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Blackadder

Original title: The Black Adder
  • TV Series
  • 1982–1983
  • TV-PG
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
43K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,170
167
Rowan Atkinson in Blackadder (1982)
Black Adder
Play trailer1:14
1 Video
40 Photos
Dark ComedySatireSitcomComedy

In the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother.In the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother.In the Middle Ages, Prince Edmund the Black Adder constantly schemes and endeavors to seize the crown from his father and brother.

  • Creator
    • Richard Curtis
  • Stars
    • Rowan Atkinson
    • Brian Blessed
    • Elspet Gray
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    43K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,170
    167
    • Creator
      • Richard Curtis
    • Stars
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Brian Blessed
      • Elspet Gray
    • 79User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Episodes7

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    TopTop-ratedSeason

    Videos1

    Black Adder
    Trailer 1:14
    Black Adder

    Photos40

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    Top cast77

    Edit
    Rowan Atkinson
    Rowan Atkinson
    • Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh…
    • 1982–1983
    Brian Blessed
    Brian Blessed
    • King Richard IV…
    • 1983
    Elspet Gray
    Elspet Gray
    • The Queen…
    • 1982–1983
    Tim McInnerny
    Tim McInnerny
    • Percy…
    • 1982–1983
    Tony Robinson
    Tony Robinson
    • Baldrick…
    • 1983
    Robert East
    Robert East
    • Harry, Prince of Wales
    • 1983
    Patrick Allen
    Patrick Allen
    • Narrator…
    • 1983
    Bert Parnaby
    • Cain, A Blind Beggar…
    • 1983
    Roy Evans
    Roy Evans
    • Abel, A Blind Beggar…
    • 1983
    David Nunn
    • Messenger…
    • 1983
    Perry Benson
    • Daft Ned, A Peasant…
    • 1983
    Alex Norton
    Alex Norton
    • McAngus…
    • 1982–1983
    Forbes Collins
    • Dopey Jack, A Peasant…
    • 1983
    Barbara Miller
    • Jane Firkettle…
    • 1983
    Howard Lew Lewis
    • Mr. Applebottom…
    • 1983
    Natasha King
    • Princess Leia of Hungary
    • 1983
    Stephen Frost
    Stephen Frost
    • Soft, A Guard
    • 1983
    Peter Cook
    Peter Cook
    • Richard III
    • 1983
    • Creator
      • Richard Curtis
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews79

    8.042.5K
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    Featured reviews

    9TheLittleSongbird

    Not the best Blackadder series, but still absolutely hilarious

    I absolutely love Black Adder, it is hilarious, and is filled with wit and tongue-in-cheek humour. This first series is not the absolute best, but it is still worth watching, as there are so many good things about it. The production values as always are superb, the costumes are great and the sets are authentic and stay true to the time period. The opening and closing credits are a delight, and the story lines are cleverly structured. What I love most about the Black Adder is the writing, extremely witty, tongue-in-cheek and simply hilarious. And we also have great acting; Patrick Allen's sardonic narration has me in squeals of laughter, and while Tim McInnery and Tony Robinson as Percy and Baldrick are wonderful and Brian Blessed relishes his role as King Richard IV while chewing the scenery at the same time, it is Rowan Atkinson as as slimy and selfish Edmund Black Adder who steals the show. Edmund is not the most likable by all means, but Atkinson's performance is still superb. Overall, this is a great series, not the best(Black Adder Goes Forth especially was outstanding) but a fine start. 9/10 Bethany Cox
    OffYear

    The antithesis of Bean

    If you see these shows wanting more Mr. Bean you will be very surprised. Black Adder is a great show, but where Bean was basically silent Adder revels in language. The dialogue is sharp and fast and usually mean. Bean seems pretty gentle. Black Adder is a sonofabitch. Highest Rating.
    crimped357

    watch all the Blackadder shows...

    I have always been a fan of British TV comedy and this is one of my favorites. It's a good start to the whole series and "side" shows. It's interesting to note that the main character Edmond is silly and immature in this show while his henchmen come off has somewhat smarter. In later shows, Blackadder II, III, and go's forth, Edmond becomes ever smarter while the henchmen become as dumb as a box of rocks! It's also funny how he slides down the social ladder from duke to commoner. I highly recommend the whole series. It's appeal crosses all age groups with a few "blue" jokes but nothing remotely vulgar. As Blackadder mite put it "It's a show so clever, you could stitch on a tail and call it a weasel"
    Sy-4

    A flawed precursor to better things

    The first series of Black Adder reminds me a lot of Monty Python films - full of hilarious moments but somehow not quite all there as a whole. I'm not a huge Bean fan and there's too much Bean here for my liking.

    On the other hand, the second, third and fourth Blackadder series represent some of the best British comedy around (different script writer) and so the first series is worth watching just to introduce the characters. Watch this, but don't be put off the others if you don't like it!
    10Sylviastel

    Why not Sir Rowan?

    I love Rowan Atkinson. I think he's the best contemporary British comedian around. Rowan has a great talent especially playing Edmund Black Adder. Edmund, the Black Adder, begins the series in the Black Plague or Black Death. The second series is a lot better with Queen Elizabeth I played by the wonderful Miranda Richardson (I wondered what happened to her). This role was before her Oscar nominating role in Damage. She is hysterical as the Virgin Queen which I bet is the funniest Queen Elizabeth I in history. I love the costumes, the language. The series got better as it went along. I loved Hugh Laurie as the dumb prince. Tony Robinson as Baldrick always made me laugh. The Black Adder kept moving on until World War II. Don't you think it's time that Rowan Atkinson became knighted.

    More like this

    Blackadder II
    8.6
    Blackadder II
    Blackadder the Third
    8.6
    Blackadder the Third
    Blackadder Goes Forth
    8.8
    Blackadder Goes Forth
    Blackadder Back & Forth
    7.6
    Blackadder Back & Forth
    Blackadder's Christmas Carol
    7.9
    Blackadder's Christmas Carol
    Blackadder: The Cavalier Years
    7.8
    Blackadder: The Cavalier Years
    Fawlty Towers
    8.8
    Fawlty Towers
    Blackadder Rides Again
    7.8
    Blackadder Rides Again
    The Young Ones
    8.2
    The Young Ones
    Black Books
    8.4
    Black Books
    Father Ted
    8.6
    Father Ted
    'Allo 'Allo!
    8.4
    'Allo 'Allo!

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Blackadder is based on Edmund, the antagonist of William Shakespeare's play "King Lear": a scheming illegitimate son of a king who plots to take the crown for himself.
    • Goofs
      Blackadder is throughout the series referred to as the Duke of Edinburgh, a title that was first bestowed by King George I in 1726, on his grandson, Prince Frederick Lewis, in the Peerage of Great Britain. In the 1480s, the King of England had no jurisdiction over Scotland, where Edinburgh is. Giving Edmund an anachronistic, geographically useless title is a joke, as explained in the DVD special features.
    • Quotes

      Opening tune singer: The sound of hoof beats '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.

    • Crazy credits
      There is a statement in the closing credits: "With additional dialogue by William Shakespeare."
    • Connections
      Featured in The Story of Bean (1997)

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    FAQ17

    • How many seasons does Blackadder have?Powered by Alexa
    • Why is Prince Edmund not named Edmund Blackadder?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 15, 1983 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Black Adder
    • Filming locations
      • Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • BBC Worldwide
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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