User reviews

This forth and final series is perhaps the best of all the Black Adder episodes; it is also more of a tragi-comedy than just plain old slapstick perhaps because at the time (1989) the events of WW1 were very much in the minds of a lot of people, whether it be surviving soldiers or relatives.

As such there was some controversy when it was first broadcast by the BBC for its apparent lack of respect to those who fought and lost their lives for the sake of freedom & democracy.

However, in retrospect, this isn't strictly true because even with Episode One there is a tangible shift in tone from previous Black Adder series. Yes some of the slapstick tomfoolery is still there, mainly at the expense of poor gormless Private Baldrick. But in addition a lot of the supposedly funny lines do have quite serious undertones, and bely the real truth of the sheer lunacy & farce that went on during the real war.

For those that know their 20th Century history, WW1 was seen as a complete disaster for all and sundry, especially for the British soldiers in the trenches, primarily because they were being commanded & told how to fight a war by the most repulsive upper-class morons that call themselves Generals that ever wore a uniform.

This was plainly represented by the bumbling fool, General Melchett (a wonderfully bemusing performance from Stephen Fry). Melchett simply has no idea of what life really is like for the troops on the front-line while he prattles on 35 miles behind the front-line in some safe palatial mansion where the most dangerous hazard to his life is whether he can unscrew a cork out of a champagne bottle without it hitting him in the face.

Melchett is a complete buffoon but only Captain Blackadder realises this; everyone else thinks the General knows what he is doing purely because of his rank & social standing. So it is no wonder that Blackadder wants to mutiny because it's a hard choice deciding who the real enemy is - the Germans or his own Generals.

For example:-

General Melchett: Are you looking forward to the big push?

Private Baldrick: No sir, I'm absolutely terrified.

General Melchett: The healthy humour of the honest, Tommy. Don't worry my boy, if you should falter, remember that Captain Darling and I are behind you.

Edmund Blackadder: About thirty-five miles behind you.

This dark humour is wonderfully interwoven with the usual witty lines thanks largely to the writers, Richard Curtis and Ben Elton. It is typically anti-war but with good reason, as Blackadder declares in one episode:-

"with 50,000 men being killed every week who is going to miss one dead pigeon!"

The madness of this war also draws our attention to those very same front-line troops such as Blackadder, Baldrick & Lieutenant George. Their living conditions are disgusting & the fear of being shot or bombed out of their trench a very real possibility.

The humour is just an adjunct to the real horrors that are going on in their lives, and this is beautifully concluded in the very sad finale. No longer did the critics argue this series lacked any respect because come the final few minutes of Episode Six we were treated to the sad demise of all those soldiers fading into time and replaced by the infamous poppy fields that strewn Northern France.

Blackadder Goes Forth is far more intelligent than a lot of sitcoms; the writing and acting is exceptionally good, and also underpins the true human sacrifice the millions of soldiers gave to their King & country while the smug & arrogant Generals went home to more medals, honours and riches than ever before.

School children of today find reading about history boring & not very relevant. But thanks to this series I am sure young & old alike will find this far more interesting, absorbing, damming & shocking than any written word on the subject could ever say.

War Is Hell!

****/*****

I am in complete agreement with most of the reviews posted and do not want to add anything else but to cast my vote for the final scene in "Goodbyee" as being the finest in television drama or comedy. I say comedy or drama because the scene seamlessly combines the two so that you are almost incapable of knowing exactly how to respond. The scene is prefaced by the scene in which the chillingly true nature of General Melchett is revealed. Melchett orders his obsequious clerk, Darling, to the front for the suicidal big push the next morning. Melchett is revealed as being a deadly dangerous buffoon. Read Sigfried Sassoon's poem "The General" for a similar depiction of an old duffer whose incompetent planning "does for" his men who are ironically aware but strangely accepting of his eccentrically bumbling nature. This scene reveals Melchett as being something far more sinister than is evident in the preceding episodes. The shadow of the driver falling over Darling who is on his knees begging Melchett not to send him is as chilling as anything I have seen.

As the reality of going over the top dawns on the mindlessly jingoistic George and then even on the endearingly gormless Baldrick, the true horror of war is evoked. The hopes and dreams of ordinary young men are about to be brutally dashed. The final stroke of genius is to have Darling, a man for whom we and Blackadder have had contempt, poignantly confide the plans he had for his future after surviving the war. "Marry Dorris ...keep wicket for the gentleman's eleven." Do you laugh or cry at this? I think most of us feel at a loss to know how to respond just as Wilfred Owen in his poem "Futility" as he witnesses his men's futile attempt to revive a dying comrade by putting him out to lie in the sun.

