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BLACKADDER FAQ
Version 9.2
This FAQ is written to answer the questions that seem to be asked the
most often in the alt.comedy.blackadder newsgroup. I make no pretenses
of being any sort of expert on this subject, so, the participation of
all of the Blackadder fans and readership is important in keeping this
FAQ valid and interesting. Any errors or additions should be called to
my gbrophy@telerama.lm.com.
Thanks,
Gwen Brophy
_________________________________________________________________
Contents
1. What is the Blackadder?
2. How many series are there?
3. Where can I buy them in the US?
4. What is the chant that the actors perform in BA III when they hear
"MacBeth"?
5. Where can I find the scripts?
6. What is the name of the Baby Eating Bishop in BA II?
7. Is Helen Atkinson-Wood any relation to Rowan? Is Rowan married?
8. What are the multiple characters played by the actors in the
series?
9. Why isn't Nob and Nobility shown in the US?
10. Why can't I buy The Cavalier Years?
11. Was that Rowan in The Lion King?
12. What are some of the great quotes from the series?
13. Will there be a Blackadder the Fifth Series?
14. What are some of the anachronisms in the series?
15. Where can I write Rowan Atkinson?
16. How can I subscribe to the Blackadder mailing list?
17. Where can I get the FAQ?
_________________________________________________________________
1. What is the Blackadder?
The Blackadder is a British Comedy Series starring Rowan Atkinson as
the title role. The series spans from the 15th century all the way up
to World War I, with some stops in between, and one stop in the
future.
One of the most notable things about the series is the acidic tongue,
and quick wit, of Edmund Blackadder, and the uncanny way in which he
seems to have a hand in important situations of Europe's history--and
in the slick way he gets himself into and out of trouble.
He is accompanied through the series by one faithful bondsman,
Baldrick, whose intelligence is comparable to that of a cabbage. Their
families are interwined in a centuries old relationship of servant and
master. You can't help but wonder how the two families managed to
reproduce.
Other familiar faces continually pop up over the centuries--such as
Lord Flasheart, and Lord Percy Percy. One viewer noted that BlackAdder
is to ordinary TV what being a millionaire aristocrat with the sexual
capacity of a rutting rhino is to standing in the middle of a pond
with a small painted wooden duck on your head.
I think that sums it up beautifully.
2. How many series are there?
There are four series of six episodes each. There is a Christmas
Special and a fifteen minute sketch done for charity. The series and
their episodes, along with episode summaries:
BLACKADDER I--SET IN 15TH CENTURY (START: 1485)
1. The Foretelling
From out of the swirling mists of the Dark Ages comes a lone
horseman with a most ridiculous haircut. It's the ghost of
Richard III, back to haunt the hapless prince Black Adder!
Co-stars Peter Cook.
2. Born to be King
An orange-faced, kilt-clad Scotsman sends waves of shock
through the court of England with his treachery, murder and
Scottish dancing.
3. The Archbishop
The landscape is littered with dead Archbishops of
Canterbury...and Edmund the Reluctant is next in line for this
rather precarious position!
4. The Queen of Spain's Beard
When one of Europe's most eligible princesses is up for grabs,
the scheming Edmund tries to lure her into his lascivious
clutches.
5. The Witchsmeller Pursuivant
The King contracts a nasty case of the Black Death and blames
it on witchcraft. Only one man can sniff out the
hocus-pocus--he's the cruel, corrupt and thoroughly
incorrigible Witchsmeller!
6. The Black Seal
Forever devious, Edmund hatches a hapless, hilarious plot to
dethrone the king...with the help of the Seven Most Evil Men in
the Land. Stars Rik Mayall.
BLACKADDER II-SET IN QUEEN ELIZABETH I'S COURT
1. Bells
Served by a dumbbell in a dress, and accompanied by a bird
brained dimwit, Edmund, the great, great grandson of the
repulsive original is reasonably normal--until he meets Bob.
2. Head
Edmund, newly-appointed Minister in charge of Religious
Genocide and Lord High Executioner finds himself in a wee bit
of trouble when he completely ruins Lord Farrow's weekend by
cutting off his head.
