Rating: 
Summary: Have you got a Cunning plan?
Review: Years ago, a bunch a very talented group of people studying in Cambridge,who shared a love of comedy and theater, got together and changed the face of British Comedy forever.They were smart, political, and had something to say, and they rejected the comedies of Carry On and Benny Hill,and decided to do something totally different.
Not the Nine O Clock News was their first major exposure on the small screen, Blackadder was the last.
Among them, writer Richard Curtis, standup comedian/writer Ben Elton, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry,joined later by Tony Robinson.
others from the group who went on to do different things, include, Emma Thompson and Kenneth Brannagh.
Blackadder is a series that changed the way people watched comedies. While it is a writer's vehicle, obvious in the very smart dialogue,and character development throughout the four series, it has also excellent performances by all, especially Atkinson and Robinson, and Fry (in the second and fourth).And the guest appearance in the last three series by Rik Mayall, was a genuis casting, and stole the show!
Basically, we follow the cynical, selfish, and lonely Edmund Blackadder through four major phases in british history, ending with a big bang in the first world war, the last episode from which is still perceived as one of the best moments in television history!
What is so great about Blackadder, is also the satirical/political approach the writers take, most evident in the last two series.
The issue of the class struggle is also evident throughtout the series, especially in the third and last, between the aristocratic/ servant class ,and the private/officers class .
So in short Blackadder is a very intelligent series, that has something to say, while making you laugh over and over again.
While the first series, Blackadder was more Mr Bean-ish than the smarter/more cynical person he would become later, the whole series should be watched as one whole.
In the fourth series, Rik Mayall as an ace pilot is teaching a class how to fly a plane..
Treat your plane like you treat your women..
so Hugh Laurie's character sheepishly asks:
er..How do you mean Sir, take her to see your mom?
No, replies Mayall
Get inside her five times a day, take her to heaven and back!
now how can you top that??
very very difficult!
Rating:
Summary: I love it!
Review: The complete BlackAdder, what more could you want??? hmm subtitles. Yep, subtitles would have made it perfect.
Rating:
Summary: HOLY ...!
Review: Man was this worth every penny! I found Rowan via Mr. Bean and loved it. I purchased all the Bean tapes and a friend told me about Black Adder, well I could never find it on PBS or BBC so I just went on his word and purchased the DVDs from [a local retailer] (alot cheaper too) and watched them from series 1 to 5. One I have to say was a little weak, but still had some laughs. But 2 through 4 were priceless! I can't wait to watch them again! Now the "Back and Forth" reunion was ok, but I haven't seen a 10 year reunion show that was as good as the original!
Rating:
Summary: superb
Review: If you have enjoyed Rowan Atkinson in other productions, just wait until you see him in Blackadder!
This DVD is packed with laughs and the episodes just keep getting better and better.
There is only one negative aspect to this DVD set - the first series is not that funny.
Despite this, I love this DVD and Blackadder is now my favorite television show (I particularly like the third and fourth series)!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Collection for any fan!!!
Review: I got this set for my husband for Christmas (He's from the Ireland) and he absolutely LOVES it! It is better than buying each series seperately becuase it has many many many more extra features and even the Christmas Special. I would reccommend this to any Black Adder fan!! This is a MUST!!!
Rating:
Summary: This is really funny
Review: Not the same humor as say Monty Python, this historical farce will still make you laugh.Black Adder is so funny...almost as funny as the English are.
Rating:
Summary: "Well, baste my steaming puddings!"
Review: or as George might say, "Well, cover me with eggs and flour and bake me for 14 minutes" - It's a very "cunningly" detailed account of almost every "shiny" thing on each of these 5 "quite brilliant" dvds, including the "soft dangly objects" DVD 1: Blackadder I, episodes - The Foretelling/Born to be King/The Archbishop/The queen of Spain's Beard/Witchsmeller Pursuivant/The Black Seal - Special Features:(all discs include Who's who in Blackadder, Footnotes to history, and Trailers for French & Saunders, Father Ted, and BBC America) Disc 1 also includes a Blackadder Sing-along. DVD 2: Blackadder II, episodes - Bells/Head/Potato/Money/Beer/Chains - Special Feat: Blackadder - The Cavalier Years DVD 3: Blackadder III, episodes - Dish & Dishonesty/Ink & Incapability/Nob & Nobility/Sense & Senility/Amy & Amiability/Duel & Duality - Spec Feat: Blackadder's Christmas Carol DVD 4: Blackadder Goes Fourth, episodes - Captain Cook/Corporal Punishment/Major Star/Private Plane/General Hospital/Goodbyeee - Spec Feat: Richard Curtis Interview DVD 5: Blackadder Back & Forth - Back & Forth special - Special Feat: Baldrick's Diary - The making of Back & Forth This complete's my summary of the complete Blackadder collector's set on DVD. I know it was detailed but at least it wasnt as "thick" as the complete work of Charles Dickens. Sorry there were no "sizzling gypsys" thrown in. Buy this today so you wont be a "malodorous runt whos wasting everybodys time". Seriously, if you buy this DVD set, you will be "as happy as a man who thought a cat had done it's business on his pie, but it turned out to be an extra big blackberry!" *See my "reviews" for Monty Python DVD sets for more tedious detailed lunacy!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Comedies Ever!!!
Review: British History told the the generations of males descendants of Edmundon BlackAdder. Rowan Atkinson runs through history at at a breakneck pace, with his sidekicks making you laugh so hard you hurt. Utterly brilliant from start to finish, and they even leave you crying in the end!! Ah, I have a cunning plan....don't miss it!!
Rating:
Summary: An historical account of the worst family in England
Review: The BlackAdder series is the funniest series to come out of Britain since Shakespeare's Hamlet II:Ophelia's revenge.
I think the 3 installment is the funniest while the 4th is the darkest.
I own the entire collection and often watch them.
(And yes, I know the Bard didn't write Hamlet II. Everyone knows it was Francis Bacon. )
Rating:
Summary: Faultless
Review: This collections is well worth the expense. I was pleasantly suprised to find special episodes such as Christmas Carol and Cavalier Days hidden away on the discs. A great addition to the collection.
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