Blackadder: Difference between revisions

[[File:blackadder_6161.jpg|frame|[[Identical Grandson|They're all related?]] [[Sarcasm Mode|I never would have guessed!]]]]

 

 

A deliciously vicious collection of [[Britcom|British comedies]], all centering around various generations of the Blackadder family as embodied in its sole visible member, Edmund -- a cynical, snide and outright caustic British nobleman (he'd be a [[Deadpan Snarker]] if he could just stop sneering) who never seems to succeed at most of his schemes, but never quite loses either (except usually at the end, where he dies horribly or wins spectacularly). Each Edmund in each generation is aided by a [[Bumbling Sidekick]] in the shape of his corresponding Baldrick, an ignorant and filthy manservant and dogsbody of unhealthy habits and preoccupations. His typical [[Foil]] is a classic [[Upperclass Twit]] of far higher social station than his own, whom he is forced to serve hand and foot.

There exists an unaired pilot episode of the first season, which can with some luck be found floating around on the internet. It featured Prince Black Adder as a [[Deadpan Snarker]] and Baldrick as the idiot dogsbody the fans came to know from season two onwards; unfortunately this direction was not kept, and instead the characters were rewritten and the humour based on inane physical [[Slapstick]]. Several jokes and scenes of the unaired pilot were recycled in various first season episodes.

 

 

[[Blackadder (TV)/Recap|Recap]] still under construction, help will be much appreciated.

* [[British Brevity]]: Consists of four seasons of six episodes each, plus the occasional special.

* [[Black Comedy]]

** ''Blackadder II'' - Edmund is trying to avoid drinking because he [[Can't Hold His Liquor]].

{{quote| '''Melchett''': You twist and you turn like a... twisty-turny thing.}}

{{quote| '''Edmund''': Disease and deprivation stalk our land like... two giant stalking things.}}

* [[Bumbling Sidekick]]: Baldrick is a well-love example of the trope (and indeed the former [[Trope Namer]]), appearing from the second and subsequent seasons.

** Lord Melchett, Lord Melchett, intelligent and deep. / Lord Melchett, Lord Melchett, a shame about the sheep!

* [[Butt Monkey]]: Baldrick is probably the most obvious, but Percy, George, Darling and Edmund himself all fit the bill in some way as well.

* [[Catch Phrase]]:

{{quote| '''Baldricks''': "I have a [[Zany Scheme|cunning plan]]..."<br />

'''Blackadder''': "...well quite." }}

* [[The Chain of Harm]]: Discussed (and simultaneously played out) in ''[[Black Adder]] III'':

'''Blackadder:''' Nothing. You are [[Butt Monkey|last in God's great chain]]. }}

* [[Characterization Marches On]]: As already mentioned, Blackadder was far less competent in the first series whereas Baldrick was far more intelligent.

* [[Commedia Dell Arte Troupe]]

* [[The Coroner Doth Protest Too Much]]: various examples, especially in the first two series, such as the (latest) Archbishop of Canterbury dying because {{spoiler|a soldier bowed to him, "forgetting" that his helmet had a metre-long spike on it}}, or Edmund's predecessor as Chief Executioner, {{spoiler|whose death was apparently a bureaucratic error, though Queenie seems to know more about it than she's letting on}}. Fantasised, though not acted out, by Edmund Blackadder III, when he asks "Baldrick, does it have to be this way? Our valued friendship ending with me cutting you up into strips and telling the prince that you walked over a very sharp cattle grid in an extremely heavy hat?"

* [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: Often. Nearly all Blackadders have unpleasant reactions to people they find somewhat irritating. Queenie has ordered executions for celebrating Christmas (and then changing her mind and ordering them for those who don't give her impressive enough gifts). The first Edmund's skeptism to witchcraft also got him accused and tried (and almost burned) for it by a corrupt "witchsmeller".

* [[The Ditz]]: Baldrick

* [[The Evil Prince]]: Prince Edmund. {{spoiler|Mr. Blackadder went on to become this, also, after his opportunistically usurping Prince George at the end of series three.}}

* [[The Fighting Narcissist]] - Lord Flashheart.

{{quote| '''[[The Rival|Melchett]]''': [Unrolls scroll] List of candidates for the position of Lord High Executioner: Lord Blackadder.... [Rolls up scroll]}}

* [[Historical Beauty Update]]: Discussed on the trope page.