3. Potato
Blackadder sets out on a quest for new potatoes and to boldy go
where Sir Walter "Rather-a-wimp" Raleigh has already gone
before.
4. Money
Edmund gets a bit hot and bothered when a baby-eating Bishop
drops by unexpectedly and tried to place a red hot poker in
places where a cotton swab would be kinder.
5. Beer
An embarrassing incident with a turnip, an ostrich feather and
a fanatically puritan aunt lead to a right royal to-do in the
Blackadder household.
6. Chains
When Blackadder finds himself up to his chest in iron spikes,
he has but one course of action--to play charades with a crazed
Spanish interrogator.
BLACKADDER III-SET IN KING GEORGE III'S PALACE
1. Dish and Dishonesty
Blackadder takes on the task of saving his royal master from
bankruptcy at the hand of the new Prime Minister.
Unfortunately, his attempts to interfere with the democratic
process don't quite go according to plan as Baldrick is
accidentally elevated to the House of Lords.
2. Ink and Incapability
Dr. Johnson approaches Prince "Thick-As-A-Whale-Omlette" George
in an attempt to gain patronage for his new dictionary.
Blackadder is at first unimpressed, but when he learns of
Johnson's enthusiasm for a novel by a certain "Gertrude
Perkins," the royal butler's attitude changes.
3. Nob and Nobility
After the French Revolution, Francophilia and "Scarlet
Pimpernalia" are all the rage in England, so Blackadder's
intense dislike for anything French seems somewhat out of date.
But the lure of money can do strange things to a man's
principles, even if it means being thrown into jail to face
terrible torture and death.
4. Sense and Senility
The Prince of Wales hires two fopish actors to help him
rehearse a speech, but Blackadder has other plans in store for
the two impertinent prissys.
5. Amy and Amiability
The Prince is dead broke and no self-respecting princess will
marry the randy royal...until Blackadder comes up with a
deliciously devious plan.
6. Duel and Duality
Blackadder finds himself in the middle of a raucous duel
between the lascivious Prince of Wales and the head-splitting,
throat-slitting Duke of Wellington.
BLACKADDER IV-SET IN WWI TRENCHES (FRANCE)
1. Captain Cook
When General Haig unveils a new strategy to move his liquor
cabinet six inches closer to Berlin, Blackadder volunteers to
be offical War Artist.
2. Corporal Punishment
Orders for Operation Insanity arrive and Blackadder breaches
regluations by eating the messanger--who just happens to be
General Melchett's closest boyhood friend.
3. Major Star
The Russian Revolution produces two appalling results--an
offensive by Germany and a really offensive Charlie Chaplin
impression by Baldrick.
4. Private Plane
German machine guns in front, British firing squads behind and
guess who's in the middle? It'll take a better man that
Blackadder to escape this prickly predicatment. Co-starring Rik
Mayall as Lord Flasheart.
5. General Hospital
Ordered to find a spy in the hospital, Blackadder discovers a
man with a strong German accent, a beautiful nurse and a chance
for three weeks in bed. Co-starring Miranda Richardson as Nurse
Mary.
6. Goodbyeee
Millions have died, but the troops have advanced no further
than an asthmatic ant with some heavy shopping. Now at last the
final big push looms...so, with the help of two pencils and a
pair of underpants, Blackadder gets a bit crazy.
BLACKADDER CHRISTMAS CAROL-SET IN VICTORIAN LONDON
Dickens' classic tale of kindness, truth and virtue completely mucked
up and ruined by having a member of the Blackadder family involved.
Also Baldrick, of course, the man you can rely on to turn Christmas
dinner into a dog's dinner, as long as the dog isn't particulary
fussy. Stuffed with deeply horrid people (many of whom are
gigantically fat) and groaning with cartloads of seasonal bottom
jokes, it manages to squeeze in not only a Victorian Blackadder but
also his famous Elizabethan, Regency, and Space Age relatives into a
huge pie of entertainment that will satisfy all but the most
discriminating viewers.
