Black Adder is a British
television programme from the
BBC, a surreal take on British history starring [Rowan Atkinson]
?, involving cunning plans,
Baldrick's trousers and deceit. Each series tended to feature the same set of actors in different settings, thus Stephen Fry played Lord Melchett, an advisor to the Queen in Series II, and General Melchett, a blustering buffoon, in Series IV.
It popularised the use of similie and associated devices for comic effect in the UK. Examples include:
- "Madder than Mad Gerald McMad?, winner of last year's Mr Madman competition."
- "I've got a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel."
- "I'm as happy as a Frenchman who's just invented a pair of self-removing trousers."
Four series:
- The Black Adder - Middle Ages
- Black Adder II - Elizabethan
- Black Adder III - Regency
- Blackadder Goes Forth - World War I
Specials:
- Christmas Special - (a parody of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol")
- Black Adder: Back and Forth - Time-Travel
Characters:
- [Edmund Blackadder]? ([Rowan Atkinson]?)
- Lord Percy
- S. Baldrick (a dogsbody) ([Tony Robinson]?)
- Lt.George/Prince? George ([Hugh Laurie]?)
- Lord/General? Melchett?; The Duke of Wellington (Stephen Fry)
- Queenie; Highwaywoman (Miranda Richardson)
- Nursie
- Lord Flasheart (Rik Mayall)
- 'Bob'?(aka Kate); Cpl. Parkhurst
- Capt. Darling (Tim McInnerny?)
- Firing squad
- Mr. & Mrs. Ploppy
- a guest appearance by [Ben Jonson]? played by [Robbie Coltrane]?
- Mrs. Miggins
- Lord Frou-Frou
- Scarlet Pimpernel
- Evil Revolutionary
- Wise woman of Putney heath
- [Mad Beggar]? (Poor Tom)
- Capt. Redbeard Rum ([Tom Baker]?)
- Mr Hardcastle
- His daughter (a highwayman)
- King 'Penguin' (aka George)
- Sir Walter Raleigh
- Witchsmeller persuivant
- Isabella (ugly Spanish infanta), Lady Whiteadder
Written by [Ben Elton]? and [Richard Curtis]?. (with additional dialogue by Wm. Shakespeare)
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