Black Adder: The Complete Collector's Set [DVD]

A must watch great buy. Be ready to sit down and binge watch all. Fast shipper too.

The authors Richard Curtis and Ben Elton are well known to BBC audiences for their comedic masterwork, having been severally and individually part of the Vicar of Dibley, Mr. Bean, The Young Ones, The Man from Auntie. Rowan Atkinson, the lead actor in this series, also collaborated as writer and actor in other features such as Mr. Bean and the Thin Blue Line. John Lloyd was the producer who helped bring this series to life.The Blackadder series, begun in the 1980s, was a comedic masterpiece set forth by Rowan Atkinson and his comrades. From start to finish, the first series was a masterstroke of wit, irony and comedic styling that fits both the contemporary and medieval situations perfectly. The combination of slapstick and intellectual humour blended well, and the literary types will not miss the occasional credit of William Shakespeare as a collaborating writer on some episodes -- this might well be the kind of comedy Shakespeare would have produced today.The first series was set in the pre-Tudor royal family, projecting that Richard III won at Bosworth Field, and Richard IV succeeded him, until after many adventures, the entire royal family was done in, and Henry Tudor reworte history thereafter. The first series starred Brian Blessed and Elspet Gray as the King and Queen, and Robert East as their eldest son, the Prince of Wales. Rowan Atkinson played the second son, who with companions Percy and Baldrick (Tim McInnerny and Tony Robinson) create most of the comic scenes. BlackAdder variously becomes the Archbishop of Canterbury, the betrothed of the Spanish Infanta, a witch on trial, and finally, however briefly, King of England. There were six episodes of this series (as would be true for each of succeeding regular series years) - they included many attempts by Blackadder to take power, including the crown itself - something that would repeat in various manner over the subsequent years save the last. Both Tim McInnerny and Tony Robinson will recur as characters in later years; Baldrick is the only consistent major character besides Blackadder - in the first year, however, he is rather more clever than his future generations; indeed, in this first series, Baldrick is probably the most intelligent of the lot (a scary thing indeed!)The second series sees Percy and Baldrick following a descendent of Blackadder in Elizabethan times; as befits the period, the characters are more vibrant and saucy, particularly Blackadder, who still seeks his fortune as one of the Queen's suitors. Here he variously becomes the royal executioner, a sea-faring discoverer, a bankrupt noble, and finally a traitor to the crown, albeit not without a sense of humour. Miranda Richardson puts in a spectacular performance as Queen Elizabeth, with Stephen Fry and Patsy Byrne in attendance. Stephen Fry will recur throughout the series.In the third series, Blackadder is still close to the crown, as the butler of the Prince Regent, a despised position to a despised person. Baldrick is still around, and the Prince is played by Hugh Laurie, who will recur in the final series. Done almost as a period comedy, the very titles and situations pay hommage to the day of the Scarlet Pimpernel, Dr. Johnson's dictionary, and the conflict with France. Through an interesting set of circumstances, butler and prince trade places, and the Blackadder finally obtains his intended goal, albeit in the name of someone else.In the fourth and final series, Blackadder has fallen from a great height, and is an officer in the trenches of World War I. Baldrick is still there, and Percy and the Prince have transformed into fellow field officers, with Stephen Fry playing a bellicose general here as he did Wellington in the third series. The main device of this series is the effort by Blackadder to escape the trenches, by variously becoming an artist, a theatre producer, a chef, but to no avail finally, producing a sombre end to the dynasty.The DVD includes all four series, as well as the Christmas special, in which a kind-hearted Blackadder is set in Victorian times, an antithesis of Scrooge, who is shown the future, and decides to make radical if untimely changes in his life in response to this version of the ghost of Christmas future.There are also various pieces of trivia, guides, and a Richard Curtis interview included among the discs. Rowan Atkinson and company are wonderful in their portrayals, perfect comedic timing and situational humour with just the right amount intelligent wit. A treat for all Anglophiles.

