ALL HAIL - 'SLACK BLADDER'. Review on Blackadder

When compiling your list of the funniest British comedy series over the past 10, 20, 30 or more years one that must be included in all lists is the classic... BLACKADDER.

Brilliantly scripted by Richard Curtis, each episode of the four series is an ‘original’. Each one is virtually as funny as the rest. Consistently a high standard PURE COMEDY CLASS.

But to analyse the success of any comedy programme surely takes away from it the essence of it’s success anyway. The immediacy, the timing and the flawless performances of the cast. It mattered not which era Rowan Atkinson’s character was placed in, whether it be Sir Edmund conniving underling to Hugh Laurie’s foppish Prince Regent or the battle avoiding Captain Blackadder during the First World War.

The first series brought us a whole new set of comedy greats. Introduced us to the ‘charms’ of Blackadder and briefly his ‘chum’ Bob! Remember? Yes, I thought you might. Farce in the old music hall way, but done with style and a few twists. Was it that episode that had Baldrick dressed up as a woman (of sorts)? Well I think the poor fellow has dressed up a few times as a female, so it wouldn’t be a first. The initial series was a forerunner to what was to come. Not the best of the four series so far (I say that because one day, I’m sure we all hope – there may be more)

The truly classic series – to my mind – was the second series, set in Elizabethan times with Edmund the scheming courtier – one of the Queen’s favourites. Still with largely the same cast as the original series, but with the characterisation more set – more memorable. Tony Robinson’s superb ‘creature creation’ Baldrick, happy as pig in s**t (and usually looking like he’d been rolling in alongside!). Edmund’s dim sidekick (Tim McInerney) and Miranda Richardson quite outstanding as Queen Elizabeth. But who can forget some really classic (yes, a word I will likely use a lot during this review) episodes and cameo performances. Remember the episode when Edmund is determined to impress the Queen and decides to sail around the world. He teams up with salty old sea-dog Captain Rum - played enthusiastically by Tom Baker. I’m sure Mr Baker never had quite so much fun playing Doctor Who asa he does really laying the ‘ham’ on with a trowel! And then…..Lord Flashheart – ‘Flash by Name – Flash by Nature'. Rik Mayall at his overacting best. An Elizabethan ‘superstar’ and out to take whatever is offered and a few things more besides. Edmund, for once is in awe – or is he?

Let’s not forget the part that Stephen Fry plays in all this. Upper class, haughty – he performs the role to a ‘T’. As Lord Melchett, the Queens advisor, Fry is the ‘straight as an arrow, humourless, sexless 'butt' of all jokes. And of course Patsy Byrne as a rather ‘warped’ , but funny and down to earth ‘Nursey’. Priceless and timeless humour

Then we hit the Regency period. Hugh Laurie joins the ‘gang’ as the Idiot Prince Regent. Fry is his cohort too as he reprises his Melchett role. And Edmund is …well Slack Bladder again. This time much of the action revolves around the ‘new boy’ Laurie. He is the type of character that he, strangely enough goes on to play in Jeeves and Wooster. A kind of ‘Bertie Regent’ nice, well meaning, but eminently dim. Blackadder is his servant – so a bit of a demotion for him in this one. And, all in all, not a series as memorable as the rest. I much prefer Blackadder as the Elizabethan rogue or …..series four.

…And so we continue. Facing the Hun guns, Captain BlackAdder is at the Front line. He is brave, he is strong he is……come on I’m joking. He is as likely to be facing the enemy as Baldrick is of winning a drag queen beauty contest!

This is the best casting of the four series so far. We have all the elements that have made BlackAdder so popular. Atkinson as Edmund, Baldrick the ‘batman’, Laurie as the fickle well bred ‘Lt George’ and the duo of Fry and McInerney as the backbone of the British forces ‘General Melchett’ and ‘Captain Darling’ (and yes, they make plenty of play on that name, of course!). We even get a cameo appearance of Miranda Richardson as a front line Nurse (now wouldn’t it have been clever to have had ‘Nursey’ as a nurse?) and a reprise as Mayall leaps into one episode as Flashheart’.

Timeless, Classic call it what you will. Blackadder and it’s cast are greatly missed. But even now you can see the episodes on UK Gold or on Video and DVD you still laugh out loud. Yes, you guessed it I am a fan.

And One wish I truly have is that they can be convinced to come back to do at least two more series. Wouldn’t it be great to see Blackadder ‘Out West’ – a tenderfoot riding the range and shooting it out (well hiding behind a woman’s skirt more like) at Gunfight at the OK Corral. Yeeehah!

And then there is – there MUST BE – Blackadder in Space. It would be everything that Red Dwarf is but MORE! I can dream can’t I?