Best Blackadder Series?

[Mr Blue Sky]

I'd definitely say S1 is the weakest, but yeah, I'd place the last 2 eps of S1 above many other Blackadder episodes from later and better series.

Could I ask which episodes you'd place them above? I don't like 'Chains' from Blackadder II, otherwise I think the 'classic' series were very consistent.

Head
Potato
Beer
Chains
Nob and Nobility
Sense and Senility
Major Star

I'd place all those below the final two S1 eps. Beer is an overrated ep IMO, everyone seems to love that but I don't think it has an ounce of wit.

[Cake for Brains]

Head
Potato
Beer
Chains
Nob and Nobility
Sense and Senility
Major Star

Interesting!

I'd place all those below the final two S1 eps. Beer is an overrated ep IMO, everyone seems to love that but I don't think it has an ounce of wit.

It's not witty particularly, but it's so silly, it's just hilarious. Does the turnip shaped like a 'thingy' or Lady Whiteadder not amuse you at all? It's Top 5 for me, maybe Top 3.

[Mr Blue Sky]

Head
Potato
Beer
Chains
Nob and Nobility
Sense and Senility
Major Star

Interesting!

I'd place all those below the final two S1 eps. Beer is an overrated ep IMO, everyone seems to love that but I don't think it has an ounce of wit.

It's not witty particularly, but it's so silly, it's just hilarious. Does the turnip shaped like a 'thingy' or Lady Whiteadder not amuse you at all? It's Top 5 for me, maybe Top 3.

Nah. Miriam Margolyes is the jewel in that turd of an episode. The most interesting thing about the 'thingy-shaped-turnip' was the fact that the production team couldn't find any so they had to make a mock-up! Of course, Ben Elton was acually referring to parsnips but turnip was a funnier word so he used that instead and let the props department sort out the rest!

[Cake for Brains]

Nah. Miriam Margolyes is the jewel in that turd of an episode.

That's a bit harsh! Is it your least favourite episode?

[Agides]

Series 2, hands down. Reason? Queenie (one of my favourite TV characters).

[Mr Blue Sky]

Nah. Miriam Margolyes is the jewel in that turd of an episode.

That's a bit harsh! Is it your least favourite episode?

Nah, the first 2 S1 eps are worse. But it's definitely down there. I don't mind low-brow but Beer really plumbed the depths. I'm a big fan of Ben Elton's stand-up work but this is a prime example of his OTT sitcom style.

Btw, Ben Elton eps, if you're interested, were:-

Bells
Beer
Chains
Dish and Dishonesty
Nob and Nobility
Sense and Senility
Corporal Punishment
Major Star
Private Plane

Obviously they both had a hand in each other's scripts but the way BE and RC wrote was basically as seperate writers who performed treatments on each other's scripts.

[Agides]

Favourite episodes:-

The Black Adder - 'The Queen of Spain's Beard'
Blackadder II - 'Potato' ("Ah..you have a woman's hand! I'll bet that hand..." etc, etc, is oft quoted in the Agides' household!!)
Blackadder The Third - 'Nob & Nobility'
Blackadder Goes Forth - 'Major Star'

[Cake for Brains]

Btw, Ben Elton eps, if you're interested, were:-

Bells
Beer
Chains
Dish and Dishonesty
Nob and Nobility
Sense and Senility
Corporal Punishment
Major Star
Private Plane

Where did you find that out from? From what I'd gathered, I thought neither writer could remember who wrote which episode.

[Mr Blue Sky]

Btw, Ben Elton eps, if you're interested, were:-

Bells
Beer
Chains
Dish and Dishonesty
Nob and Nobility
Sense and Senility
Corporal Punishment
Major Star
Private Plane

Where did you find that out from? From what I'd gathered, I thought neither writer could remember who wrote which episode.

I think we've had this discussion before...

I saw Ben Elton interviewed at the time about them. The list is from memory. They may have said that recently to be diplomatic, but let me ask you something. If you'd written an episode of Blackadder would you remember which one it was?

[Cake for Brains]

I saw Ben Elton interviewed at the time about them. The list is from memory. They may have said that recently to be diplomatic, but let me ask you something. If you'd written an episode of Blackadder would you remember which one it was?

Definitely, especially if it was a great episode like 'Beer'.

I don't know why both writer's pretend not to remember who wrote what. Aren't there rumuors that Richard Curtis wrote the whole thing too?

And you're right, now you mention it, I think we have had this conversation before! Oh well!

[Mr Blue Sky]

I saw Ben Elton interviewed at the time about them. The list is from memory. They may have said that recently to be diplomatic, but let me ask you something. If you'd written an episode of Blackadder would you remember which one it was?

Definitely, especially if it was a great episode like 'Beer'.

I don't know why both writer's pretend not to remember who wrote what. Aren't there rumuors that Richard Curtis wrote the whole thing too?

And you're right, now you mention it, I think we have had this conversation before! Oh well!

Started by the Ben Elton-hating brigade no doubt. there are some people out there who don't want to acknowledge BE had anything to do with the show but when you look at the style of writing it becomes totally obvious who wrote what.

Just look at the political threads running through episodes like Dish and Dishonesty and Corporal Punishment. And Beer is like an historic re-enactment of a Young Ones episode.

[Moon-Crane]

Series 2, hands down. Reason? Queenie (one of my favourite TV characters).

The whole support cast were especially superb in Blackadder II, imo.

