by the
Spirit of Christmas (Robbie Coltrane). He shows
Blackadder the "error" of his ancestor's ways (getting
in good scenes of the second and third series, and even
the "future"). Blackadder is not horrified by
his ancestors as the Spirit of Christmas wants him to be;
no, Blackadder decides to become just like his
predecessors. He wakes up a new, utterly cruel man. He
even punches Baldrick repeatedly (and they say violence
is fostered by television?!?). It ends with Blackadder
not believing that Prince Albert and Queen Victoria had
actually visited, and Baldrick showing him the seal that
they always leave to those they have visited. Very merry
indeed.
Blackadder Back and Forth
Hold on a second! We're not done yet. In 2000, Blackadder returned with 'Blackadder Back and Forth'. It was shown in a special millennium 'dome'. But sod the dome, we love Blackadder, right?
It starts with Blackadder and guests (Archdeacon
Darling, Viscount George --with a different last name,
Bufton!!--, Bishop Melchett, and Lady Elizabeth) eating
dinner. Baldrick, of course, serves a dinner of
questionable beginnings. Blackadder bets them all (excluding
Baldrick, naturally) that he can go back in time using a
time machine Baldrick built. Blackadder knows it won't
work, but he's gonna use fake items that they ask him to
bring back (Centurion's helmet, Wellington's
Wellington's, etc.). But to his surprise and utter
astonishment, the thing works. Baldrick is, in effect,
the smartest man in the world. But he kills off the
dinosaurs with his underpants (his best and,
coincidentally, worst pair). They can't get the time
machine to work correctly, so they find themselves in the
Elizabethan Era. Even though Blackadder offers Elizabeth
the First a Bonus Card, she still wants to nick his head
off. But she is soon placated by mints, which also cure
Melchett's apparently abominable breath. Pretty big feat,
that.
As Blackadder is exiting the palace, he
runs into (literally) William Shakespeare (Colin Firth).
He gets his signature, but promptly punches him. Why, you
ask? Well, it's for every school boy and school girl for
the next 200 years. Then he kicks him, for Kenneth Brannagh's 4-hour long, unedited version of Hamlet. Poor
Shakespeare. After this, they find themselves in
Nottingham Forrest with Robin Hood (Rik Mayall), and turn
the Merry Men against him. Blackadder makes friends with
Maid Marion, while Baldrick makes friends with Will
Scarlet.
Hey! Stop dozing off. I'm almost done
rambling. Keep with me for a few more sentences. Anyway,
Blackadder and Baldrick go back to Roman times but have
to leave quickly when a large orange hedge starts moving
towards them -- The Scots.
Blackadder and Baldrick land on Wellington when they go back to the Battle of Waterloo, thus causing the British to lose to the French. When Blackie and Baldrick return to the present, they find that they are about to view a broadcast by 'Monsieur President' with a 'petit peu de ballet', by Darling.
In short, Blackadder goes back in time (again) to fix what he'd messed up. Upon returning (again!) to the present, he realizes that he could use the time machine to his advantage. He goes back (again! -- he's really quite busy here), and returns as the King of England with Maid Marion as his queen and Baldrick as Prime Minister.
Peel my tangerines! Now that I've spouted off, you might have some semblance of knowledge of Blackadder. If you don't after all this, go watch the shows, there's no hope left for you.
Cheery bye!