Black Adder: The Ultimate Edition

 

 

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A great collection of comedy, a classic British series that is in the same class as Python and Fawlty Towers. Contains the rarely seen in North America specials and odds and ends. Very good bonus features and commentary.

You have to give the Blackadder family credit -- they're tenacious. "Black Adder - The Complete Collector's Set" chronicles this odd, sardonic family's presence throughout the greatest eras of British history. The first season stumbles somewhat, but the following seasons are brilliant -- sardonic, kooky, and sometimes rather sick.

On the day of the Battle of Bosworth Field, the Duke of York (Brian Blessed) and his son Harry (Robert East) accompanied the king (Peter Cook) into battle. His second son Edmund (Atkinson) hopes to come along, but he oversleeps -- and when he arrives, he accidentally kills the king, and Edmund's his father is made king. He dubs himself the "Black Adder" and decides to one day become king of England... too bad nobody likes him.

He's followed by a string of descendents through the ages -- all more acid-tongued and intelligent than he, or anyone else around them. And they're always accompanied by a Baldrick. That includes Lord Edmund Blackadder, the favorite of the demented queen Bess (Miranda Richardson); Edmund Blackadder Esq., valet and butler to the half-witted Prince Regent (Hugh Laurie); and Captain Blackadder, a soldier in World War I who spends his time trying to get out of it.

These unlucky Blackadders find themselves dealing with demented Puritans, hosting bawdy drinking parties, crazed bishops, even crazier princes, giant turnips, the Red Baron, drag musical acts, Spaniard inquisitors, and almost being shot for eating a carrier pigeon. Startlingly, the final season -- although another is in the planning stages -- ends on a very poignant note.

But there is an upbeat ending overall -- the final episode introduces us to the modern-day Blackadder, a sharp-tongued aristocrat dining with the modern-day descendents of Prince George, Queen Elizabeth, Melchett and Darling. Not to mention Baldrick in a truly horrifying porno apron.

Blackadder reveals that using da Vinci's plans, Baldrick has constructed a time machine, and bets £30,000 that he can bring back historical items. It's actually an elaborate scam... until the machine works, and Baldrick and Blackadder find themselves spinning helplessly through time, with no idea how to get home. And in a couple of side-stories, Ebenezer Blackadder discovers how his pleasant cheery attitude will affect his descendents; and the last two Loyalists to King Charles (in other words, Baldrick and Blackadder) deal with the impending execution of the king ( "No, it's not! It's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it!").

The series starts off a little weakly -- the first season is funny, but not outrageously so, and Prince Edmund is the incompetant twerp rather than Baldrick or Percy. But things blossom with the arrival of a new writer in "Blackadder II," and sets the tone for the rest of the series: a smart, bitter man who's constantly surrounded by nincompoops.

There are one or two dud episodes, but the majority of them shine with comic genius, from the kookily childish Queen Elizabeth ("Who's Queen?") to Baldrick's rancid boxers killing the dinosaurs. Atkinson gets most of the good lines ("He's the most over-rated human being since Judas Iscariot won the AD31 Best Disciple Competition") but the rest of the cast usually gets in some great ones too ("A total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through!").

Atkinson, of course, rules the whole series a series of acid-tongued Blackadders who have influence but no power, and Robinson is great as the gross servant who always has a cunning plan. The rest of the cast reappears regularly -- Laurie as a series of half-witted bluebloods, Richardson as drippy young women, Fry as cunning advisors and hearty generals, and McInnery as airbrained idiots and prissy assistants.

Aside from being polished up in the remastering process, apparently this edition is going to have deleted scenes, audio commentaries (YAY!) and interviews. It's probably not worth the shell-out if you already own the whole thing, but definitely is if you don't.

The complete series of "Black Adder" is a comic cornucopia -- it starts off a bit weakly, but once it gets its footing, it's absolute hilarious. A must-have.

Always been a fan of the Black Adder series and this is a great box set colelcting athe entire series over 5-6 DVD's. If you are a fan of Black Adder series, then I would recommend purchasing the box set. Especially when it is on sale it is a great buy.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great comedy
Brilliant this is some of the best work done by Rowan Atkinson and his role as Mr Bean is also a fantastic series to watch.

Published 3 months ago by Happy

5.0 out of 5 stars Was a gift
It was a gift for my uncle for christmas. It arrived promptly by free shipping in time for christmas, thank you!

Published 4 months ago by R.

5.0 out of 5 stars Black Adder: The Ultimate Edition
I have always loved this amazing series even as a kid. I have the complete collection on VHS and now that they are starting to look poorly I got the dvds. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Iross

5.0 out of 5 stars Blackadder
Great price - good to see fine British comedy, loved the extras and above all the price. Collectors item :)

Published 6 months ago by Christine Lethbridge

4.0 out of 5 stars Black Adder DVD
Good and funny, but intense British humor without a long term story to the whole series. Becomes a bit boring over the series.

Published 12 months ago by Robert G. Lock

5.0 out of 5 stars comédie
La comédie de Black Adder est un petit bijou.
L'humour de cette série anglaise avec Rowan Atkinson(plus connu pour Mr. Read more

Published 14 months ago by Monique Arbour

5.0 out of 5 stars Grandiose!
Blackadder est une rare sitcom qui ne montre aucun signe de vieillissement. Chacune des quatre séries a son charme. Read more

Published 21 months ago by Julien

5.0 out of 5 stars FABULOUS!
As ever, Rowan Atkinson is totally funny, brilliant and the entire cast couldn't be bettered. I can watch these over and over and still laugh as much every time.

Published 23 months ago by MaddyElizabeth

4.0 out of 5 stars Black Adder
I am so glad that I finally got this on DVD-- I had it on VHS and find that I really can't live without this series. I absolutely love it and this version of it is excellent.

Published on April 10 2010 by Leslie Shragge

5.0 out of 5 stars Great TV Series
Great deluxe edition of one of the funniest and most literate TV shows of all time - Rowan Atkinson is so much better as the Black Adder than as Mr. Bean. Read more

Published on Feb 23 2010 by Allan Yee

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