Black Adder: The Complete Collector's Set

One of the best comedy series ever to emerge from England, Black Adder traces the deeply cynical and self-serving lineage of various Edmund Blackadders from the muck of the Middle Ages to the frontline of World War I. In his pre-Bean triumph, British comic actor Rowan Atkinson played all five versions of Edmund, beginning with the villainous and cowardly Duke of Edinburgh, whose scheming mind and awful haircut seem to stand him in good stead to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury--a deadly occupation if ever there was one. Among tales of royal dethronings, Black Death, witch smellers (who root out spell makers with their noses), and ghosts, Edmund is a perennial survivor who never quite gets ahead in multiple episodes. Jump to the Elizabethan era and Atkinson picks up the saga as Lord Edmund, who is perpetually courting favor from mad Queen Bess (Miranda Richardson) and is always walking a tightrope from which he can either gain the world or lose his head. Subjected to bizarre services for her majesty (at one point, Edmund is asked to do for potatoes what Sir Walter Raleigh did for tobacco), Edmund--as with his ancestor--can never quite fulfill his larger ambitions. The next incarnation we encounter is in late-18th-century Regency England. This time, Blackadder is a mere butler to the idiotic Prince Regent (Hugh Laurie in a brilliantly buffoonish performance) and is caught in various misadventures with Samuel Johnson, Shakespearean actors, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and William Pitt the younger. With a brief stop in Victorian London for a Christmas special, the series concludes with several episodes set during the Great War. The new Edmund is a career Army officer, but a scoundrel all the same. Shirking his duties whenever possible and taking advantage of any opportunity for undeserved reward, this final, deeply sour, and very funny Blackadder negotiates survival among a cadre of fools and dimwits. No small mention can be made of Atkinson's supporting cast, easily among the finest comic performers of their generation: besides Laurie and Richardson, Stephen Fry, Tony Robinson, and Tim McInnerny. --Tom Keogh

ccWho's who in Blackadder
What's what - interactive guide to historical figures and events
Blackadder's Christmas Carol
Blackadder in the Cavalier Years
Archival Richard Curtis interview
Blackadder sing-along

• Disc #1 -- Blackadder I
  • Play in Order
  • Select an Episode
    • The Foretelling
    • Born to Be King
    • The Archbishop
    • The Queen of Spain's Beard
    • Witchsmeller Pursuivant
    • The Black Seal
  • Scene Selection
    • The Foretelling
    • Born to Be King
    • The Archbishop
    • The Queen of Spain's Beard
    • Witchsmeller Pursuivant
    • The Black Seal
  • Special Features
    • Who's Who in BlackAdder
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Tony Robinson
      • Tim McInnerney
      • Peter Cook
      • Brian Blessed
      • Miriam Margolyes
      • Jim Broadbent
      • Frank Finlay
      • Patrick Malahide
      • Rik Mayall
      • Richard Curtis
    • Footnotes to History
      • War of the Roses
      • Edinburgh
      • Archbishop of Canterbury
      • Royal Marriages
      • Morris Dancing
    • BlackAdder Sing-Along
    • Trailers
      • French & Saunders
      • Father Ted
      • BBC America
• Disc #2 -- Blackadder II
  • Play in Order
  • Select an Episode
    • Bells
    • Head
    • Potato
    • Money
    • Beer
    • Chains
  • Scene Selection
    • Bells
    • Head
    • Potato
    • Money
    • Beer
    • Chains
  • Special Features
    • Who's Who in BlackAdder
