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Black Adder - The Complete Collector's SetRating:
Release Date: 26 June, 2001 Retail Price: $99.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: |
Black Adder - The Complete Collector's Set Reviews
One of the funniest and strangest British comedy series
Rowan Atkinson was funny as Mr. Bean, but he was downright hilarious as the Black Adder. He had such a talent for playing the sharp-tongued rogue I'll never figure out why he decided to start doing comedy in which he didn't speak.
Lots of people don't like Black Adder I, in which the title character, Edmund, is the younger son of a brutish man consumed with thoughts of war who actually becomes king of England through Edmund's own bungling - he arrives late for the Battle of Bosworth Field and winds up chopping off the head of Richard III, thus saving the life of Henry Tudor. Throughout this first season he plays the buffoon, often having the expression of a deer caught in the headlights. This is the only season in which the Black Adder takes on the persona of a weak effeminate person.
The second season takes place early during the reign of Elizabeth I, with the Black Adder confident, handsome, and even a favorite at court. A young Amanda Richardson plays the role of Elizabeth I, who comes across as Betty Boop, just not as intelligent. Although more cunning in this season, Black Adder still comes up the loser in just about every episode. My favorite is "Bells", in which Blackadder finds his new servant, Bob, curiously pleasant company. Afraid for his reputation at court, Blackadder searches for a "cure" - which of course involves leeches, until Bob conveniently reveals that she is in fact a girl called Kate. Their wedding is disrupted by the profane Lord Flashheart, who, although he is the best man, winds up stealing the bride.
The third season takes place in the eighteenth century during the reign of George III, and will be a favorite of all fans of "House, M.D.". Here, Black Adder plays the manservant of the Prince Regent, George, played by Hugh Laurie (House). George is the dim-witted target of Black Adder's many schemes to enrich himself by taking advantage of his cushy position in George's household, and this often means having to save the Prince Regent's pension and position in the kingdom, which is largely controlled by Parliament.
The fourth season takes place during World War I, with Edmund Blackadder as a captain in the British army whose company is trapped in one of the trenches that gave everyone in Europe such a distaste for warfare between the two world wars. Blackadder's aim in this season is to stay alive by staying in that trench until the war ends. His stunts include shooting a carrier pigeon when it arrives with orders to advance, and joining the Royal Flying Corp - "the twenty minuters". Unfortunately, the name comes from how long they are expected to live once in the air, not how much time they work each day, as Blackadder had originally thought. Again, Hugh Laurie of "House" costars as a lieutenant in the British army and one of Blackadder's friends.
This show has several interesting plot devices. First, most of the main characters show up in different periods of time with the same name but different roles. Hugh Laurie is always "George", Tony Robinson is always "Baldrick", Stephen Fry is always "Melchett", and Tim McInnerny is always "Percy". Secondly, everyone in the cast, including the Black Adder, always dies in the final episode of each season. It is like the Southpark stunt of Kenny being killed at the end of every show only to reappear in the next episode as though nothing had happened.
The only bad things I can say about this DVD set is that I didn't think that "Back and Forth" was very good, and I think that the DVD is very overpriced considering there are only six episodes per season. I guess it depends on how much you like British comedy and how much you enjoy the Black Adder series as to whether the high cost is worth it. If you liked "Red Dwarf" or "Fawlty Towers", you'll probably like this series too.
ia that all there is?
i was a little disappointed that there were only 6 episodes per season in the series. (must be a british thing.) in fairness to the public, they should be alerted to the fact that each "season" consists of only six episodes. it was a nice trip down memeory lane anyway. delivery was prompt and the product case arrived in tact.
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