Blackadder II
The second chapter of Edmund Blackadder’ s saga is simply called Blackadder II, and is written once again by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, only this time without the help of Rowan Atkinson that remains just as actor. The series aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986.[1]
A number of significant changes from the
format of The Black Adder affected this second series, notably Ben Elton replacing Rowan
Atkinson as the second writer was one of them: he introduced the Machiavellian Blackadder
character and a less intelligent Baldrick. But the biggest change was probably
switching from filming on location (the first chapter was filmed at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland and the surrounding
countryside) to filming in studio sets due to reduced budget.
Obviously set in England, this time the period is the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558 -
1603), Edmund, Lord Blackadder, is now a Tudor courtier[2] desperately attempting to win the favor of the Queen, while trying to
avoid the fate that befell many of her suitors: decapitation.
Lord Blackadder, is the great-grandson of the
original Black Adder, and is a member of the London aristocracy. Unlike his
forefather, he is bold and intelligent, although he is still scheming and
cynical. During the six episodes of the series he attempts to win the favor of
the childish Queen Elizabeth I. Aided, or we better say hindered, by his two less intelligent
sidekicks, his faithful servant Baldrick, and Lord Percy Percy, heir to the Duchy of
Northumberland, with whom Blackadder has a grudging friendship.
This time his chief rival is the
pretentious Lord Melchett, the Queen’s Lord Chamberlain. Melchett is himself in fear of upsetting the Queen,
and thus attempts to outdo Blackadder by supporting her in whatever current fad
she is interested in. The laughter are brought, both in the court and in the
living rooms of the audience, by the Queen’s demented former nanny, Nursie
Nursie:
“That was another good idea! You are so clever today, you better be careful
your foot doesn't fall off.”
Queen
Elizabeth: “Does that happen, when you have lots of brilliant ideas? Your foot
falls off?”
Nursie:
“Certainly does! My brother, he had this brilliant idea of cutting his toenails
with a scythe, and his foot fell off.”
Baldrick, who in the first series is the most
intelligent of the main trio, thanks to
comic genius of Ben Elton, becomes more stupid, so stupid to be labeled
by Elton himself "the stupidest
person in the history of...human beings". [3]
Blackadder:
“Get the door, Baldrick.”
[There is a crash. Baldrick enters, carrying a door.]
Blackadder:
“Baldrick, I would advise you to make the explanation you are about to give phenomenally good.”
Baldrick:
“You said ‘Get the door’."
Blackadder II is
also the first series where Baldrick starts to show his obsession for the turnip, although this apparently arose from a botanical error on the
part of Elton, who confused the vegetable with the "amusingly shaped"
parsnip.[4]
The one character that remained similar to the
original is Lord Percy.
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