# Blackadder fans- is it essential to start from the very beginning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581 "2005-01-25T14:08:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/21 "2005-01-26T06:17:13Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I love the first series. The only thing I don’t like is that Prince Harry is quite dull, and that some of the sound effects seem to drown out a lot of the dialogue. Well, I think that Harry was meant to seem a bit of a bore and a goody-two-shoes, and always preoccupied with trivialities, like the drains. As the heir to the throne, he made a pretty stark contrast to his father (Brian Blessed) – that was funny in and of itself. Like in the first episode, the speeches by uncle, father, and him to their men going into battle. I loved that bit. ## And I agree that _Witchsmeller_ definitely had some good lines (like the “Clever Jake” bit), but overall I didn’t find it as sharp as the others in that set. Oh, and while Edmund is not as clever in series I as in the others, he’s not really “the dumb one” in that series. That honor belongs to Percy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/22 "2005-01-26T06:40:15Z")
I can’t really add much to the above, but I would recommend watching them in the original order. The character continuity properly begins in series two, but series one is definitely a must see. Personally, I wish I had not seen the 1999 special, _Blackadder: Back and Forth_. Not that it is utterly terrible, but I found it rather disappointing due to high expectations. The characters did not feel right to me and the whole thing seemed rather forced. I much preferred it when the brilliant conclusion to series four was my final memory of the show. ---
**Author:** ![MinniePurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@MinniePurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MinniePurl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/23 "2005-01-26T07:21:50Z")
Personally, I like the first series, but I can see how others would not. No way to know unless you watch it. It is definetely very different from the last three series. You can skip \*Blackadder: Back and Forth \* IMO-- it just wasn’t very good. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/24 "2005-01-26T07:56:46Z")
> [@MinniePurl](#): > > You can skip \*Blackadder: Back and Forth \* IMO-- it just wasn’t very good. It was something of a disappointment and missed a lot of the Blackadder “edge”, but I still think it’s required watching once you’ve seen all the rest. It had its good moments and it was kind of fun to see the conclusion of it all. Oh, and it had Kate Moss. Woof. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/25 "2005-01-26T10:03:14Z")
Mostly what others have said. The first series is different from the next three. And the specials generally aren’t as good as the original series. Also don’t worry about watching the episodes within the series in any particular order. There’s very little continuity between episodes (and virtually no attempt to make a connection with real history - Blackadder III had episodes set during the Reign of Terror in 1794 and during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815). The big exception is that you should watch the last episode (Goodbyeee) last. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/26 "2005-01-26T11:19:48Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > But _the Queen of Spain’s Beard_ has such marvellous character actors as Miryam Margolyes (who returned twice in future series - most notably in the turnip themed ‘Money’ episode in _Blackadder II_, but also as Queen Victoria in _Blackadder’s Christmas Carol_). I made a mistake. It’s ‘Beer’ not ‘Money’. ‘Money’ is the episode with the baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/27 "2005-01-26T11:22:15Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > The first series is different from the next three. And the specials generally aren’t as good as the original series. Actually, I find _Blackadder’s Christmas Carol_ to be every bit as good as the series. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/28 "2005-01-26T11:55:18Z")
> [@MinniePurl](#): > > Personally, I like the first series, but I can see how others would not. No way to know unless you watch it. It is definetely very different from the last three series. You can skip \*Blackadder: Back and Forth \* IMO-- it just wasn’t very good. I like the first series but for a newcomer it doesn’t give the flavour of what it became and someone might be put off, thinking what’s all the fuss? ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/29 "2005-01-26T12:09:27Z")
Even though its a mixed reception to series I, it’s worth the entrance fee just for Brian Blessed eating a Horses leg, and the bit where he comes back from the Crusades and shouts 'WAR! BLOOD! FIGHTING! **RUMPY PUMPY!'** In fact anything BB does rules, apart from his attempts to climb Everest. Last I saw him, he was talking about going into Space. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/30 "2005-01-26T12:51:32Z")
> [@paulberserker](#): > > In fact anything BB does rules Is it me, or would Brian Blessed have made an excellent Gimli? Not that John Rhys-Davies wasn’t excellent, but still. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/31 "2005-01-26T16:21:40Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > Actually, I find _Blackadder’s Christmas Carol_ to be every bit as good as the series. Me, too. _Christmas Carol_ is one of my favorites in the whole set. The other “specials” don’t match it in quality, but that is definitely a must-see. (But only after seeing Blackadder II and III, as somebody else said, since Christmas Carol involves flashbacks to those settings). ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/32 "2005-01-26T16:26:51Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > Is it me, or would Brian Blessed have made an excellent Gimli? Not that John Rhys-Davies wasn’t excellent, but still. (picturing…) Gimli: “And the lord said love thy neighbors as thyselves… unless he’s an orc! In which case, KILL the bastard! Slit their gizzards! There will be blood… BLOOOOOOD! tonight!” After the battle of Helm’s Deep… Legolas: “I’ve got 37…” Gimli: “I slaughtered 3,000 orcs! All thanks to my trusty fruit knife!” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/33 "2005-01-26T21:45:03Z")
Ah yes, Brian Blessed. He makes the first series MUST SEE viewing. His interactions with Atkinson are just classic. They really cast that role perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/34 "2005-01-26T21:56:33Z")
A Blessed moment from a non-Blackadder related movie. DIIIIIIIVVVVVVEEEEEEEE Hehehe. Loved that. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/35 "2005-01-27T12:50:20Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Ah yes, Brian Blessed. He makes the first series MUST SEE viewing. His interactions with Atkinson are just classic. “Ah yes! The slimey one!” ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/36 "2005-01-27T13:21:56Z")
Personally, I think the last episode of the first series was hilarious, one of my favorites. “Weeeeellll… there is MR. KEY!” ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581/37 "2005-01-27T13:40:41Z")
Can anyone seriously see Vigo Mortensen convincingly throwing Brian Blessed anywhere? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackadder-fans-is-it-essential-to-start-from-the-very-beginning/286581.md?page=1)