Post by burrunjor on Oct 31, 2021 12:24:01 GMT
Just had a rewatch of this gem.
Which is your favourite series?
I'd rank them like this.
Blackadder The Third
I'd say this is the series most people think of when they think of Blackadder. This incarnation is the suave, intelligent, utterly ruthless bastard who wins in almost every episode. He is utterly evil and kills 7 people over the course of six episodes! Granted some of them like Miranda Richardson's character deserve it, whilst others its only self defense, but even then some like the two actors that he kills, it's just complete sadism LOL.
Most people tend to think of Blackadder as that, the straight up villain protagonist, who is a magnificent bastard, but it's really only in this series he's portrayed that way. The first is a repulsive, sad, sympathetic loser, the second though smart, often ends up losing and getting in over his head. From being jilted by his fiance, to being forced to drink Baldrick's urine, to his eventual torture and death! The fourth meanwhile similarly often loses out too.
Also the other Blackadders contrary to popular belief aren't evil or even that bad people to be honest. The first is a man of his time and so obviously lacks our morals, but even then he is clearly of a higher moral standing than the others around him. He opposes the witch hunts as barbaric, and he also when overthrowing his family simply wants to banish them. (Which is more mercy than his father ever showed him.) Also the people he kills generally are unpleasant and nasty like MacAngus. The second meanwhile doesn't kill anyone, and though he is a bit of a dick to Percy and Baldrick, he was happy to share any wealth he had with them, like the planned holiday to France that went tits up thanks to Tom Baker LOL, and the money he got from the Baby Eating Bishop of Bath and Wells. He also shows some mercy in some instances, like to the grieving widow when she cries and wants to see her husband, and genuinely saves the Queen from Prince Ludwig. The fourth Blackadder meanwhile is completely sympathetic as he only wants to escape certain death, and also doesn't kill anyone either.
The third however is vile in every way LOL. Even aside from his killing spree, the way he abuses poor Baldrick (being the only one to do so. The other Blackadders only hit Baldrick a combined total of 3 times.) Then there's his treatment of Miss Miggins which is worse than anything the other Blackadders do, so I'd say the third one is the iconic version of Blackadder.
Blackadder Goes Fourth
Objectively this is the best series. With a strong core cast, all at their absolute best here. (Stephen Fry is better suited to the mad general, Hugh Laurie is so lovable as George, and Darling is a more complex character for Tim McInnery to play.) The premise also allows for lots of comedy and drama, but incredibly enough neither weigh the other down. Every episode of this series is a classic, from the Flanders Pigeon murderer! to the Rik and Ade reunion, to the spy episode, where Blackadder interrogates Darling, to the last episode which is not just a great Blackadder episode, but a tv classic in general.
The final moments are among the most poignant and moving to any tv series, and I loved the way that the Blackadder dynasty came to an end in WW1. It really showed how that was the worst thing humanity had faced at that time. The Blackadder family tree had lived through the Witch hunts, the regency period, numerous mad monarchs and kings, but the war was what finally finished them off. The fact that a family with all that history ends on the battlefields, with no one knowing just makes the final shot of the poppy field all the more poignant. How many real life families that had lived through so much just came to a quiet end on that battle field?
The only reason it's not at the top is because I think that in terms of a Blackadder series the third is still the funniest and the one people most remember, but like I said as a series in its own right this is the best.
Blackadder 2
I feel bad having such a classic series so low down LOL. Still this series isn't quite as poignant as the fourth, and again it's Blackadder isn't quite as vicious and evil as the third one. Still it's a brilliant series overall, with a very strong cast and is probably the most fun and easy to rewatch.
Miranda Richardson is probably the stand out because of how mental and sexy her Queen is LOL.
Blackadder
Definitely the weakest series. It is not bad by any means, it was just dwarfed and eclipsed by its sequels. It has a brilliant setting, (I've always been fascinated with the middle ages) a great and interesting premise of history being written by the winners, excellent supporting cast from Peter Cook to Frank Finlay to Brian Blessed and some real stand out classic episodes like the Witch Finder episode. I also rather like the smart Baldrick. He and Blackadder have quite a good Don Quixote and Sancho Panza type relationship, though I definitely preferred the stupid Baldrick. It was quite funny watching it in reverse after having been introduced to the later series
Which is your favourite series?
