# Should I get Black Adder on DVD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027 "2002-12-26T21:11:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/1 "2002-12-26T21:11:54Z")
A friend of mine informs me that the BBC show _Black Adder_ has been released on DVD and that I should get it because it’s The Greatest Thing Ever. I’ve never seen it though, but he assures me I’ll like it. The only British comedy that I’m really familiar with is _Monty Python_ and _Much Ado About Nothing_, both of which I enjoy immensely (and the former I have on DVD and watch relentlessy.) Anyway, I’m wondering if I should drop the buckage to buy these DVDs. To give you an idea of my tastes, here’s some examples of other comedies I like: Seinfeld Third Rock from the Sun The SImpsons Futurama Trigger Happy TV (ooh, there’s another British thing.) Frasier (before it began to suck) Scrubs Hidden Hills Andy Richter Controlls The Universe I anxiously await your advice. ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/2 "2002-12-26T21:31:22Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/3 "2002-12-26T21:35:39Z")
Yes. Right now. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/4 "2002-12-26T21:36:19Z")
Yes, but pick the right series. IMHO, the funniest series’ were the second (_Blackadder II_, set in Elizabethan London) and the last (_Blackadder Goes Forth_, set in World War I). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/5 "2002-12-26T21:50:52Z")
Aye. I have the set on DVD. (Go for the whole set and watch them in order. Once you see how hilarious they are you’ll save money by not buying them individually.) The set includes \*Blackadder’s Christmas Carol[/] and _Back and Forth_, as well as a couple of other neat things. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/6 "2002-12-26T23:37:18Z")
Go right now! We’ll wait… ---
**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:** [December 26, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/7 "2002-12-26T23:41:16Z")
If you don’t find the first series hilariously funny, don’t give up, because the second through fourth series is quite different to that one. But they’re all hilariously clever, so I say go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/8 "2002-12-26T23:44:59Z")
Hmmm. Buying them all on DVD. That’s a plan so cunning you could… 😃 I’d say “yes” ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/9 "2002-12-26T23:48:11Z")
The 1st serious isn’t that great, but all the rest are classics (though a small amount of knowledge of English history may be required to get all the jokes!!) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/10 "2002-12-27T00:04:48Z")
I must post a disagreement with the idea that the first series isn’t up to snuff. The very first show of all, with Peter Cooke as Richard III, is my very favorite episode of any Black Adder series. I love Shakespeare histories and tragedies, and the commingling of Henry V/Richard III/MacBeth in this episode is brilliant. In addition, the first series is blessed with Brian Blessed, a wonderful, wonderful actor and funny to boot. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/11 "2002-12-27T00:12:47Z")
Yes, you should. But I’ve seen them for rent, if you want to test-drive. –genie, happy recipient of _Blackadder II_ for Christmas ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/12 "2002-12-27T00:48:08Z")
Well, of course you should buy it. Immediately. But it depends what comedy you like. Blackadder is based on verbal wit. It’s not slapstick. In this regard it’s like Monty Python, very quotable. But as a historical comedy, very loosely based on fact, it doesn’t have the surreal aspects of Python. Plot wise it’s a familiar tale of idiocy in command, constantly frustrated ambition, confidence beyond ability and picking on a small stupid sidekick. Blackadder is not a nice person. He’s scheming, unprincipled and without any real friends. Yet he manages to evoke your sympathy as, yet again, his plans fall apart. And it’s very, very funny. ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/13 "2002-12-27T01:29:07Z")
Go now! Buy them now! The first series is…different. It’s not worse, necessarily, but it’s different. Blackadder gets smarter in the later series, Baldric gets dumber - it’s like the first series is them fine-tuning as much as performing. But still funny. FTR, 2 and 4 and the funniest, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/14 "2002-12-27T02:01:40Z")
Well, I went out and got the whole set (all four seasons plus the extra stuff) and just watched the first three episodes. I must say I am mightily pleased! This is some of the funniest stuff I have ever seen. There! That’ll teach you to steal horses! Hello. We’ve come to murder the Archbishop of Canteburry. Tee hee hee. OK, I’m off to watch some more. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/15 "2002-12-27T02:26:04Z")
> [@](#): > > (though a small amount of knowledge of English history may be required to get all the jokes!!) Fortunately the DVDs contain little primers on English history! 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 27, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/16 "2002-12-27T02:26:19Z")
Smart move! Best series ever released on DVD 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/17 "2002-12-27T02:36:54Z")
Wait till you get to series 2… 🙂 “Who’s Queen?” My line for whenever someone tries to tell me something while I’m driving. And I’m not even a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Harry\_Lime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Harry\_Lime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry_Lime)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/18 "2002-12-27T03:05:09Z")
It was a stroke of utter brilliance for the great Miranda Richardson to play Queen Elizabeth I, one of the strongest, most noted and revered monarchs in British history as a shallow dimwit 😃 Personally, I really prefer the second series and, (above all), the third, w/ Bonny Prince Thickie. Buy them, any and all. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/19 "2002-12-27T03:23:57Z")
Buy the set. NOW! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-black-adder-on-dvd/145027/20 "2002-12-27T03:29:26Z")
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