Well, it looks like Blackadder’s wealth has taken a dive (though whatever it may have been in the past is questionable) and now he is in the service of George, Prince of Wales, Prince Regent – an entirely idiotic man who can’t even put on a pair of pants by himself. On the lowest rung of the social ladder is, of course, Baldrick, the other frequent cause of Blackadder’s problems. Percy has disappeared from the scene – though you may recognize him in one episode…

We’ve moved up to the years 1768-1815 and things are just as absurd as ever. Being a gentleman’s gentleman should be easy, but not so for Edmund. When your master is an imbecile, you sometimes have to take matters into your own hands – or in Edmund’s case, almost always. From making sure the Prince retains his title and money to rewriting an accidentally burned dictionary that took 10 years to make, from trying to outdo the Scarlet Pimpernel to getting even with a pair of high-and-mighty actors, not to mention finding away not to die in a duel Edmund didn’t even start in the first place, it seems he’s got his work cut out for him. The Prince isn’t of any help and Baldrick, who’s first name has been accepted as Sod-Off, and takes an entire episode (spanning several days) to prepare a chicken, well, obviously isn’t too much good either. So once again Blackadder’s quick wit will have to get him out of some sticky situations – will he make it out of this era alive unlike the previous two episodes?

Right, like I’m going to tell you!

I’m glad they kept the same attitude and biting comments for Blackadder as before. I would have been rather sad if he’d returned to his sniveling, semi-annoying self from the first one. Though Rowan Atkinson no longer sports the goatee (collective “awww”), he does still have the hair (yay!). Forever in black, he broods about most of the time, begrudgingly serving the brainless Prince (Hugh Laurie - House anyone?) and all the while slipping insults to him without any worry of getting into trouble. Come on, the Prince plays cards with the idea in mind that he’s supposed to lose all his money. Baldrick (Tony Robinson) is basically the same, only with longer hair, though that doesn’t make him any less amusing. In one episode he was supposed to be cleaning the Prince’s room and thus kept popping up in cupboards and chests at random and freaking the Prince out.

Though I didn’t find these episodes to be as funny as the previous volume, each one has a few good spots, and “Amy and Amiability” I have to say was the best one. I’ve noticed an interesting trend – the episodes with women in focus seem to be funnier than the others. Coincidence? Who knows. But it’s really hard not to laugh when you recall Baldrick neighing as Blackadder uses him for a horse, or the Prince yelling “Woof woof!” up at a woman’s window like some kind of version of Cyrano gone horribly wrong. Not to mention the squirrels… But all in all, they were amusing and far better than anything TV seems to offer these days.

There were no outdoor scenes at all – even the outdoor ones were technically inside, all sets, you see? But like in the previous seasons, I don’t care. Things are done well enough, costumes fabulous as always. I think that’s been one of the things I really have enjoyed throughout the series, the variety and appearance of the costumes. The only small beef I have with this volume is that Hugh Laurie speaks so fast! Half the time I wasn’t even sure of what he was saying. He sped through his lines before I could catch anything. I guess with the combination of the accent, things were all the more difficult, but usually I have no issues with accents of any sort. Ah well – just means I have a reason for watching it again – or at least “Amy and Amiability.”

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Episodes in this Volume:
1. Dish and Dishonesty
2. Ink and Incapability
3. Nob and Nobility
4. Sense and Senility
5. Amy and Amiability
6. Duel and Duality

NT


Previous Eras:
Black Adder
Black Adder II

Future Eras:
Black Adder’s Christmas Carol
Black Adder Goes Forth
Black Adder Back and Forth

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV