After four series and three specials we’ve come to the end of our Blackadder odyssey. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look back at the best the show had to offer and consider how well it stands up 30 years on.

  Blackadder is presently available on Netflix (which rotates Seasons 1 & 2 with 3 & 4 on a regular basis) and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post The Last Podcast – Episode 28 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

Back and Forth was a special episode of Blackadder created as part of an exhibition to mark the turn of the century at the Millennium Dome and saw the Lord Blackadder of the time travel through history to impress his friends. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider skipping ahead to the next episode.

Series regulars Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerney, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie took centre stage in the special, with returns for familiar faces Miranda Richardson, Rik Mayall and Patsy Byrne. There were also cameos for Kate Moss, Simon Russell Beale and Colin Firth in a star-studded ensemble.

Blackadder: Back and Forth was written by Ben Elton and by Richard Curtis and was directed by Paul Weiland. Sophie Clarke-Jervoise produced the special and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

Back and Forth was released in 1999. It is 33 minutes long and originally aired as part of the Millennium Dome’s opening exhibition. Blackadder is presently available on Netflix (which rotates Seasons 1 & 2 with 3 & 4 on a regular basis) and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post Back and Forth – Episode 27 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

The Black Seal was the final episode of The Black Adder and saw Prince Edmund take the destiny of the crown into his own hands. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider team-building strategies and robust recruitment policies.

There were a number of prominent guest performances in this episode. Edmund’s troupe of rogues included John Hallam as Sir Wilfred Death, Roger Sloman as Three-fingered Pete, Paul Brooke as Friar Bellows, Patrick Malahide as Guy of Glastonbury, Ron Cook as Sean, the Irish Bastard and Mick Walter as Jack Large. Rik Mayall appeared relatively briefly as Mad Gerald, while John Barrard and Patrick Allen each played an element of The Hawk, first in disguise and later revealed.

The Black Adder was written by Rowan Atkinson and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Martin Shardlow. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

The Black Seal was released in 1983. It is 30 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. The Black Adder is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post The Black Seal – Episode 26 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

Witchsmeller Pursuivant was the penultimate episode of The Black Adder and featured one of the first televised criminal trials to include evidence from an equine witness. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the greatest challenges to face this nation since the Swiss Invasion.

This episode was ultimately a showcase for the comic talents of Academy Award nominee Frank Finlay. There were a number of minor supporting roles, including Lords of the realm (with Valentine Dyall and Corporal Punishment‘s Stephen Frost amongst their number) and some villagers (including Roy Evans, Forbes Collins and Perry Benson).

The Black Adder was written by Rowan Atkinson and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Martin Shardlow. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

Witchsmeller Pursuivant was released in 1983. It is 30 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. The Black Adder is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post Witchsmeller Pursuivant – Episode 25 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

The Queen of Spain’s Beard was the fourth episode of The Black Adder and featured a masterclass in the noble art of translation. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider shotgun weddings and the nutritional value of a glass of water at midnight.

This episode featured a couple of high-profile guests in the shape of Miriam Margolyes and Jim Broadbent as the Spanish Infanta and her translator, the cunningly names Don Speekingleesh. There were also cameos for Howard Lew Lewis and Jane Freeman as Mr & Mrs Applebottom, while David Nunn returned as the portly messenger.

The Black Adder was written by Rowan Atkinson and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Martin Shardlow. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

The Queen of Spain’s Beard was released in 1983. It is 33 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. The Black Adder is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post The Queen of Spain’s Beard – Episode 24 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

The Archbishop was the third episode of The Black Adder and featured a cunning attempt by King Richard to cut short the dispute between church and state over bequests from the wealthy. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider secret escapes and the ethics of selling authentic relics online.

This episode featured a larger cast than the previous show, including Arthur Hewlett as an Archbishop of Canterbury and also his twin; Joyce Grant and Curtis-dumped-Carolyn-Colquhoun-Real-life-heartbreak-Oxford-University-inspired-Love-Actually-director-write-romantic-comedies.html">Carolyn Colquhoun as the Mother Superior and Sister Sara; and Bill Wallis and David Delve as Sir Justin de Boinod and Sir George de Boeuf respectively.

The Black Adder was written by Rowan Atkinson and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Martin Shardlow. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

The Archbishop was released in 1983. It is 35 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. The Black Adder is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post The Archbishop – Episode 23 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

Born to be King was the second episode of The Black Adder and saw Edmund seek to take advantage of the King’s presumed death in battle to usurp the throne. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the importance of getting your dates right.

This episode featured primarily the regular cast introduced in The Foretelling, but with the welcome – if temporary – addition of Alex Norton as McAngus, Duke of Argyll.

The Black Adder was written by Rowan Atkinson and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Martin Shardlow. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

Born to be King was released in 1983. It is 35 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. The Black Adder is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post Born to be King – Episode 22 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

The Foretelling was the first episode of The Black Adder and introduces viewers to Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh and a couple of familiar cohorts. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the value of first impressions and whether historical context is important to a comedy show.

This episode established the core cast of characters for the season – King Richard IV (Brian Blessed), Prince Harry (Robert East) and the Queen (Elspet Gray) along with the subsequently familiar trio of Edmund (Rowan Atkinson), Baldrick (Tony Robinson) and Lord Percy (Tim McInnerney).

There were additional supporting roles for well-known faces what-peter-cook-really-thought-about-cuddly-dudley-137000.html">Peter Cook (Richard III) and Peter Benson (Henry Tudor).

The Black Adder was written by Rowan Atkinson and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Martin Shardlow. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.

The Foretelling was released in 1983. It is 35 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. The Black Adder is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post The Foretelling – Episode 21 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

Goodbyeee was the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features one last desperate attempt by Edmund to avoid going over the top. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the values of comradeship, sacrifice and recognition of the realities of war.

This episode featured a brief cameo from Geoffrey Palmer as Field Marshal Haig, but otherwise focused on the principal cast in their characters’ (presumably) final moments.

Blackadder Goes Forth was written by Ben Elton and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Richard Boden, who made his series debut in the previous year’s Blackadder’s Christmas Carol. Once again, John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music, with the title track performed by The Band of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Pompadour) with bandmaster Tim Parkinson.

Goodbyeee was released in 1989. It is 30 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. Blackadder Goes Forth is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post Goodbyeee – Episode 20 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.

General Hospital was the fifth episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features a budding relationship between Blackadder and a nurse at the local hospital. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider ways to spot a spy and – perhaps more importantly – ways not to.

This episode featured a crowd-pleasing return for a Blackadder legend as Miranda Richardson showed up and stole the show as Nurse Mary, the object of poor George’s infatuation and a satisfying foil for Edmund. wallis-actor-who-bloomed-in-the-golden-age-of-british-satire-8830235.html">Bill Wallis also appeared as a secret agent who had spent a little longer under cover than might have been good for him.

Blackadder Goes Forth was written by Ben Elton and by Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Richard Boden, who made his series debut in the previous year’s Blackadder’s Christmas Carol. Once again, John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music, with the title track performed by The Band of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Pompadour) with bandmaster Tim Parkinson.

General Hospital was released in 1989. It is 30 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. Blackadder Goes Forth is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).

The post General Hospital – Episode 19 appeared first on Blackadder Podcast.