The final freeze frame and dissolve into the poppy fields of Flanders has been well documented. What more can anyone say about mankind's greatest folly - war.

While I can think of plenty of WWII comedies, comedies about WWI are few and far between. Okay, there is Chaplin's Shoulder Arms, but then I fail to think of anything - apart from these glorious 6 half-hour long pieces of British Comedy. There are reasons for this scarcity, most notably that hardly anything happened during the war, except that millions of soldiers died in their muddy trenches. Not much room for a comedy writer to get his teeth into, is there?

Well, watch this and you'd be surprised how much one can squeeze out of that setting. The main angle is the absurdity of it all, which our hero, Edmund Blackadder, is fully aware of. Alas, he's the only one and so his cynicisms and sarcasms remain undetected by the other characters. The highlights of the series are thus Blackadder's one-liners (well, often a bit longer than one line).

If you have grown up watching TV comedy US style only then you may find the conclusion of the series rather disturbing.

It's just the best comedy ever written.

This will be studied 100 years from now.

Just like the source material. Amazing show.

The story of a group of British soldiers based in the trenches of World War I.

Richard Curtis and Ben Elton peaked during the forth and finest season of Blackadder. It is consistently strong throughout six episodes and several are some of the greatest examples of British television.

How does someone find humour in such a depressing situation? Well the answer is: characters. If the history of comedy has shown us one thing it is that you can make anything funny if you put great characters centre stage and give them the best material. Captain Blackadder, Lieutenant George, Private Baldrick, General Melchett and Captain Darling are all written and performed to perfection.

The jokes fly at you in the shape of dark gallows humour, outrageously sharp putdowns, hilarious comedy metaphors and the occasional sight gags. All of it is drenched in the most wicked British cynicism you could imagine. The three standout episodes for me are 'Corporal Punishment' and 'General Hospital' and 'Goodbyeee', but the others are not far behind.

Curtis and Elton were not content to just make a funny sit-com about trench life. They also made a loud and clear anti-war statement with a sharp criticism of WWI military/political leadership. These themes are referenced in numerous punchlines throughout, but during the final classic episode they decided enough was enough with the jokes gave us the tragic and sobering conclusion the situation required.

Rowan Atkinson shows us what a versatile genius he is as a comic performer and he is wonderfully complimented by Hugh Laurie, Tony Robinson, Stephen Fry and Tim McInnerny. Watch out for two hilarious cameos by renowned comedy duo Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson as British and German fighter 'flying aces' in the episode 'Private Plane'. Miranda Richardson also appears in a decidedly more sane role than we are used to seeing from her in Blackadder.

Blackadder Goes Forth is a jewell in the crown of British television and in my family it has been enjoyed by several generations.

This series sees Blackadder and other regular characters, Baldrick, George and Melchett return for the fourth and final series. This Edmund Blackadder is a captain in the British army during the First World War; his batman, Private Baldric; and Lt George are serving in the same trench and back at headquarters Gen Melchett is giving the, usually nonsensical, orders along with his Aide-de-camp Captain Darling.

Each of the six episodes sees Blackadder trying to find a way to avoid going over the top... always putting himself forward when a job far from the front or which sounds easy is suggested. These include becoming a war artist, staging a show for the troops and transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. Of course nothing quite goes according to plan.

I really enjoyed this series. It has a darker tinge than other Blackadder series, not surprising given that it was set during a brutal conflict which took place within living memory. That doesn't mean it isn't funny; every episode provides plenty of laughs before the poignant ending. The cast does a really fine job with Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry returning as Blackadder, Baldric, George and Melchett; there is also a welcome return for Tim McInnerny, who played Percy in the first two series, as Captain Darling; a very different character. Rik Mayall returns for one episode as Lord Flasheart, stealing every scene he is in. Also back is Gabrielle Glaister as Driver 'Bob' Parkhurst. It must be said the series definitely perpetuates the idea that those planning the war were stupid, bordering on insane... something that can't have been entirely true given who ultimately won! Overall though I'd say this was the best series of Blackadder; definitely a must see for fans of British comedy.

Put simply, this is the best series of the best comedy show ever.

The constraints encountered by the writers/producers around cost following season 1 only served to make the show more tightly scripted and funny.