I'd rank them like this.
Blackadder The Third
I'd say this is the series most people think of when they think of Blackadder. This incarnation is the suave, intelligent, utterly ruthless bastard who wins in almost every episode. He is utterly evil and kills 7 people over the course of six episodes! Granted some of them like Miranda Richardson's character deserve it, whilst others its only self defense, but even then some like the two actors that he kills, it's just complete sadism LOL.
Most people tend to think of Blackadder as that, the straight up villain protagonist, who is a magnificent bastard, but it's really only in this series he's portrayed that way. The first is a repulsive, sad, sympathetic loser, the second though smart, often ends up losing and getting in over his head. From being jilted by his fiance, to being forced to drink Baldrick's urine, to his eventual torture and death! The fourth meanwhile similarly often loses out too.
Also the other Blackadders contrary to popular belief aren't evil or even that bad people to be honest. The first is a man of his time and so obviously lacks our morals, but even then he is clearly of a higher moral standing than the others around him. He opposes the witch hunts as barbaric, and he also when overthrowing his family simply wants to banish them. (Which is more mercy than his father ever showed him.) Also the people he kills generally are unpleasant and nasty like MacAngus. The second meanwhile doesn't kill anyone, and though he is a bit of a dick to Percy and Baldrick, he was happy to share any wealth he had with them, like the planned holiday to France that went tits up thanks to Tom Baker LOL, and the money he got from the Baby Eating Bishop of Bath and Wells. He also shows some mercy in some instances, like to the grieving widow when she cries and wants to see her husband, and genuinely saves the Queen from Prince Ludwig. The fourth Blackadder meanwhile is completely sympathetic as he only wants to escape certain death, and also doesn't kill anyone either.
The third however is vile in every way LOL. Even aside from his killing spree, the way he abuses poor Baldrick (being the only one to do so. The other Blackadders only hit Baldrick a combined total of 3 times.) Then there's his treatment of Miss Miggins which is worse than anything the other Blackadders do, so I'd say the third one is the iconic version of Blackadder.
Blackadder Goes Fourth
Objectively this is the best series. With a strong core cast, all at their absolute best here. (Stephen Fry is better suited to the mad general, Hugh Laurie is so lovable as George, and Darling is a more complex character for Tim McInnery to play.) The premise also allows for lots of comedy and drama, but incredibly enough neither weigh the other down. Every episode of this series is a classic, from the Flanders Pigeon murderer! to the Rik and Ade reunion, to the spy episode, where Blackadder interrogates Darling, to the last episode which is not just a great Blackadder episode, but a tv classic in general.
The final moments are among the most poignant and moving to any tv series, and I loved the way that the Blackadder dynasty came to an end in WW1. It really showed how that was the worst thing humanity had faced at that time. The Blackadder family tree had lived through the Witch hunts, the regency period, numerous mad monarchs and kings, but the war was what finally finished them off. The fact that a family with all that history ends on the battlefields, with no one knowing just makes the final shot of the poppy field all the more poignant. How many real life families that had lived through so much just came to a quiet end on that battle field?
The only reason it's not at the top is because I think that in terms of a Blackadder series the third is still the funniest and the one people most remember, but like I said as a series in its own right this is the best.
Blackadder 2
I feel bad having such a classic series so low down LOL. Still this series isn't quite as poignant as the fourth, and again it's Blackadder isn't quite as vicious and evil as the third one. Still it's a brilliant series overall, with a very strong cast and is probably the most fun and easy to rewatch.
Miranda Richardson is probably the stand out because of how mental and sexy her Queen is LOL.
Blackadder
Definitely the weakest series. It is not bad by any means, it was just dwarfed and eclipsed by its sequels. It has a brilliant setting, (I've always been fascinated with the middle ages) a great and interesting premise of history being written by the winners, excellent supporting cast from Peter Cook to Frank Finlay to Brian Blessed and some real stand out classic episodes like the Witch Finder episode. I also rather like the smart Baldrick. He and Blackadder have quite a good Don Quixote and Sancho Panza type relationship, though I definitely preferred the stupid Baldrick. It was quite funny watching it in reverse after having been introduced to the later series
