Blackadder
A series of four period British sitcoms set in different historical eras.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Blackadder is a British sitcom that ran as four separate period series on BBC1 between 1983 and 1989, plus several standalone specials. Each series starred Rowan Atkinson as the antihero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as his servant Baldrick. Every season was set in a different era of British history, and while the two leads remained constant, the supporting cast changed. Some actors appeared in multiple series: Tim McInnerny played Percy and later Darling, Stephen Fry played Melchett, and Hugh Laurie played George.
The first series, *The Black Adder*, was written by Atkinson and Richard Curtis. The next three—*Blackadder II*, *Blackadder the Third*, and *Blackadder Goes Forth*—were written by Curtis and Ben Elton. John Lloyd produced all four series. In 2000, *Blackadder Goes Forth* ranked 16th on the British Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. A 2001 Channel 4 poll placed Edmund Blackadder third among the 100 Greatest TV Characters. In a 2004 poll for Britain’s Best Sitcom, the combined series came second, behind *Only Fools and Horses*. *Empire* magazine ranked it the ninth-best TV show of all time in 2009. Atkinson has said *Blackadder* was his least stressful work, thanks to a shared sense of responsibility among a strong cast.
Each series consists of six half-hour episodes. *The Black Adder* (1983) is set during the fictional reign of King Richard IV. *Blackadder II* (1986) takes place in the Elizabethan era. *Blackadder the Third* (1987) is set in the Regency period under George III. *Blackadder Goes Forth* (1989) is set in the trenches of World War I in 1917.
The show follows Edmund Blackadder, with each series implying he is a descendant of his earlier self. The end theme of the series 2 episode “Head” specifies that he is the great-grandson of the previous incarnation, though it is never explained how any of the usually bachelor Blackadders father children. In the first series, Edmund is not especially bright and is intellectually outmatched by his servant Baldrick. From the second series onward, the roles reverse: Blackadder becomes clever, scheming, and manipulative, while Baldrick is extremely dim.
Each version of Blackadder and Baldrick also has to tolerate a dimwitted aristocrat. In the first two series, this is Percy, played by Tim McInnerny. Hugh Laurie plays the role in the third and fourth seri
- First aired
- 1983
- Last aired
- 1989
- Network
- BBC1
- Genre
- Period sitcom
- Number of series
- 4
- Starring
- Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson
- Writers
- Richard Curtis, Rowan Atkinson, Ben Elton
Lore & Background
The first series, The Black Adder (1983), was set in the fictional reign of 'Richard IV' and written by Atkinson and Richard Curtis. The subsequent three series were written by Curtis and Ben Elton. Blackadder II (1986) was set during the reign of Elizabeth I, Blackadder the Third (1987) in the Regency era, and Blackadder Goes Forth (1989) in the trenches of the Great War. All four series were produced by John Lloyd.
Reader's Guide
Blackadder follows the misfortunes of Edmund Blackadder, with each series implying he is a descendant of the previous one. In series 1, Edmund is not particularly bright, while his servant Baldrick is his intellectual superior; in later series, the positions are reversed. Each incarnation also tolerates a dimwitted aristocrat: Percy in the first two series, played by Tim McInnerny, and George in the third and fourth, played by Hugh Laurie. Characters of higher standing, such as Stephen Fry's Melchett and McInnerny's Darling, provide antagonistic figures. In 2000, Blackadder Goes Forth ranked 16th in the British Film Institute's 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. In a 2001 Channel 4 poll, Edmund Blackadder was ranked third on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters. In the 2004 TV poll for Britain's Best Sitcom, Blackadder was voted the second-best British sitcom of all time, topped by Only Fools and Horses. Empire magazine ranked it the ninth-best TV show of all time in 2009.
Did You Know?
- The first series was written by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis; the subsequent three were written by Curtis and Ben Elton.
- In series 1, Edmund Blackadder is not particularly bright, but in later series he is clever and manipulative while Baldrick is extremely dim.
- Blackadder Goes Forth ranked 16th in the British Film Institute's 100 Greatest British Television Programmes in 2000.
- Atkinson said Blackadder was 'the least stressful' of all his work due to the shared responsibility among good actors.
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