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Tony Robinson
      • Tim McInnerny
      • Miranda Richardson
      • Stephen Fry
      • Patsy Byrne
      • Gabrielle Glaister
      • Rik Mayall
      • Simon Jones
      • Tom Baker
      • Hugh Laurie
      • Miriam Margolyes
      • Ronald Lacey
      • Warren Clarke
      • Richard Curtis
      • Ben Elton
    • Footnotes to History
      • Walter Raleigh
      • Queen Elizabeth I
      • Tudor Medicine
      • Alchemy
      • Tudor Sanitation
    • BlackAdder: The Cavalier Years
    • Trailers
      • French & Saunders
      • Father Ted
      • BBC America
• Disc #3 -- Blackadder III
  • Play in Order
  • Select an Episode
    • Dish and Dishonesty
    • Ink and Incapability
    • Nob and Nobility
    • Sense and Senility
    • Amy and Amiability
    • Duel and Duelity
  • Scene Selection
    • Dish and Dishonesty
    • Ink and Incapibility
    • Nob and Nobility
    • Sense and Senility
    • Amy and Amiability
    • Duel and Duality
  • Special Features
    • Who's Who in BlackAdder
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Tony Robinson
      • Hugh Laurie
      • Helen Atkinson-Wood
      • Robbie Coltrane
      • Nigel Planer
      • Tim McInnerny
      • Chris Barrie
      • Miranda Richardson
      • Warren Clarke
      • Stephen Fry
      • Miriam Margolyes
      • Jim Broadbent
      • Patsy Byrne
      • Richard Curtis
      • Ben Elton
    • Footnotes to History
      • The Pitts
      • Prince of Wales
      • Dr. Samuel Johnson
      • Lord Horatio Nelson
      • Hell Fire Club
      • The Duke of Wellington
      • Dogsbody
      • Rotten Boroughs
      • Theater
    • BlackAdder's Christmas Carol
    • Trailers
      • French & Saunders
      • Father Ted
      • BBC America
• Disc #4 -- Blackadders Goes Forth
  • Play in Order
  • Select an Episode
    • Captain Cook
    • Corporal Punishment
    • Major Star
    • Private Plane
    • General Hospital
    • Goodbyeee
  • Scene Selection
    • Captain Cook
    • Corporal Punishment
    • Major Star
    • Private Plane
    • General Hospital
    • Goodbyeee
  • Special Features
    • Who's Who in BlackAdder
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Tony Robinson
      • Hugh Laurie
      • Stephen Fry
      • Tim McInnerny
      • Gabrielle Glaister
      • Rik Mayall
      • Adrian Edmondson
      • Miranda Richardson
      • Geoffrey Palmer
      • Richard Curtis
      • Ben Elton
    • Footnotes to History
      • Battles of World War I
      • Doctor Crippen
      • Field Marshall Haig
      • WG Grace
      • LBW Rule
      • Baron Manfred Von Richthofen
      • Black Cap
    • Richard Curtis Interview
    • Trailers
      • French & Saunders
      • Father Ted
      • BBC America
• Disc #5 -- Blackadder Back and Forth
  • Play Episode
  • Scene Selection
  • Special Features
    • Who's Who in BlackAdder
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Tony Robinson
      • Hugh Laurie
      • Stephen Fry
      • Tim McInnerny
      • Miranda Richardson
    • Footnotes to History
      • Wellington's Wellington's
      • Hadrian's Wall
      • William Shakespeare
      • Robin Hood
      • Napoleon Bonaparte
      • Queen Elizabeth I
    • Baldrick's Diary - The Making of Back and Forth
    • Trailers
      • French & Saunders
      • Father Ted
      • BBC America

Disc #1 -- Blackadder I
1. Opening [5:21]
2. The Battle [4:54]
3. "Actually, It's the King!" [5:33]
4. "The Black Adder" [6:03]
5. The King's Read [5:02]
6. The Last of Richard III [6:34]
1. Opening [5:35]
2. The Frolics Committee [5:21]
3. McAngus the Annoying [3:21]
