Beer

This Episode: Season 2, Episode 5
Black Adder Overall: Episode 11
Airdate: 13 Feb 1986
Written by Ben Elton & Richard Curtis
Directed by Mandie Fletcher

Notes

• The first reference to turnips in the series, which becomes a bigger thing as time goes on.
• The first appearance of Hugh Laurie in Black Adder.  He plays Simon Partridge here.  He plays a different character in the next episode, and then in Series 3 & 4 is his more well known George.
• Miriam Margolyes appears in this episode as “Lady Whiteadder”.  She appeared previously in Series 1’s “The Queen of Spain’s Beard“.
• Lord Whiteadder was played by Daniel Thorndike.  It was supposed to be Jim Broadbendt, who appeared with Margolyes in the prior series, but he was unavailable for filming.
• Always wondered what that was in the title card.  A stein with beer, obviously, but a tomato slice and a hot dog?  A carrot?
• Melchet says “I say you’re a weedy pigeon, and you can call me ‘Susan’ if it isn’t so!”.  While it’s not related directly, in Series IV Melchet has a pigeon named “Speckled Jim” that this line reminds me of.
• There’s a line where Black Adder says “Sometimes I’m nasty”, but the tone and inflection reminds me of the way Black Adder spoke in Series I.

Closing Credits Lyrics

Blackadder couldn’t hold his beer,
The art of boozing he’s not mastered.
And I, your merry balladeer,
am also well and truly plastered.

Blackadder, Blackadder,
A bit like Robin Hood.
Blackadder, Blackadder,
But nothing like as good.

Blackadder, Blackadder,
I thought that he had died,
Blackadder, Blackadder,
The writers must have lied.

(The balladeer sounds progressively more drunk the longer the song goes)

Links

[ Wikipedia | Blackadder Wiki | IMDB | BBC Website | BBC Alternate | Amazon US DVD | Amazon UK Blu-Ray ]