Blackadder

Historical sitcom first aired in 1983 by the BBC. It deals with the social decline of Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) and his servant Baldrick (Tony Robinson). All four seasons of the series are situated in different epochs of British history, ranging from the 15th century until the 20th century. The series was produced by John Lloyd and written by Richard Curtis (Season 1-4), Ben Elton (Season 2-4) and Rowan Atkinson (Season 1).

Season 1: The Blackadder (1983)

In season one Edmund Blackadder is introduced as the son of the fictitious King Richard IV. The plot says that Henry VII was a great liar and rewrote history - actually Richard III would have been a good king - and between him and Richard III there was a Richard IV who reigned from 1485 until 1498. Edmund Blackadder kills Richard III because he mistakes him for a horse-thief and cuts his head off. By this he makes his own father - Richard IV - king, and he accidently hides and thereby saves Henry Tudor who has been rescued from the battle by Percy, Duke of Northumberland (Tim McInnerny). Topics of the season are crusades, fighting between the crown and the church about land, diplomacy by arranged marriages, the Black Death, witchcraft and intrigues of all kind. Many of the episodes also parody Shakespearean drama (starting with Richard III). In the last episode Edmund Blackadder tries to first capture his family to make himself king, but in the end he and all of his family and most of the royal court are accidentally poisoned by Percy and Baldrick.

Season 2: Blackadder II (1986)

The Edmund Blackadder in season two, which is situated in the 16th century, is the bastard great-great-son of Prince Blackadder from season one, who by the way was a bastard-son as well. He’s not part of the royal family like his ancestor but he still is a Lord. In the first episode Lord Flashheart (whom he thinks of as his closest friend) pinches Blackadder's fiancée (known as "Bob") seconds before their marriage. Throughout the season Blackadder becomes Lord High Executioner which means he’s now in charge of “Religious genocide,” he’s more or less unwillingly trying to become an explorer for Queen Elizabeth (Miranda Richardson), but he actually only manages to sail to places where others already have been before him. Moreover he comes into serious trouble because of debts; even sending Baldrick on the game doesn’t help to raise the money needed and in the end Blackadder and all of the royal court are murdered again like in season one whilst the evil Prince Ludwig (Hugh Laurie) takes over the throne dressed as Queen Elizabeth.

Season 3: Blackadder the Third (1987)

In season three, which is situated at the end of the 18th until the beginning of the 19th century, Blackadder is the butler to the Prince Regent George (Hugh Laurie). In the first episode Pitt the Younger, the new prime minister, proclaims that he wants a) to get rid of George , b) start a war with France and c) of course he demands “tougher sentences for geography teachers.” All of this boils down to an election campaign in a rotten borrough, or "rubber button", as George calls it.

Throughout the season Blackadder’s life is threatened since Dr Johnson and some supporting poets want to kill him, because they think Baldrick has burnt the manuscript of Dr Johnson's famous dictionary. Blackadder tries to earn some reputation by rescuing a French aristocrat from French Revolutionaries; since France is far away and a dangerous place to be he decides to “rescue” a French aristocrat from Mrs Miggins’ coffee shop nearby. Moreover George wants his favourite actors to show him how to become more loved by the people. Furthermore, George is constantly short on money and therefore Blackadder and Baldrick are forced to become highwaymen. George marries Amy Hardwood (Miranda Richardson) who brings in a large amount of money into the marriage – and when she reveals to Blackadder that she’s a famous highwaymen, his money-problems are solved as well – he denunciates Amy and takes a reward of 10.000 pounds. In the last episode Blackadder fights a duel with the Duke of Wellington (Stephen Fry). George offers Blackadder a pile of French porn, a clock and his entire fortune if he steps in for him as duellist against the Duke of Wellington. In the end George is killed by Wellington and Blackadder takes over the identity of the prince.

Season 4: Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)

Blackadder is a Captain of the British Army in World War I who constantly wants to get away from the trenches. He eats the General's beloved messenger pigeon and is sentenced to death. He tries to get away by organizing a show to increase the morale of the fighting troops, in which Baldrick plays Charlie Chaplin and George (Hugh Laurie) a lovely woman. He and Baldrick join the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), meet a young recruit called "Bob" and a daredevil flying ace called Flashheart. The season ends with Blackadder and his comrades going over the top to their certain deaths.

Specials

Besides the series several specials on Blackadder have been produced:

Special 1: The Cavalier Years (1988) – 17th Century (Charles I)

Special 2: Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (1988) – 19th century (C. Dickens Christmas Carol)

Special 3: Back and Forth (1999) – 20th Century and others

Also sketches, radio broadcasts, stage plays and documentaries were produced as specials from 1987 until 2012 and an unaired pilot set in the 16th century was produced in 1982.

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006xxw3

http://www.blackadderhall.com/

http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/blackadder/