I have been a long time fan of the Black Vegitable er... Adder, and was thrilled to no end when I saw that the entire run was to be available on DVD. I was not dissapointed. Not only do you get all four seasons, The Black Adder Back and Fourth, the BlackAdder's Christmas Carol, and the one shot Black Adder the Cavalier Years, You also get a guide to the stars of each season, as well as little historical tidbits(escpecially helpful for the ignorant American) for each era. But wait there's more! Baldric's guide to the making of Black Adder Back and Fourth, and an interview with Richard Curtis.Wow! it gets Five out of Five just for content alone. So if you know the Black Adder, and are still deciding on purchasing this set, do yourself a favor, and get it.Now, for those of you who may not know of the Black Adder, picture history, maybe not as it happened, nor even nessecarily as you were taught it, but how you remember it from books and television shows, all mixed up, and the facts not quite right. Now throw into the mix a sniveling, coniving snake named Edmund, who is after the only thing worthwile in his eyes: Power! (oh and gobs of cash) And you have the Black Adder Series.The first season takes place in England's dark ages, and pokes much fun at the work of William Shakespear. "Now 'tis the summer of our sweet content." Funny stuff! Rowan Atkinson plays Edmond the second son to the King(Played with incredible humor and energy by Brian Blessed) who never calls him by the right name, or even remembers he exisits. Edmund(with his companions Baldric(Tony Robbinson) and Lord Percy(Tim McInnerny)) constantly plots to gain power for himself and lesson the possition of his brother Prince Harry. From being engaged to the hideous and overly amourous Spanish Queen, to becoming the Archbishop of Cantebury(after his father killed the last one) in an incredibly scathing look at the Catholic church of the time, to defending himself from an accusation of witchcraft by the Witch Smeller Pursuivant("What do you feed you cat, M'Lord?", "Milk.", "Milk?", "Yes Milk! Milk! Bloody Milk!", "He feeds his cat bloody milk! A witch!" Paraphasing, but you get the jist.) And Rowan Atkinson plays a weasle to a tee, with puckered face, and gurglely laughs, and a pronounced lisp.The second season takes place in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and features a much more swauve, debonare, and Machevellian Black Adder. Highlights include being named Head Exicutioner by the queen, and getting in a jam when he cuts the head of a man earlier in the week than scheduled(to get the middle of the week off) and the queen gives the man a last minute pardon(not knowing he is already dead). Getting into a drinking contest the same evening he is trying to con his puritanical aunt and uncle(Lord andy Lady White Adder)out of a sizable inheritance. Percy has a great line in which after being told of Lord White Adder's vow of silence by Lady White Adder, Percy turns to Lord White Adder and says, "A vow of silence. How very interesting. Tell me about it."The third season finds Black Adder serving as butler to the Prince Regent George durring colonial times. The interplay between the prince's stupidity, and the Black Adder's guile makes this season one of the best. Baldric is still around, but Percy is absent, Prince George(Hugh Laurie) more than fills his roll of idiot number one. The show goes after politics(with a nod to an old Python election skit), the Theatre, Writers, the Scarlet Pimpernel, Romance, and the old Prince and Butler Switcheroo plot cliche. With Black Adder more than once being foiled in his plots by the Prince's sheer stupidity.The fourth season takes place in the trenches of World War One, With Black Adder as a Captain in the English Army doing everything he can to avoid "Going over the Top". While I apreciate the mesages the cast and crew put fourth of the idiocy and horrors of war, I still found this to be the weakest of the four seasons. A lot of one-time characters get reused from the second and third series, and the responses of all of the characters has become rote and predictable. There is still the occasional gem of humor but they are few and far between. The only thing that redeems the fourth series is the final episode, with it's poiniant ending. It will tug at your heart.With all of that, and all of the extra material, these DVDs will keep you entertained for quite along time. AND you can watch them over and over again, memorize the lines, and get strange questioning looks from your friends as you blurt them out at parties and gatherings. But other BA fans will be there and they will laugh and recite with you, and you will gain a whole new set of friends!HuZah!

