I Have A Cunning Plan..

When my friends said that I should check out Rowan Atkinson's old comedy show The Black Adder(1983), I admit that I was a bit skeptical. My only experience with Atkinson comedy was Mr. Bean, and while it was funny at times, his physical humour was sometimes too much and too gross for my liking. So I kinda ignore his advice. However, when WGA strike means that I run out of new TV shows episodes (namely House M.D), I reluctantly turn to this show.

The result was unexpected. I was completely hooked, from the first season to the last. I watched all four season in order in about just a week. I laughed so hard on every episode, that I hardly remember when's the last time I did so.

The series revolved on the lives of Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) and his descendants (also played by Atkinson). Each of the four season potrayed each generation of Edmund Blackadder. From the coward and dumb Prince Edmund Blackadder in the Dark Ages, to the cunning and smart Captain Edmund Blackadder in WW I era.

The comedy was nothing like Mr. Bean. Here, the jokes are much more cerebral and located in the dialogs. It pokes fun at just about everybody, notably the French, the Scots, the Germans, and even the English themselves. Most of the humour owed to Atkinson and the cast brilliant delivery. Atkinson brought sarcasm and witty to a new level, especially on second season onwards, and the other actors compliment him perfectly. Tony Robinson, who played Baldrick (and his descendants) in each season was the target for most of the jokes as Blackadder's servant/busybody.

It helped that the rest of the supporting cast was also a group of good actors. The talented Tim McInnerny played his role as Lord Percy Percy (and later Captain Darling) wonderfully. Hugh Laurie and his comedy partner Stephen Fry, fresh from their successful turn out in their comedy show, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, join the cast in the second and third season, while Miranda Richardson played as the child-like Queen Elizabeth I in the second season.

Futhermore, in it's fourth season, set in WW I era, it pokes fun and criticized the wastefulness of war in a funny and touching way. It's very rarely to see a comedy show that can managed to bring a serious message like that, and didn't feel out of place.

I don't know what else to say, but go and see this.