BLACKADDER THE CAVALIER YEARS--SET DURING CROMWELL'S CIVIL WAR (1648)
As a Loyalist during the Civil War, Blackadder must use a cleverly
disguised pumpkin to escape the block.
3. Where can I buy them in the US?
CBS/Fox sells them at $19.95, but they are in Suncoast Video for
$14.95, and in some Sam Goodys for the same price.
You can also write:
Signals
PO Box 64428
St. Paul, MN 55164-0428
for a catalogue, or call 1 (800) 669-9696.
Also, try your local PBS station, which may sell them.
A&E (and sometimes Comedy Central, I believe) shows the episodes
occasionally; however, cuts are made, which, in my opinion, severely
hurt the humor of the show. (How can anyone even consider cutting out
the Flossie the Sheep joke in the last episode of the second series?
Tragic.)
4. What is the chant that the actors say when they hear "MacBeth"?
Personally, I hear "Hot potato, orchestra scores, Puck will make
amends." However, in the ftp script, it reads "Hot potato, off his
drawers, Puck will make amends."
This is still the subject of debate.
5. Where can I get the transcripts?
Through FTP, open cathouse.org. Then, login as anonymous and use your
internet address as the password. They are located in the
/pub/cathouse/television/black.adder directory.
It has been pointed out, on several occassions, that are numerous
errors in the archive transcripts. This should be kept in mind when
reading them.
6. What is the name of the Baby Eating Bishop in BA II?
He is the Bishop of Bath and Wells, a bishop of a diocese in England
which contains Wells, a city with a huge remarkable cathedral, and
Bath, which has an equally impressive Abbey.
7. Is Helen Atkinson-Wood related to Rowan? Is Rowan married?
Helen Atkinson-Wood plays Mrs. Miggins in BA III. There is no proof so
far which says she is any relation to Rowan, nor is she his wife.
Rowan Atkinson is married to a woman named Sunetra, and they have had
one child and are expecting another.
8. What are the multiple characters played by the actors?
(Note: only those who appeared more than once.)
Rowan Atkinson
* Lord Edmund Blackadder. BA I, II, III, IV, Cavalier Years.
* Ebenezer Blackadder. Xmas Carol.
* McAdder. BA III.
* Grand Admiral of the Dark Segment. Xmas Carol.
Patsy Byrne
* Nursie/Bernard. BA II, Xmas Carol.
Robbie Coltrane
* Samuel Johnson. BA III.
* Spirit of Xmas. Xmas Carol.
Stephen Fry
* Melchitt, BA II. Xmas Carol.
* Duke of Wellington. BA III.
* General Sir Antony Cecil Hogmany Melchitt. BA IV.
* Frondo. Xmas Carol.
Gabrielle Glaister
* "Bob" Kate. BA II.
* "Bob" Parkhurst. BA IV.
Hugh Laurie
* Simon Partridge, BA II.
* Prince Ludwig. BA II.
* Prince Regent George, BA III.
* Lt. George St. Barleigh. BA IV.
* Lord Pigmot. Xmas Carol.
Miriam Margolyes
* Infanta Maria of Spain. BA I.
* Lady Whiteadder. BA II.
* Queen Victoria. Xmas Special.
Rik Mayall
* Mad Gerald. BA I.
* Lord Flasheart. BA II, BA IV.
Tim McInnerny
* Lord Percy Percy. BA I, II.
* Lord Topper. BA III.
* Scarlet Pimpernel. BA III.
* Cpt. Kevin Darling. BA IV.
Miranda Richardson
* Queenie. BA II, Xmas Carol.
* Amy Hardwood. BA III.
* Nurse Mary. BA IV.
* Queen Asphyxia XIX. Xmas Carol.
Tony Robinson
* S. Baldrick. BA I, II, III, IV, Xmas Carol, Cavalier Years.
Bill Wallis
* Avenging Knight. BA I.
* Ploppie, the jailer. BA II.
* Brigadier Proudfoot-Smith. BA IV.