* [[Hollywood History]]: Mostly played for laughs - the first series had enough history-based humour to prove the producers are well informed, after all. ''Blackadder the Third'' had a lot of [[Anachronism Stew]] with respect to the order of events in the Napoleonic Wars (and every notable 18th century writer alive and writing at the same time).

* [[Identical Grandson]]: Prince Edmund, Lord Blackadder, E. Blackadder Esq, Captain E. Blackadder and {{spoiler|King Edmund Blackadder III}}.

* [[Idiosyncratic Episode Naming]]: Titles of season 2 episodes are one word long and pertain to the subject of the episode in question ("Bells" as in wedding bells, "Chains" referring to imprisonment); season 3 uses [[The Noun and The Noun]] (to reference ''[[Sense and Sensibility (Literature)|Sense and Sensibility]]'' and ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'', which are set in the same era) - for example "Dish and Dishonesty"; season 4 gives all bar one its titles military ranks with double meanings - "Private Plane," "Major Star," "General Hospital," etc- the exception being "Goodbyeee...", the last one, named after a popular [[World War One]] song and referencing the episode's famous [[Downer Ending]].

* [[Just Like Robin Hood]]: Parodied briefly.

* [[Large Ham]]: [[Brian Blessed]] in series one, [[Tom Baker]] in series 2, [[Round the Horne|Hugh Paddick]] and [[Carry On|Kenneth Connor]] in series 3 (as a pair of actors, no less), Rik Mayall and [[Stephen Fry]] elsewhere.

* [[Manipulative Bastard]] - Blackadder himself.

* [[Oddly Small Organization]]: In ''Blackadder II'', the Queen appears to have only three courtiers; in ''Blackadder the Third'', the Prince Regent has a staff of two; and in ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', Capt. Blackadder has only two men under his command. In the latter case, the number of men under Captain Blackadder's command is revealed in the final episode, although even then it is rather small.

* [[The Pig Pen]]: Baldrick

* [[Rocks Fall Everyone Dies]]: How each series ends.

** Except Series III, which end with only Prince George dead, and King George (who is as mad as a spoon) thinking Blackadder is Prince George (and several other prominent people also thinking this, or at least willing to play along since it means not having an idiot as regent and future king).

** "[[Catch Phrase|I have a cunning plan...]]"

** Turnips are mentioned a lot, from the first season one. In season three, they become Baldrick's only ambition in life.

* [[The Stinger]]: Used on occasion, probably most memorably in the ''Blackadder II'' finale.

* [[Surrounded By Idiots]]: '''[[Up to Eleven|EDMUND]]'''.

* [[Funny Money]]: One opening sequence in the first season claimed that "the egg has been replaced by the worm as the lowest unit of currency".

* [[Groin Attack]]: Lord Yeovil in "The Foretelling": "Ah, yes, groin job!" (even though this obviously didn't actually happen).

* [[Hypercompetent Sidekick]]: Baldrick

* [[Kangaroo Court]]: Edmund's trial by the Witchsmeller Pursuivant is this [[Up to Eleven]]. Where to begin: Edmund's entire case is thrown out when the Witchsmeller convinces Prince Harry that they should ignore the testimony of a witch pleading for his life, Percy - who is defending Edmund - is accused of being a witch and is also ignored, and when Baldrick counters the Witchsmeller's assertion that carrots grow on trees, the Witchsmeller uses his knowledge of carrots to 'prove' Baldrick is a witch as well. He then produces a signed confession by a horse, an old woman Edmund has never met, and an obvious poodle that he claims is Edmund's son. It is almost fitting to the ridiculousness of the situation that our heroes apparently escape with [[Ass Pull|hitherto unused and never mentioned again magical powers of teleportation]].

* [[Translator Buddy]]: The Spanish Infanta's translator, who provides a few cheap gags.

* [[Unusually Uninteresting Sight]]: [[Upperclass Twit|Prince Harry]] somehow completely fails to notice that the Witchsmeller Pursuivant is on fire, until the flames cover about 100% of his body and his screaming has risen to a fairly loud volume.

 

 

Isn't the goblin sweet? }}

*** YES!

{{quote| '''Lord Melchett''' ''(in regards to Edmund's constant leaving-and-entering)'': You twist and turn like a...twisty-turny thing!}}

** In "Money", Edmund (usually a master of similes) says: "The grave opens up before me like a... big hole in the ground."

