Black Adder or Bean?

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


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!”

Blackadder. So cunning you can brush your teeth with it.

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.

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.

I’m with Eve on this one - Black Adder is sublime. Mr. Bean . . . I have never laughed so reluctantly in all my life.

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!”

I’ve never understood that…how can you not love a series that starts out by rewriting Shakespear?

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