I'll start off this review by saying that "Blackadder" is, in my opinion, easily one of the best British comedy TV shows in existence, and I think many would agree with me on that one. There isn't really a bad thing that I have to say about this: it has a pretty decent cast, great acting, loveable characters and endless laughs. Rowan Atkinson did a marvellous job playing the role of the several Blackadders and I have to award credit to the other great actors as well, such as Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson and Brian Blessed; they ALL did a fantastic job in their roles. Other great actors also guest starred in various episodes, including Miriam Margolyes, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane and the late Rik Mayall (R.I.P, Rik. You were and still are a British comedy legend)."Blackadder" takes place in different historical time periods, revolving around the lives of the Edmund Blackadders (Atkinson) and the Baldricks (Robinson); from the first series onwards, the lives of their descendants are eternally intertwined, along with (occasionally) the descendants of Lord Percy (McInnerny) and Prince George (Laurie); series 1 and 2 for Percy and series 3 onwards for George. The great thing is that in each series, the characters are completely identical to their counterparts from the previous series (although their characters differ in the first series); effectively, actors like Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson reprise their roles, except that you know that they are not playing the same characters they played in the previous series; there is no differentiation between their new roles and their previous.This box set is perfect for any Blackadder fan to own, because not only does it contain all four series, but it also contains the bonus episodes as well, although this doesn't include the unaired pilot episode. I've seen that episode on Youtube and I don't think it's anything to get excited about. In fact, the first series' second episode serves as a remake of that episode, as well as a vast improvement of it.Now, onto my reviews of each series.THE BLACK ADDERThe first series was initially broadcast in 1983 and written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson. It takes place in the late fifteenth century and it takes place during the reign of the fictional King Richard IV (played by Brian Blessed), during a secret historical era.This series starts off with the narrator explaining that Henry Tudor (more commonly known as King Henry VII) re-wrote history and falsely claimed to have defeated his predecessor, King Richard III and won the Battle of Bosworth Field on the 22 August, 1485 (which he did in reality).In this series, King Richard III is killed by Lord Edmund (Henry Tudor is assumed to have committed the murder) and the diseased king is succeeded by his nephew, Edmund's father, Richard, earning Edmund the title of Duke of Edinburgh. It is then we he has a change of wardrobe, including a silly haircut. It is also then that he adopts the name of the Black Adder, although his initial choice was the Black Vegetable; Baldrick suggests the Black Adder title.In this series, Edmund spends time with his servants, Bladrick and Lord Percy, in his ambition to claim his father's throne and become king, and he is prepared to do anything to do it.The first series is often regarded as the worst of the lot by fans and although I agree, I do enjoy watching this series as well. Of course, the most memorable characters are the three protagonists and King Richard IV. I thought they were all great. In this series, Edmund is a snivelling buffoon that speaks and behaves eccentrically. Rowan Atkinson did a terrific job in this role, even constantly putting on the face of an abnormal person whenever he was on-screen.Baldrick is rather clever in this series, often giving Edmund some advice, and I feel that him being intelligent works well, bearing in mind that he is Edmund's servant. Percy on the other hand, is very dim-witted and easily the least intelligent of the three. Then you have King Richard IV, who seems to despise Edmund, constantly getting his name wrong - when he remembers his existence - calling him names like Edna, Oswin and "the slimy one". He clearly loves his older son, Harry (Robert East), much more than Edmund.My favourite episode has easily got to be "The Witchsmeller Pursuivant", in which Edmund is accused of being a witch by the episode's titular character (after calling him "Old Big Nose") and put on an unfair trial, purposely taking information out of context and connecting it with other meaningless date. Edmund's cat for example, which is named Bubbles, the witchsmeller decides is short for Beelzebbles.Overall, not the best Blackadder series, but I'd say that it's pretty good on it's own and worth a watch.BLACKADDER IIThe second series (broadcast in 1986) is arguably the best series of Blackadder and a vast improvement of the original. Although Richard Curtis returned as one of the writers, Rowan Atkinson was replaced by Ben Elton as the second writer. The second series takes place sometime in the Elizabethan era.This series saw permanent changes of two of the protagonists. Blackadder was