{{quote| Lord Melchett, Lord Melchett - intelligent and deep.<br />

Lord Melchett, Lord Melchett - a shame about the sheep! }}

* [[Eats Babies]]: [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|The Baby-Eating Bishop of Bath and Wells]].

* [[Mr. Fanservice]]: Ask any fangirl and she'll tell you that either this version or ''Blackadder the Third'''s was the most attractive.

* [[Everyone Is Satan in Hell]]: The Whiteadders ''are'' this trope, in its in-universe form. They may be getting better, now that Lord Whiteadder has broken his vow of silence and they've both discovered the joys of being drunk.

* [[Evil Versus Evil]]: Edmund vs Prince Ludwig the Indestructible

** Also part of the plan Blackadder and Melchett use to escape their German captors in "Chains."

{{quote| '''Blackadder:''' Trust me to get the hard one!}}

* [[Insult Backfire]]: In "Beer", two incidents involving Lady Whiteadder:

{{quote| '''Lady Whiteadder''': Has anyone ever told you you're a gibbering imbecile?<br />

* [[All Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks]]: The bank of the Black Monks of Saint Herod: "Banking with a smile and a stab."

* [[Murder Is the Best Solution]]: In "Bells", the Wise Woman's three solutions to Blackadder's problem are 1) Kill Bob, 2) Kill yourself, or 3) KILL EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WHOLE WORLD!

* [[No Indoor Voice]]: Flashheart, Captain Rum and the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

* [[Noodle Incident]]: In Potato it is revealed a horse was elected Pope. The details of this vibrant, dynamic, and exciting Papacy has sadly been lost to history.

{{quote| '''Mrs. Ploppy''': I'm the last meal cook, sir. The prisoners may ask me for what they fancy for their last meal.<br />

'''Blackadder''': And you cook for them what they desire.<br />

'''Mrs. Ploppy''': Oh, yes, sir. Provided they ask for sausages. Otherwise, they tend to get a tiny bit disappointed. Sausage is all I got. }}

{{quote| Lord Flashheart, Lord Flashheart - I wish you were the star.<br />

Lord Flashheart, Lord Flashheart - you're sexier by far! }}

* [[Psychopathic Manchild|Psychopathic Womanchild]]: Queenie

* [[The Renaissance]]: Well, most of the time.

* [[Royal Brat]]: Queenie

* [[Shaped Like Itself]]: When Blackadder asks the Young Crone how to find the Wise Woman in "Bells":

'''Blackadder:''' [[Deadpan Snarker|...she is wise?]] }}

* [[Shout Out]]: In "Bells", Blackadder says "Come, [[Kiss Me Kate]]!"

* [[Sweet Polly Oliver]]: "Bob"

* [[Sweet On Polly Oliver]]: Edmund towards "Bob"

{{quote| '''Lady Farrow:''' What have you done to him?!<br />

'''Blackadder:''' We have put... ''([[Dramatic Pause]])'' ...a bag over his head! }}

** If they thought Farrow was Ponsonby and vice versa, presumably at the time, Farrow was in Ponsonby's cell.

* [[Wholesome Crossdresser]]: Flashheart, depending on your definition of 'wholesome'.

{{quote| '''Blackadder''': I want to be remembered when I'm dead. I want books written about me, I want songs sung about me, and then, hundreds of years from now, I want episodes from my life to be played out weekly at half past nine by some [[Rowan Atkinson|great heroic actor]] of the age.<br />

'''Baldrick''': Yeah, and I could be played by some tiny tit in a beard. }}

* [[Captain Morgan Pose]]: The actors teach The Prince Regent to do a pose while they are training him in public speaking.

* [[The Coroner Doth Protest Too Much]]: The returning officer and lone voter in Dunny-on-theWold [[Blatant Lies|apparently]] died, respectively, from accidentally brutally cutting his head off while combing his hair, and accidentally brutally stabbing himself in the stomach while shaving.

** The last two are a [[Shout Out]] to two real minor perennial candidates at British elections at the time the show was broadcast--Bill Boaks, who usually stood as something like "Democratic Monarchist Road Safety White Resident", and Screaming Lord Sutch of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

* [[Her Codename Was Mary Sue]]: Blackadder's novel ''Edmund: A Butler's Tale'' sounds like this, based on what he tells Baldrick about it.

