Already considered one of Britain’s finest comedies ever, it has reached its final culmination on this brilliant DVD box set. Here we can enjoy back-to-back some of the best that British comedy has to offer. In four eras we witness the adventures of the various incarnations of the cynical and depraved Black Adder, his revolting yet endearing sidekick Baldrick and a bevy of deranged and lunatic characters that populate this distorted universe. All the episodes are embedded in a historical context and embellished with classic, Shakespearean dialogue. The latter adds the distinct edge which elevates this comedy above most others.

What this comedy has given the world, amongst others, is the perfection of the art of insulting. As if taken directly from the classic works of Shakespeare or any of the great classic British writers, the literary dialogue is set against the burlesque and rude comedy situations and thus provides a sharp contrast. It is this contrast that paves the way for some of the most eloquent and at the same time rudest insults ever heard in a comedy. It is also thanks to the brilliant actors, which often have a classical formation, who deliver the dialogue with great feeling for timing and humour. Of course, Rowan Atkinson as Black Adder stands out with his inimitable diction and spot-on timing. Simple words were never funnier until they were uttered by him.

Throughout the story we see the first incarnation of The Black Adder placed in the Dark Ages. Here he is Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh, the bitter and grovelling son of king Richard IV. Tony Robinson plays Baldrick, his measly servant who sports his perpetual motto “I have a cunning plan”, while Brian Blessed plays the war-mongering King Richard with the booming voice. We are also introduced to Tim McInnerny as the half-witted Percy, always desperately seeking the favours of Edmund. The second incarnation of Black Adder, places the us further up the Middle Ages around the 16th century and here we see Lord Blackadder cavorting for the Queen’s favours. Stephen Fry is introduced as the meddlesome Lord Melchett and Miranda Richardson as the insane Queenie. In the third era the Blackadder dynasty has suffered a heavy blow and Blackadder is demoted to being the butler of the prins-regent (played by Hugh Laurie) in 18th century England. In the fourth and final incarnation we find Blackadder in the western trenches of the Big War, where he is captain Blackadder. Melchett has become a lunatic general and Percy is aptly renamed captain Kevin Darling. Here, the series concludes with one of the most memorable episodes in comedy. The final episode is hilarious and quite moving at the same time.

British comedy is somewhat of an enigma. No matter how rude and absurd the situations become or how anarchistic the characters seem to behave, the comedy rarely ever becomes really corny or tasteless. Even though some of the scenes could be dubbed vulgar if they were to be seen in a non-British comedy, the British seem to keep that ultimate tongue-in-cheek quality to it. It is this that allows them to get away with almost everything. At the same time it provides them with the opportunity to effortlessly blend different kinds of comedy in one single act. Satire and keen dialogue are as easily mixed with the burlesque or the ultimately absurd, as there appear to be virtually no rules for British comedy. The British don’t tend to take themselves too seriously and have elevated understatement and self-mockery to an art form. Ranging from the light-hearted comedy of Not The Nine ‘o Clock News, to the rude antics of Basil in Fawlty Towers, the supremely absurd Monty Python, the violently anarchistic Young Ones, the male-chauvinist ogres in Men Behaving Badly, or the deranged ramblings of Absolutely Fabulous, they all originate from the same comedy gene pool.

When speaking about this rich gene pool, one cannot forget to mention the big driving force behind all this: the BBC. This network has been at the basis of practically every great comedy act, thereby riskily investing time and resources in forms of comedy which at the time were considered subversive and revolutionary. I cannot be but forever grateful for them being partly responsible for some of comedy’s finest moments. This comedy is already a timeless classic, gracing us with unforgettable comedy and memorable quotes. For example, in order to urge Baldrick to tell him the truth, Blackadder would calmly say: “the booted bony protrusion with five toes at the end of my leg, will connect sharply with the soft dangling objects which are located in your trousers”. Equally memorable is where he strikingly qualifies of the art of insulting: “They do say, Mrs Miggins, that verbal insults hurt more than physical pain. They are of course wrong as you will soon discover, when I stick this toasting-fork into your head”.
Sheer poetry!

As serious as a fork in your head, this is a certified ***** out of 5.

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