You can be picky and say there are one or two clunky lines of dialogue across the entire four seasons. You can complain that the show came out before HD 1080p. But these are minor things.

There are a few shows/movies that I have seen so many times that I can stick them on and just *listen* to them and get almost the same level of enjoyment. This is one such show. The cast are great, the jokes are great, the plots are great. Very little to dislike here really. Season Four has an over-arching anti-war subtext which seems to give it more depth and poignancy than other seasons (which are also excellent by the way).

This the standard to which I think all other UK comedies, specifically sit-coms, should be judged in my opinion.

Still hilariously funny, but also the darkest of the Blackadders.

After the first three seasons saw Black Adder in the courts of Richard III, Elizabeth I and Mad King George (though with varying levels of station), the fourth season finds us in World War 1. Black Adder is a Captain in the British Army in the trenches on the Western Front.

With him we have Tony Robinson as Private Baldrick, Hugh Laurie as Lieutenant George, Stephen Fry as General Melchett and Tim McInnerny as Captain Darling.

This season follows the same successful formula used in Black Adder II and III: intelligent plot and dialogue, clever use of actual historic events and characters, incredibly funny skits and situations.

However, this time there is a darker edge to the proceedings. The fact that they are in the trenches on the Western Front adds the threats of danger and death. While most of the dialogue is funny and light-hearted, there is a hint of sombreness about some of it. The final scene of the season, and of the entire show, is incredibly emotional and brings home the dark hints we had before.

I regard Black Adder III as the best of the four series, as it is the cleverest and funniest of the four, but BA4 is the most multi- faceted, for the reasons mentioned above.

The first time I saw BlackAdder I was six years old sat watching it with my grandad I watched not understanding the jokes but watched my granddad laugh till his sides hurt I asked about the first world war and what it was like he told me many stories some sad some funny and uplifting those are some of the best memories I have with him and whenever I watch this show now as an adult I now understand the jokes and the situational comedy I laugh everytime like I'm hearing the jokes for the first time again if you haven't seen this show I highly recommend you give it a watch just beware your sides will hurt from laughing so much.

Stuck in the middle of World War I, Captain Edmund Blackadder does his best to escape the banality of the war. They couldn't have formulated it better than this. Rowan atkinson, brilliant in every season of Black Adder, is this time stuck in the trenches, waiting for the war to be over, trying to avoid every dangerous and/or lethal situation. It's one of the best seasons, with a great Stephen Fry as the crazy General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett and a brilliant Tim McInnerny as Captain Kevin Darling (probably his greatest character of the whole series). Tony Robinson is this time Private S Baldrick, still the dumbest of all, but great to watch. Black Adder, a must see for everybody that like British humor.

Apart from the final episode (which actually is the only episode of Blackadder that is worth watching across the whole saga) this series isn't actually half as smart or as funny as it likes to think it is.

It is in fact carried by a stellar performance from Rowan Atkinson, who at times is working very hard to make some not so sharp bits of the script work.

I'm surprised I'm being so down about this show, because I'm a fan of Richard Curtis's writing, and also Rowan Atkinson, but somewhere along the way this show doesn't do a lot for me.

Comedy is subjective, more so than any other genre perhaps, but for me this isn't one that'll be added to my 'best sitcom' list.

The scathing wit by Rowan Atkinson is at it's peak, in this, the forth Blackadder series. Everyone in this series is top drawer, Hugh Laurie as the dimwitted George. Stephen Fry as the insane Melchert and Tony Robinson as the repulsive, but loveable Baldrick. The episode where George is Blackadders lawyer is a riot. No show has ever pointed out the pointless lunacy of war better than this, with a series finale that is remarkably somber and very stirring. A very well done show all around.

Blackadder Goes Forth marked a fitting climax to a brilliant comedy series. Wonderful casting. Clever writing. Superb performances. Two-bit sets. British comedy at its intelligent best, really.

I recently just watched all of the seasons of black adder, and once the last episode of this series ended, I had to go back to black adder 2 because I was so sad and wanted to laugh. this series manages to remain funny while also being very sad as we know what is going to happen to our main characters, 10 stars all the way.

Stunning, I must say. I can't quite give it that 10, but it's brilliant. Best of the four by far. Lots of Blackadder humour, nice and British. Great to see what I consider the entire series main cast all the main cast in this series. My favourites have all had such big roles, and I don't have to get to know any actors playing a character either. We have Rowan Atkinson as Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Baldrick, the two entire series protagonists, Stephen Fry as Melchett, Hugh Laurie as George and Tim McInnerny as Kevin Darling. I loved the ending to this series also, as it is sad and not the usual humorous ending.

