# Black Adder or Bean? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 29, 2001, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615 "2001-06-29T13:44:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/21 "2001-06-29T20:10:38Z")
Word is, for those into DVDs the series is coming to North America by October. Each series is on one Disc including out takes and extras… Though no word on A Black Adder Christmas or the Cavalier Years (Which I have yet to see) * * * It’s not me that’s thick, it’s you and you know why? Because I’m a bloody Prince and you’re only a _butler_. And now go and get those actors here this minute, Mr. Thicky-Black-Thicky-Adder-Thicky * * * ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/22 "2001-06-29T23:50:36Z")
Black Adder here, too. Mr. Bean is hysterical - the first time through. If you already know how it ends, watching it gets … tedious. OTOH, Black Adder gets funnier each time you watch it, as you catch more and more things you missed. This is especially true with the first series. A lot of people don’t like it that much, but there’s a TON of really funny stuff in there, as I learned after getting the whole series on tape. “Fezzick! Fresh horses!” ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/23 "2001-06-30T01:01:50Z")
Blackadder. So cunning you can brush your teeth with it. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/24 "2001-06-30T02:02:35Z")
Blackadder definitely. I especially liked the second series. Recently I was reading a novel set during the War of the Roses and I couldn’t keep from picturing the Blackadder characters. Kinda disturbing in a way. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/25 "2001-06-30T02:14:18Z")
Blackadder wins, hands down. I loved Blackadder Goes Forth best of all, and have been anxiously awaiting the release of that series on DVD in this country. ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/26 "2001-06-30T02:21:58Z")
I’m with **Eve** on this one - Black Adder is sublime. Mr. Bean . . . I have never laughed so reluctantly in all my life. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/27 "2001-06-30T03:42:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > **OTOH, Black Adder gets funnier each time you watch it, as you catch more and more things you missed. This is especially true with the first series. A lot of people don’t like it that much, but there’s a TON of really funny stuff in there, as I learned after getting the whole series on tape.** Oh, I love the first series! Especially the one where Edmund becomes Archbishop of Canterbury… “I can’t understand it; Edmund doesn’t even like religion.” “That’s impossible – he’s the Archbishop of Canterbury!” “Yes, and the Archbishop of Canterbury is also a naughty little boy, whose bottom I had to smack for relieving himself in the font.” “But that was a long time ago.” “It was last Thursday!” ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/28 "2001-06-30T07:25:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > **This is especially true with the first series. A lot of people don’t like it that much** I’ve never understood that…how can you not love a series that starts out by rewriting Shakespear? ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2001, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615/29 "2001-06-30T08:22:12Z")
As a dissident voice, when later century’s look back I think Mr Bean will stand out as the higher quality work. As to popularity, it’s easy to see why the vote goes the other way. Like, “Hey, What’s your favourite line from Mr Bean?” I think people aspire to Blackadder’s wit, conversely many saw disconcerting elements of themselves in Mr Bean. IMO Blackadder would have struggled to last if the increasing influence of Ben Elton’s writing hadn’t progressively turned Edmund from a sniverling toad into an outrageously nasty bastard. Baldrick: … But my lord, I’ve been in your family since 1532! Blackadder: So has syphilis, now get out. and of course Jane Harrington and her Y-shaped coffin [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/black-adder-or-bean/70615.md?page=1)