changed from a snivelling, idiotic buffoon into a charming, witty, sarcastic individual, with a lot more intelligence and sophistication than his counterpart. His basic personality traits remained the same: cruel, selfish and sociopathic. Baldrick changed from a clever character to dim-witted character, with an IQ score that is far below average; Percy's character was unchained.The rest of the original cast didn't return, although some actors that guest-stared did. This series saw great actors join the show. Miranda Richardson was brilliant as Queen Elizabeth I (or Queenie). Stephen Fry joined the cast as Lord Melchett and the late Patsy Byrne was great as the dim-witted Nursie, or Bernard, which she reveals as her true name in the first episode.In this series, Blackadder is courtier to Queenie and the series follows his attempts to win her favour and avoid having his "head cut off". Lord Melchett is his rival and in turn, aims to please the queen, as well as to outdo Blackadder.The second series is easily better than the first and it is my personal favourite, although I like this one MARGINALLY more than its two sequel series. I feel that the character changes made them, and the show, more likeable. Although I do like the clever Baldrick from the first series, I like the stupid Baldrick quite a bit more. Tony Robinson was great as Baldrick.My favourite episode is "Bells", in which Blackadder falls in love with his new man servant, Bob, who is secretly a woman named Kate dressed as a boy. The whole episode is brilliant, with many classic moments, such as Blackadder's visitation to the Old Crone and of course, Lord Flashheart's grand opening; Rik Mayall was brilliant in the role.BLACKADDER THE THIRDThe third series was broadcast in 1987 and takes place either in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. For fear of being a typecast, Tim McInnerny didn't return as Lord Percy, although he guest starred as French aristocrat, Topper, in one episode. Stephen Fry and Miranda Richardson didn't return either, although, like McInnerny, they each guest star in an episode. Hugh Laurie joined the cast as Prince George (or the Prince Regent), replacing Percy in some sense; both characters are very stupid. Actress Helen Atkinson-Wood joined the cast in a supporting role as Mrs Miggins; this was her only series.Blackadder (known as Mr E. Blackadder in this series) serves as the butler for Prince George, still with Baldrick in his service. In this series, he takes advantage of the Prince Regent's stupidity, pretending to be his friend and a helpful butler, whilst really (and crystal-clearly) abusing his position and mocking George for personal gain.My favourite episode is easily "Nob and Nobility" in which Blackadder's attempt to deceive two French Aristocrats into thinking he's gone to France and rescued a third aristocrat from the clutches of the evil revolutionary lands him (ironically) into the clutches of an evil revolutionist (played terrifically by Chris Barrie). Nigel Planer also guests stars as French aristocrat, Smedley.Although this series is not QUITE as good as the second (at least in my opinion) this series is very good and one I never get bored of.BLACKADDER GOES FORTHThe fourth series was broadcast in 1989 and takes place in the trenches during the First World War. Both Tim McInnerny and Stephen Fry return in this series, playing full-time roles. Although the latter returned as Melchett, McInnerny, still due to his fear of being a typecast, returns as a new character, Captain Kevin Darling, who is the opposite of Lord Percy; whilst Percy was very stupid and admired Blackadder, Captain Darling is an intelligent man who cannot stand Blackadder and sees him for who he is. Unfortunately for him, Captain Melchett fails to see this, although Captain Darling does try on more than one occasion to convince him.This series shows Captain Blackadder in the trenches, alongside Private Baldrick and Lieutenant George, disobeying orders (unless it's something he benefits from) and trying to worm his way out of the trenches.My favourite episode has got to be "Corporal Punishment" in which Blackadder is court-martialed for shooting Melchett's carrier pigeon, Speckled Jim.I liked the return of Melchett and I liked the new character, Captain Darling, as well as the way they easily used his funny name for humour. That scene in "Major Star" in which Melchett is rehearsing what he wishes to say to the "woman" he loves, which involves the usage of the word, "darling" and unsurprisingly confuses Captain Darling is a good example. It also makes me laugh because Melchett gets impatient with Captain Darling, despite the obvious reason, he clearly fails to see. It's also funny when Captain Darling finally realizes that Melchett wasn't talking to him, but that is only when Melchett tells him what he was doing."Honestly, Darling, you really are the most graceless, dim-witted bumpkin I ever met.""I don't think you should say THAT to her."Overall, in my opinion, this series isn't AS good as the second and third series in my opinion, but it is just about as enjoyable.THE BONUS EPISODESI will try and be brief on this one. The first bonus episode, "Blackadder: The Cavalier Years" was