I must say, Blackadder as a whole wasn't what I expected. It was certainly much better. Throughout series one I believed that I'd give up because I found it too boring. It was funny, but not anything I'd stick to over time. Series two, however, was much better with a new, genius Blackadder and new, brilliant humour. Series three maintained this and I think I may have just preferred it to series two. This series tops the other by far, though. Everything about it shone. No wonder it is known as one of Britain's greatest TV achievements. I was not expecting a sad ending.

I still have Back & Forth to review, but I thought that this is the end of the main series; and what an end it was.

What do think this is the Woman's auxiliary balloon core...omg this is the funniest TV comedy show ever.

Work of ART, due to synergy of outstanding skill Rowen Atkinson, Stephen Fry , Hugh Laurie and

I admit, that I was young boy, age 15 when I watched BLACKADDER GOES FORTH. At that age, I found it very funny and great. But, I didn't know at that age what really was WWI. Shame on me.But the fresh start of this trend to spit on ourselves began in 1982 with Allo Allo TV Series (when we all Laughing loud to all heroes, victims, dead, invalids and raped women of WW2).Anyone who lost someone in WW1 or WW2 should not laugh on suffering and pain of all who participate in this wars. First, any war, especially WW1 and WW2 are everything but NOT comic and funny. I am afraid that people already forgot how frightful and disaster were those two world wars, how many people died... And for what they died. To be laugh? To made comedy about heroism and sacrifice? Did any soldier gave his or her life for nothing? Just ti be disaster today?? When I see today how rated are this 2 (noncence TV series) 8,9 and 8,4 I think they all died for nothing, for OBLIVION. I will put now by side WHY this 2 TV series did not made Germans or Austrians or Hungarians. I respect them because they got dignity and the respect their casualties of war, their victims, their soldiers. GER, AUT, HUN, JAP maybe lost the war BUT they did not lost the brain. Let me ask You, all of you, my dear friends from IMDb one simple question: What ordinary people will realize when they watched this Blackadder Goes Four (1989) shall we say 100,200, 300 years from now? This is opposite of my feelings and respect which I have to Allied Armies (UK, AUS, FRA, USA, SRB, GRE,... and all others). Ordinary man in 2115 or 2215 or 2315 (for example) WILL SEE British SOLDIER in 1914-1918 as: stupid, brainwash, sheep for slaughterhouse, moron who follows every order and die for nothing, naive soldier who don't understand why is he at the front, for what purpose. British officers will be seen 100, 200, 300 years after today like: cowards, chair warmers, madmen who loves to sent their British soldier to guaranteed death. The truth is very simple: many officers died side by side with their soldiers. They attacked together, they died together. The fought for our better future, for liberty, for free Europe, for EU today we got. I am proud that British, French, Serbian and Greek soldiers fought together at Thessaloniki border line in Nort Greece. And They break through front line in 14. Sep 1918. On 30.September Bulgaria drop weapons and capitulate. On 26.October Turkey capitulate. This front is also known as Macedonian or Salonica front line. Center Power were GER and BUL army versus UNITED KINGDOM or GREAT Britain army, France, Greek and Serbian forces with also some ITA and RUS forces. 50.000 Alied soldiers gave their lives, 60.000 Central power soldiers were killed or captured! Did they fight and died to be laugh by us in 1989 or 1999 or 2015 or anytime??? WAR is not COMEDY. War is blood, death, poor, sorrow, sadness, lost, broken lives and destroyed families. War is definitely what we saw in Blackadder 4 or Allo Allo. If you ever come to Tessaloniki PLESE visit (Allied Military Cemetery) Zeitenlik. 7.565 Serbian, 8.000 French, 3.000 Italians, 2.000 British soldiers and 400 Russian soldiers died in Macedonian Front. Is anybody laughing now? Any funny? Are you enjoy in comedy?

Forget "The Royle Family", forget "My Family", if you want a good example of British comedy, watch blacadder goes forth. In my opinion the best series of the lot; it has everything. Brilliant scripts, faultless acting and sarcastic and hilarious humour. My favorite episode has to be Captain Cook simply because it is so sarcastic and mocking of real life; both now and in the trenches of WWI. Facts that in history books seem shocking are made into hilarious situations, like the lack of food or the dangers of flying in aeroplanes of the era. Without doubt the best British comedy since Monty Python. See it.