Post by Stanier5mt on Aug 30, 2010 11:01:11 GMT
Blackadder is one of my favourite sitcoms series because of the characters and like Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister it wasn't afraid to use intelligent material to get laughs the best examples being the use of tongue in cheek parodies and references of Shakespeare particulary in the second series and the use of the more reality grounded dark humor in the fourth series. The: Similes, historical and political jokes, (eg: Pit the Even Younger and the Duny on the Wold by-election), slapstick, and innuendo just added to it. No fifth series is needed, it would spoil that ending which is probably the greatest televised WW1 tribute.
Another thing I noticed was that in the last episodes of the second and third series the new members of the main cast played characters similar to the one they would in the next series:
In, "Chains" Hugh Laurie played the mad german prince, "Prince Ludxig the Indestructable". Then played the mad german prince, "Prince George" in series 3.
In, "Duel and Dualability" Stephen Fry played the mad general, "Duke Of Wellington" and then played the mad general, "Melchett" in series 4. Whether this was intentional or not I don't know but it definatley showcased how good the actors as they were able to play two very similar characters but make them both distinctly different.
Apart from having some different cast members to the first series the unaired pilot, (from the version on You Tube) looks very good and alot more like the second series particualry in Blackadders mannerisms and the greater focus on the character's relationships with each other. One other interesting differences being Blackadder winning the duel with McAngus. What was it that happened that changed it to what was seen in Series 1? An audio blend of the pilot and, "Born to be King" which replaces the pilot's Baldrick with Tony Robinson's would in my opinion make the pilot complete.
Series 1 was a good sitcom with a good cast but given the Blackadder's not so Blackadder like personality throughout the majority of it and it's potiential shown in the pilot it isn't as entertaining to me as what that came before and afterwards. My favourite episodes are: "The Archbishop" and, "The Black Seal". (Seeing the voice of Capitan Starr as the bad guy was interesting the first time I saw it).
Series and specials in ascending order of favourites:
1.Series 3
2.Series 4
3.Series 2
4.Pilot
5.Back and Forth
6.The Cavalier Years
7.Christmas Carol
8.Series 1
Another thing I noticed was that in the last episodes of the second and third series the new members of the main cast played characters similar to the one they would in the next series:
In, "Chains" Hugh Laurie played the mad german prince, "Prince Ludxig the Indestructable". Then played the mad german prince, "Prince George" in series 3.
In, "Duel and Dualability" Stephen Fry played the mad general, "Duke Of Wellington" and then played the mad general, "Melchett" in series 4. Whether this was intentional or not I don't know but it definatley showcased how good the actors as they were able to play two very similar characters but make them both distinctly different.
Apart from having some different cast members to the first series the unaired pilot, (from the version on You Tube) looks very good and alot more like the second series particualry in Blackadders mannerisms and the greater focus on the character's relationships with each other. One other interesting differences being Blackadder winning the duel with McAngus. What was it that happened that changed it to what was seen in Series 1? An audio blend of the pilot and, "Born to be King" which replaces the pilot's Baldrick with Tony Robinson's would in my opinion make the pilot complete.
Series 1 was a good sitcom with a good cast but given the Blackadder's not so Blackadder like personality throughout the majority of it and it's potiential shown in the pilot it isn't as entertaining to me as what that came before and afterwards. My favourite episodes are: "The Archbishop" and, "The Black Seal". (Seeing the voice of Capitan Starr as the bad guy was interesting the first time I saw it).
Series and specials in ascending order of favourites:
1.Series 3
2.Series 4
3.Series 2
4.Pilot
5.Back and Forth
6.The Cavalier Years
7.Christmas Carol
8.Series 1
I personally would have loved to see more of the unaired pilot they had locked up. Was like revealing a little more of "history" after witnessing the 30-second clip they presented.