* [[Informed Attribute]]: Done deliberately - Blackadder and Baldrick both reference Prince George's disgusting obesity - as the historical figure indeed was - even though he's played by the lanky Hugh Laurie.

* [[Inter Class Romance]]: From the episode "Amy and Amiability":

* [[Lifes Work Ruined]]: [[Double Subverted]] in "Ink and Incapability" in a very odd way. {{spoiler|It turns out that Dr. Johnson's dictionary was never burned at all, despite what Blackadder and Baldrick spent most of the episode believing; the book that was burned was in fact ''Blackadder's'' novel, which both he and Johnson thought was a masterpiece.}} It then {{spoiler|gets burned by Baldrick while he's making a fire}}.

* [[My Name Is Not Durwood]]: The Prince Regent calls Blackadder "Bladder" at the end of "Sense and Senility", even after Blackadder tells him not to.

* [[No Indoor Voice]]: The Duke of Wellington

* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: Amy Hardwood

* [[Armchair Military]]: Melchett, and also Darling - until the finale.

** It's notable that Darling enjoys his easy assignment and is trying to get an even easier one in the Royal Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps.

* [[Badass Mustache]]: General Melchett is hardly a badass, but damn if his lip-cover isn't an impressive specimen!

* [[Bawdy Song]]: Melchett and George's version of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat".

* [[Call Back]] In 'Private Plane' Flashheart says that the only qualification for being a navigator is 'knowing your arse from your elbow' to which Blackadder replies 'That rules Baldrick out'. Later on Baldrick says they should join the airforce as its better than 'just sitting around here on our elbows'.

* [[Charge Into Combat Cut]]: One of the most famous examples of this trope, in which the scene cuts from Blackadder and co. charging over the trench to {{spoiler|a field full of poppies}}.

* [[Creator in Joke]]: In "General Hospital", Blackadder says that he tricked {{spoiler|Nurse Mary}} by naming three great universities (Oxford, Cambridge, and Hull), when in fact only two of them are great. Melchett responds "Quite - Oxford's a complete dump!" Rowan Atkinson attended Oxford, while Steven Fry attended Cambridge, the two universities having a centuries-long rivalry.

* [[Credits Gag]]: "Tyrannosaurus Rex" credited as "Dinosaur".

* [[Disguised in Drag]]: George, in "Major Star", leading to [[Attractive Bent Gender]] when Melchett falls for "Georgina".

* [[Drama Bomb Finale]]: In a rare highly successful example at the very end of season four.

* [[Evil Gloating]]: But terminated gloriously.

{{quote| '''Baron von Richthoven''': Ah, and Lord Flashheart! This is indeed an honour! Finally the two greatest gentlemen flyers in the world meet! Two men of honour, who have jousted together in the cloud-strewn glory of the skies... face to face at last! How often have I rehearsed this moment of destiny in my dreams! The valour we two encapsulate, the unspoken nobility of our comradeship, the— '''*[[Boom Headshot]]* '''<br />

* [[Operation Blank]]: Operation ''Certain Death''.

* [[Overranked Soldier]]: General Melchett.

{{quote| '''Darling''': I made a note in my diary on the way here. It simply says: "Bugger."}}

** Averted in the same episode with a [[Narrative Profanity Filter]]:

{{quote| '''Edmund''': (After learning that Haig was completely useless in getting him out of the trenches)....I think the phrase rhymes with "clucking bell".}}

** As well as the episode titles, which play on various military ranks.

* [[Puppy Dog Eyes]]: Hugh Laurie seems to have a particular talent for looking like a beaten-down puppy. "Permission for lip to wobble, sir."

'''Blackadder''': Yes, Lieutenant?<br />

'''George''': I'm...scared, sir. }}

* [[World War One]]

* [[You Fail Law Forever]]: "Corporal Punishment" was this [[Turned Up to Eleven]]. The judge and prosecutor both have clear conflicts of interest in the trial, to the point where the judge is actually called to testify for the prosecution. Surprisingly, though, {{spoiler|the Minister of War realizes that the whole trial was a farce, and reverses the decision}}.

** [[Justified Trope|Justified]], in that the whole thing was [[Played for Laughs]].