Born to be King

This Episode: Season 1, Episode 2
Black Adder Overall: Episode 2
Airdate: 22 Jun 1983
Written by Rowan Atkinson & Richard Curtis
Directed by Martin Shardlow

Notes

• This is a remake of the original unaired pilot.  The original felt more like the second series than this released series, both in setting and in Black Adder’s portrayal. There is a longer list of the differences available here.
• The castle scenes were filmed at the real life location “Alnwick Castle“.  The same castle appeared in Downton Abbey as Brancaster Castle.
• The first use of “a cunning plan” by Baldrick, which becomes a staple (although the term turned up in the lyrics to the closing credits in the prior episode).
• Alex Norton guests here as MacAngus. He played a similar character in the unaired pilot (Lord McAngus).  He’s known for a lot of movies, the most notable probably being Braveheart & Les Misérables. He also did voices in Pixar’s Brave.
• The director (Martin Shardlow) was credited here in this episode when he wasn’t in the prior, despite directing them both.
• Some repeats of this episode and an earlier DVD release swapped this episode with the fourth for some reason.

Closing Credits Lyrics

The sound of hoofbeats cross the glade
Good folk lock up your son and daughter
Beware the deadly flashing blade
Unless you want to end up shorter

Black Adder Black Adder
He rides a pitch black steed
Black Adder Black Adder
He’s very bad indeed

Black his gloves of finest mole
Black his codpiece made of metal
His horse is blacker than a vole
His pot is blacker than his kettle

Black Adder Black Adder
With many a cunning plan
Black Adder Black Adder
You horrid little man

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