broadcast in 1988 for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day and it is a very short episode, with a duration of 15 minutes, as opposed to its usual half-hour duration. I've only seen this episode twice and although I like this episode, it's not one of my personal favourites; perhaps due to the short duration. Again, this WAS done for Comic Relief, so bearing that in mind, I feel they did a pretty good job with this one. This episode takes place in the mid-seventeenth century and it shows Blackadder trying to save King Charles I (played by Stephen Fry) from execution."Blackadder's Christmas Carol", broadcast in the same year, is easily my favourite of the bonus episodes. It has a lengthy duration of around 40 minutes and it is one I watch around Christmas every year without fail. As the title already says, this is based on the classic novel by Charles Dickens, only Ebenezer Blackadder (yes, that's his first name) changes from a kind and caring (and very weak man) into a horrid man, and easily the nastiest man in London. The concept of this episode is pure genius. Of course, it would have been ideal for Blackadder to change from nasty to kind, but I like the other way round better, because it's funnier. What I love about this episode is that he turns nasty to those who were taking advantage of his generosity the whole time. This is another thing about this episode I like: in the real world, when you are kind and generous, people DO take advantage, most unfortunately. Totally love this episode.The final episode, "Blackadder: Back & Forth" was broadcast at the turn of the millennium. In this episode, Blackadder's New Year prank to dupe his guests into thinking he has invented a time machine goes wrong when he finds that he ironically DOES have a time machine. Due to Baldrick (the builder) using fruit slots instead of numbers to show them when they are, they find themselves struggling to get back to their own time, visiting several historical time periods in their wake. They also solve the mystery of what wiped out the dinosaurs. I won't say what it was, but it WASN'T a meteorite.This episode serves as a good conclusion to the terrific TV show. The only thing about this episode I don't like is that it doesn't feature a laughter soundtrack, although this wasn't broadcast in front of an audience.Well, this wraps up my review on the Blackadder collection. It's a GREAT TV show, filled with many funny moments that never fail to make me laugh; regardless of how often I watch this, I still laugh at these moments. This is a box set I'd highly recommend for all those who love British comedy.

I can't believe that anyone will buy this purely on the strength of my recommendation, so here are a few random observations, which might, perhaps, tempt you into buying this boxed-set at a bargain price. (If you do, you won't regret it...)* Series 1, "The Blackadder," is better than you might remember it, even if the snivelling central character is totally different from the cynical roué of the later series. There are some great guest stars and Brian Blessed is, of course, quite marvellous.* Series 1 and 4 were written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, 2 and 3 by Curtis and Ben Elton. It's not really obvious who wrote what and the standard of writing is pretty consistent.* The music for all four series was written by Howard Goodall and very good it is too.* Apart from Rowan Atkinson, the only person to appear in all four series (and the specials) is Tony (Baldrick) Robinson. Tim (Percy/Darling) McInnerny is a regular in Series 2, 2 and 4 and guests in 3 and in one of the specials; Hugh (Prince Regent/George) Laurie is a regular in Series 3 and 4 and guests (twice) in 2 and in two of the specials; Stephen (Melchett) Fry is a regular in Series 2 and 4 and guests in 3 and in all of the specials; Miranda (Queenie) Richardson is only a regular in Series 2, but guests in 3 and 4 and in two of the specials; Patsy Byrne plays Nursie in Series 2 and reprises the role in two of the specials.* Rik Mayall appears in all four series, in three of them as Flashheart and also appears in one of the specials, while other repeat guest stars include Miriam Margolyes, Jim Broadbent, Bill Wallis and Robbie Coltrane. Gabrielle Glaister appears as "Bob" in Series 2 and 4, while Helen Atkinson Wood plays Mrs Miggins throughout Series 3.* Many of the top comedy performers of that time put in appearances, including Angus Deayton, Nigel Planer, Chris Barrie, Adrian Edmondson, Jeremy Hardy and series writer Ben Elton, while from an earlier generation we have Peter Cook (Richard 111 in Series 1) and Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Connor (quite wonderful as the actors in Series 3).* A host of distinguished thespians also appear, ranging from Frank Finlay and Robert Lacey in Series 1 to Warren Clarke and Geoffrey Palmer in later episodes. Tom Baker is especially memorable as Captain Rum in Series 2, while Colin Firth and Simon Russell Beale appear in the most recent special.* The BBC's Political Correspondent, the late Vincent Hanna, appears as an earlier incarnation of himself in Series 3.* That's enough facts.* If you don't already own the set, go on...buy it!

