Blackadder The Third
The third chapter of the Blackadder adventures though time aired on BBC from September to 22 October 1987.[1]
The third series, again for budget reasons,
reduced the number of principal characters, but included a number of
significant cameo roles by well-known, over-the-top, dramatic and comic
theatrical actors.[2]
Set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries,
during a period known as the English Regency, the principal character is a
descendant of the first series’ Prince Edmund and second series’ Lord
Blackadder. His name is simply Mr. E.
Blackadder and he’s the Prince Regent’s butler[3]. And he has to cope with his master’s fads.
Blackadder: “I trust you had a pleasant evening,
sir?”
Prince George: “Well, no, actually. The
most extraordinary thing happened. Last night I was having a bit of a snack at
the Naughty Hellfire Club, and some fellow said that I had the wit and
sophistication of a donkey.”
Blackadder: “Oh. An absurd suggestion, sir.”
Prince George: “You're right, it is absurd.”
Blackadder: “Unless this was a particularly
stupid donkey.”
The scenario is the following: King George III
was incapacitated to rule the country due to poor mental health, hence his son
George, the Prince of Wales, acted as regent.
Although the Regency was in place between 1811
and 1820, the writers took the liberty to set the events somewhere between 1755
and 1805. After changing the middle ages history in the first series this
didn’t seem such a big deal after all!
In the series, E. Blackadder is the head
butler to George “the Prince Regent”, portrayed by the then-not-so-famous Hugh
Laurie (Dr. House), a “spoiled, foppish idiot”[4]. He has been serving the Prince all of his life, ever since the Prince
was breastfed, ever since the day he had to show the Prince which part of his
mother was "serving the drinks".
Baldrick remains similar to his predecessor,
and although his "cunning plans" cease to be even remotely cunning,
he is the most aware of political, religious, and social events. As Blackadder
himself is now a servant, the relationship between the two has changed, this
gave the writer new ideas and the chance to display Baldrick more belligerent
towards his master, even make him call "lazy, big-nosed, rubber-faced
bastard" in more than one occasion.
Blackadder: “I will suffice to say, 'sod off and if we ever meet again
it will be one billion years too soon' “
Baldrick:
“Goodbye you lazy, big-nosed, rubber-faced bastard!”
There are three main sets: the large and
lavish Prince's quarters, the dark and squalid below-stairs kitchen, hangout of
Blackadder and Baldrick, and finally Mrs. Miggins' coffeehouse.
The last episode of the series features a
technique rarely used before in sitcoms: Rowan Atkinson plays both the role of
Mr. E. Blackadder and the one of his Scottish cousin MacAdder, supposedly a
fierce swordsman. This leads to a dialogue in which Atkinson is acting both
parts. It is following the aftermath of this episode that Blackadder finally
finds fortune and ends up posing as the Prince Regent after the real one,
disguised as Blackadder, is shot by the Duke of Wellington.
Mad McAdder: “I hear you have a cunning plan.”
Blackadder:
“I do, I do. I want you to take the place of the Prince Regent and kill the
Duke of Wellington in a duel. “
Mad
McAdderq: “Aye, and what's in it for me?”
Blackadder:
“Enough cash to buy the Outer Hebrides. What do you think? “
Mad
McAdder: “Fourteen shillings and six-pence? Well, it's tempting. But I've got
an even better plan. Why don't I pretend to be the Duke of Wellington and kill
the Prince of Wales in a duel? Then I could kill the King and be crowned with
the ancient stone bonnet of McAdder.”
Blackadder: “Look, for God's sake, McAdder, you're not Rob Roy. You're a
top kipper salesman with a reputable firm of Aberdeen fishmongers. Don't throw
it all away. If you kill the Prince they'll just send the bailiffs round and
arrest you.”
Worth mentioning that the program won a BAFTA
award for Best Comedy Series in 1988 and received three further
nominations: Rowan Atkinson for
"Best Light Entertainment Performance", Antony Thorpe for "Best
Design" and Victoria Pocock for "Best Make Up"[5].
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