9. Why isn't Nob and Nobility shown in the US?
There are legal complications due to a trademark law involving the
Scarlet Pimpernel.
10. Why can't I buy The Cavalier Years?
The fifteen minute sketch, done orginally for the UK Comic Relief, for
Third World aid. It was released on a Comic Relief video; however, it
is very difficult to find this tape.
The transcript for it is availaible in the ftp archive listed above.
Or, you can contact Melinda Casino, casino@pobox.upenn.edu, for her
version, which is slightly different than the one in the archive.
11. Is that Rowan in The Lion King?
Yes, Rowan was the voice of Zazu, the King's Major Domo. Rowan also
made an appearance in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Hot Shots: Part
Deux. He has made many more appearances, in films, comedy specials and
commercials. A complete listing of Atkinson appearances is posted
regularly in the alt.comedy.british.blackadder newsgroup. Contact Jeff
Mason, jrm@elm.circa.ufl.edu, for details.
12. What are some of the great quotes from the series?
If this section were a complete list of all of the great quotes, it
would be many Ks long. So, in an effort to not waste bandwidth, I'll
just direct your attention to yet more files in the cathouse.org
archive.
In the /pub/cathouse/television/black.adder/quote directory, there are
several files which list quotes from each of the series. They are
perfect if you are ISO of a good .signature, .plan, or, just want to
find that really funny thing BA said to Baldrick that one time.
13. Will there be a Blackadder the Fifth Series?
No. Read on:
Blackadder Goes Forth Article (posted by Lee Whiteside)
[From the Times (London) October 22, 1989]
'...When the fourth series comes to what its co-writer, Richard
Curtis, darkly describes as its "very definitive last episode" on
BBC1 in two weeks, it is almost certainly the last we will see of
the most slippery dynasty since - as Captain Blackadder might have
said to Private Baldrick - the incredibly mean Emporer Ting covered
his grandchildren in yak grease, pushed them down the Great Wall of
China and said he'd bought them a roller coaster for Christmas...
'...Curtis says: "It's possible that we'll all work together again,
but we're not likely to meet up two years from now and decide to do
something we've already done four times. There were only four
gospels, for God's sake."'....
(A transcript is available from cathouse.org, in the
/pub/cathouse/television/black.adder/misc directory, in the file,
the.black.adder.collection.)
14. What are some of the anachronisms in the series?
Blackadder I
"Archbishop of Canterbury" The series takes place in the 12th
century, and chocolate is mentioned, which isn't introduced to
Europe until the 1500's.
Blackadder II
"Chains" The last quote of that episode concerns pencils, which
are a relatively recent invention.
Blackadder III
"Ink and Incapabilty" Samuel Johnson could not have asked
George IV for patronage for his dictionary as George didn't
become regent until 1811, and Samuel Johnson died in 1784. His
dictionary was published in 1755.
Byron, Shelley and Johnson gathering together is also
impossible. The men lived and died in different times.
15. Where can I write Rowan Atkinson?
From "Who's Who"
c/o PBJ Management Ltd.
5 Soho Square
London WIV 5DE
England
Tel: 071-287-1112
16. How can I subscribe to the Blackadder mailing list?
Send mail to listserv@psuvm.psu.edu with one line in the body of your
message, reading: SUBSCRIBE BLKADR-L
17. Where can I get the FAQ?
I will send it, via request, in email. It is posted during the first
week of every month on the Blackadder newsgroup.
* http://cathouse.org/BritishComedy/Blackadder/FAQ.html
And is available via ftp at
* ftp://cathouse.org/pub/cathouse/british.humor/black.adder/misc/FAQ
_________________________________________________________________
My thanks to:
Melinda Casino
Chris Divine
Polly Esther Fabrique (I did ask.)
Graeme Griffiths
James Kew
Ken Kirksey
Chris Noton
Chris Stockdale
And all the others, whom I have forgotten unintentionally, or left
out.
For correcting my errors, making suggestions and commenting on the
format of this FAQ. You are appreciated.
_________________________________________________________________
Blackadder
cathouse.org British Comedy Pages
James Kew, March 1995