Blacckadder is one of the Britains finest ever comedies. The comic genius that is Rowan Atikinson as Edmund Blackadder, outstandingly supported throughout by the brilliant Tony Robinson (before his "Time Team" days) as his ever suffering side kick Baldrick, and by Tim McInnerny, Steven Fry and Hugh Laurie, among others.The first series is set in the 1490s when, apparently, the history books were incorrectly written and Richard III wasn't defeated at the battle of Bosworth Field by Henry Tudor, but was succeeded on the throne of England by his brother Richard IV (Brian Blessed) after being beheaded at the battle of Bosworth Field by his clutz of a nephew, Prince Edmund Plantagenet, who later (after briefly considering calling himself "The Black Vegetable") re-names himself "The Black Adder". A legend is born.Series 2 - move forward 80 years or so to Elizabethan times and the great grandson of Edmund Plantagenet - it's in the lyrics of the closing song on the episode "Head", for anyone who hadn't noticed it already "His great grandfather was a king, although for only 30 seconds". Now demoted to Lord rather than a Prince of the relm, Blackadder is the much more sharp, cunning and altogether nasty character we came to love. Baldrick is now the stupid one and that's the way it ought to be and, in deed, stayed.Series 3 - Now in the late 1700s to early 1800s in the time of the Prince Regent, Edmund is demoted again to being the butler to Prince George (brilliantly played by Hugh Laurie). Baldrick is still his ever suffering dogsbody, whose immortal words "I have a cunning plan" are the bain of Blackadders life.Series 4 - It's now world war one and Blackadder is demoted still further to a captain in the army trenches, with Baldrick and George as his comrades and Melchet as his barmey General.The series just got better and better as it went on and the ending was perfect when they went over the top. At the end of last episode, as the final scene is shown, there's no theme tune or credits, it simply cuts to a picture of poppy fields. The way this is done is so moving, and a perfect ending to a brilliant series.The full four series, along with all the specials, like "Blackadders Christmas Carol" and sketches that were done for Comic Relief, make one brilliant collection. If you don't already own any of the Blackadder series, then this is definitely the one to buy and well worth every penny.

The first and essential element is the set of actors and first of all Rowan Atkinson. That is pure English comedy based on totally anachronistic and crazy situations, on witty puns that nearly or most of the time have to do with what is generally under the belt of most people but that is floating on top of the mind of these comedians. It is supposed to make you laugh and nothing else and it ridicules all historical characters and situations: Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, Georges VI or some other Prince of Wales, the First World War, Robin Hood and I guess they avoided Peter Pan because he might only be marginally historical, though Pitt Junior is a real hit, definitely under the belt at the level of the comforter, if you see what I mean. It even turns upside down the famous Christmas Carol. As for the Time Machine it is completely twisted around in all directions, back and forth for sure, to make a sort of self-centered social climbing, politically opportunistic remake of Back to the Future more than the Time Machine, but the principle is the same. So Sir Edmund Blackadder finishing King Edmund I is at least hilarious. H.G. Wells is betrayed since for him you cannot change the past and Zemeckis is betrayed just the same since you are not supposed to use your time travelling to recuperate some personal advantage from it. I must say though this type of comedy is light maybe slightly too light, but it is good indeed.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID

This is a collection of DVD's from all four of the BBC Blackadder Series: The first series setjust after the war of the roses, the 2nd series set in Elizabethan times, the third set during the reign of the mad king George and the fourth set in the first world war trenches. In addition you get the two bonus episodes/films of Blackadder's Christmas Carol and Blackadder Back and Forth (made to mark the new milenium).Because some of them were filmed a while ago the quality is a bit dodgy here and there, but remembering how long ago some of the episodes were filmed, I don't think is is unreasonable. This does not detract from my enjoyment, as the visual quality, especially on the first series, seems no different than when I watched the originals on TV and is definitely not as wobbly as the old VHS video's of Blackadder I have almost worn out with watching over the years!I believe this is excellent value for money and well worth buying. The box will look great on your DVD shelf too!