[Cake for Brains]

Just look at the political threads running through episodes like Dish and Dishonesty and Corporal Punishment. And Beer is like an historic re-enactment of a Young Ones episode.

No, it isn't! I agree about the political elements though - also present in 'Nob and Nobility' too. Would you BE is responsible for most of the political/ruder episodes, whereas Curtis is responsbiel for the historical, wordier episodes? Not sure which style I prefer, thinking about it.

Same neither writer has done anything truly funny since really.

[Agides]

Series 2, hands down. Reason? Queenie (one of my favourite TV characters).

The whole support cast were especially superb in Blackadder II, imo.

Actually, you're right. Nursey was hysterical, as was Percy and Melchett (Stephen Fry as anything is always magnificent!!).

[Mr Blue Sky]

Just look at the political threads running through episodes like Dish and Dishonesty and Corporal Punishment. And Beer is like an historic re-enactment of a Young Ones episode.

No, it isn't! I agree about the political elements though - also present in 'Nob and Nobility' too. Would you BE is responsible for most of the political/ruder episodes, whereas Curtis is responsbiel for the historical, wordier episodes? Not sure which style I prefer, thinking about it.

Same neither writer has done anything truly funny since really.

RC's not had a bad career since...

But yeah, you're dead right about their respective styles. Watch them again and you'll see what I mean, it's a piece of piss to tell who wrote what. I'm sure even if I couldn't remember from BE's interview I'd be able to guess.

[Cake for Brains]

RC's not had a bad career since...

I suppose, but nothing has come close to Adder. I've not liked any of his films. 'Dibley' is okay, but nothing classic and it ended badly.

Ben Elton has written a few enjoyable novels, but also as many awful novels. And 'The Thin Blue Line' doesn't stand up to rewatches at all - definitely a sitcom of it's time.

But yeah, you're dead right about their respective styles. Watch them again and you'll see what I mean, it's a piece of piss to tell who wrote what. I'm sure even if I couldn't remember from BE's interview I'd be able to guess.

The character's are all very consistent in all episodes though, so I'm guessing there was a lot of crossover between them. For example, Blackadder and Balderick aren't any different in eps written by Curtis than they are in episodes written by Elton.

[Moon-Crane]

I can't think of Curtis film that hasn't disappointed me.

I haven't really read any of Ben Elton's books for a long time, so i can't really comment on his curernt work.

[Pisa32]

No, seriously - what is it? I've never heard of it?

Me neither!

Eh? I'm going to have to ask Google, aren't I?

Have you really not heard of it, or is it a whole part of the 'this crappy episode never happened' thing?

If you haven't heard of it, it was a Blackadder special that they first showed at the Millienium Dome (thats where I first saw it, anyway) and it was, well, crap. It was about the present day Blackadder in a time machine travelling to different periods in history (yeah, that's believable).

[Dorset Girl]

Have you really not heard of it, or is it a whole part of the 'this crappy episode never happened' thing?

If you haven't heard of it, it was a Blackadder special that they first showed at the Millienium Dome (thats where I first saw it, anyway) and it was, well, crap. It was about the present day Blackadder in a time machine travelling to different periods in history (yeah, that's believable).

Thank you, no I really had never heard of it, but it doesn't sound like I missed much anyway! Not worth trying to find a copy then?

[Pisa32]

Have you really not heard of it, or is it a whole part of the 'this crappy episode never happened' thing?

If you haven't heard of it, it was a Blackadder special that they first showed at the Millienium Dome (thats where I first saw it, anyway) and it was, well, crap. It was about the present day Blackadder in a time machine travelling to different periods in history (yeah, that's believable).

Thank you, no I really had never heard of it, but it doesn't sound like I missed much anyway! Not worth trying to find a copy then?

Probably not, I certainly haven't watched the DVD of it I have more than once. But Blackadder Christmas Carol was so great, and it has one of my all time favorite Backadder lines

Prince George: What can I do with a woman that I can't do wit you?

Blackadder: I cannot conceive, Sir.

[Bad Ambassador]

:shock: That's a bit harsh! Is it your least favourite episode?

Mm, I love that episode ('Beer')! In fact, there's not a single episode from series 2-4 that I don't like.

I've had the S1 disc there for years, as part of the box-set, but can't bring myself to watch it. It's very hard seeing Blackadder as a screechy-voiced idiot after being so used to him as the witty, cynical, sharp one.

[Cake for Brains]

Mm, I love that episode ('Beer')! In fact, there's not a single episode from series 2-4 that I don't like.

Same here. I'm going to watch that episode this afternoon in order to present BN with some funny, witty quotes...

[Mr Blue Sky]

Mm, I love that episode ('Beer')! In fact, there's not a single episode from series 2-4 that I don't like.

Same here. I'm going to watch that episode this afternoon in order to present BN with some funny, witty quotes...

What happened?

[Cake for Brains]

Mm, I love that episode ('Beer')! In fact, there's not a single episode from series 2-4 that I don't like.

Same here. I'm going to watch that episode this afternoon in order to present BN with some funny, witty quotes...

What happened?

I didn't fail to find quotes. I forgot to watch it! You haven't heard the end of this...

[Mr Blue Sky]

Mm, I love that episode ('Beer')! In fact, there's not a single episode from series 2-4 that I don't like.

Same here. I'm going to watch that episode this afternoon in order to present BN with some funny, witty quotes...

What happened?

I didn't fail to find quotes. I forgot to watch it! You haven't heard the end of this...

I'm waiting...