4. A Cunning Plan [4:37]
5. Dubious Entertainments [4:43]
6. Mum's Love Letters [9:51]
1. Opening [5:26]
2. The Next Archbishop [5:31]
3. Edmund the Unwillling [3:40]
4. A Right Royal Archbishop [6:42]
5. Pardons, Relics, Assassins [7:52]
6. Dressed Down by a Nun [3:21]
1. Opening [5:01]
2. Love Bites [3:26]
3. The Formidable Fiance [4:33]
4. Baldrick's Cunning Plan [6:57]
5. Plan B - A Preemptive Wedding [4:47]
6. The Little Princess [9:01]
1. Opening [5:30]
2. Black Death and Witchcraft [7:18]
3. Edmund's Trial [4:37]
4. Baldrick's Escape Plan [6:36]
5. A Fiery End [4:16]
6. All Sorted Out [1:48]
1. Opening [4:41]
2. Six Evil Men [7:06]
3. Wait for the Sign [4:23]
4. The Hawk and Mad Gerald [7:22]
5. Reunion Gone Awry [3:59]
6. King for 30 Seconds [3:32]
Disc #2 -- Blackadder II
1. Opening [7:14]
2. Nice Try, Melchy [4:25]
3. Leeches [2:44]
4. The Wise Woman [4:34]
5. He Wishes to Marry a... [5:06]
6. The Wedding [6:07]
1. Opening [4:08]
2. The Book of Death [4:55]
3. Please, Your Majesty [5:14]
4. Lady Farrow Visits [6:14]
5. Queenies Mercy [4:28]
6. Ponsonby RIP [1:45]
1. Opening [5:11]
2. Aboy There, Matey [5:52]
3. Red Beard Rum [8:25]
4. Hahaha [4:30]
5. Fancy a Drink? [5:17]
6. Credits [:48]
1. Opening [5:57]
2. Up a Certain Creek [4:27]
3. Alchemy [5:12]
4. Naughty Queenie [5:55]
5. And Again [5:26]
6. Bedding a Bishop [2:57]
1. Opening [3:46]
2. Melchett's Dying [6:04]
3. The Plan [5:07]
4. More Guests [4:15]
5. Not Drinking [8:17]
6. The Next Day [1:45]
1. Opening [6:36]
2. Word Games [3:11]
3. Apologies [5:09]
4. Dear Queen [3:58]
5. A Party [7:34]
6. I Shall Return [2:49]
Disc #3 -- Blackadder III
1. Opening [3:54]
2. Major Crisis [7:14]
3. To Be an MP [4:01]
4. Election Night [5:54]
5. You're Beaten, Oik [7:27]
6. Credits [:53]
1. Opening [5:48]
2. Norman Tongue [5:15]
3. Patron of the Arts [5:11]
4. Off to Nepal [6:34]
5. Only a Dream [5:33]
6. Credits [:57]
1. Opening [3:45]
2. Le Adder Noir [6:53]
3. One Week Later [3:03]
4. Bonsoir, Messieurs [6:47]
5. Morning Scum [8:22]
6. Credits [:53]
1. Opening [1:08]
2. Mrs. Miggins [8:58]
3. Is That the Door? [5:31]
4. The Speech [5:10]
5. Exquisite Jelly [4:57]
6. Credits [:52]
1. Opening [4:25]
2. I Love a Royal Wedding [4:57]
3. A Man of Passion [3:48]
4. The Balcony Scene [5:39]
5. Highway Robbery [9:44]
6. Credits [:52]
1. Opening [3:35]
2. The Walrus Awakes [6:16]
3. An Extremely Cunning Plan [10:06]
4. McAdder [4:18]
5. The Duel [4:44]
6. Credits [:53]
Disc #4 -- Blackadders Goes Forth
1. Opening [7:42]
2. General Melchett's PR Scheme [4:07]
3. Artistic Effort [3:53]
4. Pictures at an Exhibition [5:13]
5. No Man's Land [7:27]
6. Credits [:50]
1. Opening [7:11]
2. In Stockade [3:03]
3. Court Martial [6:13]
4. Four Sticking Fillers and a Firing Squad [6:11]
5. BlackAdder's Last Hope [5:58]
6. Credits [:46]
1. Opening [7:24]
2. "Bob" [6:24]
3. General Melchett's Fancy [4:13]
4. Georgina's Engagement [4:50]
5. Replacing Georgina [5:27]
6. Credits [:47]
1. Opening [4:08]
2. Lord Flashheart [5:44]
3. Joining the 20-Minuters [5:04]
4. Up-Diddly-Up-Up [5:22]
5. Baron Von Richtofen [7:51]
6. Credits [:46]
1. Opening [7:05]
2. A Spy in Hospital? [5:28]
3. Hospital Holiday [4:08]
4. Nurse Mary's Bedside Manner [5:12]
5. The Spy Revealed [5:23]
6. Credits [:46]
1. Opening [4:26]
2. Two Pencils [5:08]
3. General Melchett's Diagnosis [5:55]
4. Another Cunning Plan [4:53]
5. Melchett's Farewell to Darling [6:22]
6. Simply Says: "Bugger" [2:39]
Disc #5 -- Blackadder Back and Forth
1. Opening [6:30]
2. An Italian Time Machine [8:29]
3. Sherwood Forest and Waterloo [8:03]
4. Forced Memory Therapy [3:29]
5. Name-Dropping in Vain [4:23]
6. King at Last [2:39]