Did this sub really write a poem about how lovely I am?

The Scene Stealer for our thirteenth episode is the force of nature that is Miriam Margoyles as Lady Whiteadder, just one of the memorable roles she brought to life throughout the Blackadder saga. We talk about her slap-happy rehearsal methods, her portrayal of Edmund’s fiercely puritanical aunt and the disastrously low tolerance for alcohol that seems to run in the family genes.

As our scheduled ‘newbie’ was forced to cancel, we have been joined by two ‘oldies’ instead – that is … two old friends of the show, Paul and Pank. During the first of a two-part interview, they discuss the six episodes on our Newbie List with us, cherry-picking their favourite moments and revealing how Blackadder has been a constant presence in their lives.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/55rv7hkIwLOK9Eaag1s3S1?si=XL4Cqh8cR5uLhKwVIOWGCQ

Which quotes have become cultural touchstones?

What have you done to him!

I’m just watching a video on American compared to British comedy and am curious how Americans feel about Blackadder. I appreciate there are a lot of Americans who like British humour but I’d feel like 70% of Blackadder is very British coded if that makes sense, as in there’s a bunch of farce and slapstick but you know, heavy on history, dry delivery, sarcasm, etc

Over the course of their histories, the Blackadder, Melchett, and Darling families…right, and Baldrick, have been acquainted with various men of a good-natured, if occasionally dull, personality. Their name: George.

Georgius

The first George was Georgius, a first century Roman consul. He was a part of the military effort in the province of Britannia against the Scots to the north. Georgius was doubtful of the Scots’ ability to resist invasion, but was proven wrong by a large onslaught of them.

George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV)

The next George was much higher in the world, being the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. George, regent for his mad father George III from 1811, was widely known and denigrated as “a confounded moron” who spent extravagantly on his clothes, in particular fine socks. These his butler, E. Blackadder, did sell behind the Prince’s back.

Lt. George St Barleigh

The third George was a soldier in the trenches of the Great War. Lieutenant the Honourable George Colthurst St Barleigh signed up just as war had broken out, alongside nine chums from Trinity College, Cambridge. By the time of his death, Lt. St Barleigh was the last living member of the “Trinity College tiddlywinks”. He rejected a means out of the “final push” by his family friend General Sir Anthony C. H. Melchett, much to his superior Captain Edmund Blackadder’s dismay. Lt. St Barleigh is presumed to have been killed in action alongside the lionshare, if not all of Blackadder’s men. However, Blackadder himself survived the final push and the war at large.

Major George Bufton-Tufton

The final George appeared at the close of the 1990s. Major George Bufton-Tufton, Viscount Bufton-Tufton was acquainted with Captain Blackadder’s grandson Lord Edmund Blackadder. Lord Bufton-Tufton bet Lord Blackadder that the latter couldn’t bring back in his “time machine” a 200 year old pair of (under)pants. In short, Blackadder complied.

Especially in Bkackadder Gose Forth.

The Flashheart dynasty is a British aristocratic family. Less numerous than the Blackadders, Melchetts, or Darlings, they have entered into the nation’s memory as a parade of narcissistic womanisers. Their catchphrase is “woof”, whilst thrusting suggestively. They used innuendo in everyday conversation, such as “Am I pleased to see you, or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?!”

Lord Flashheart (Elizabethan Era)

The first Flashheart on record appears during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. A caricature of the Elizabethan swashbuckler, Flashheart was an old friend of Edmund, Lord Blackadder, and was invited to Edmund’s wedding as the best man, after Edmund repeatedly rejected Lord Percy. However, Flashheart was immediately taken by Edmund’s fiancée Katherine, and, having quickly seduced her, ran off with her and left a stunned Edmund at the altar.

Major the Lord Flasheart

The second Flashheart appeared about three and a half centuries later during the Great War. Like his Elizabethan ancestor, Major the Lord Flasheart was a caricature himself, this time one of the First World War flying ace. Flasheart crash-landed near the trench of Edmund, Lord Blackadder’s descendant Captain Edmund Blackadder, decking him in the face under the assumption he had landed in a German trench. After Blackadder explained that “I’m not a Bosch, this is a British trench”, Flasheart called for General Melchett’s driver and sat himself down (with Blackadder’s batman Private Baldrick as a foot stool) and yarned about himself until the car came. Flasheart then seduced Melchett’s driver, Bobbie Parkhurst. Flasheart would later rescue Blackadder and Baldrick from the Red Baron.

The Darling dynasty is a Franco-British aristocratic family. Like the Melchett family, whom they would frequently assist, Darlings have populated Britain’s government, military, and intellectual community.

A Tale of Two Darlings

In contrast to their long-standing colleague or rivals the Blackadder, Baldrick, and Melchett families, Darlings have only been recorded for more than two centuries. The first known Darlings appeared during the Napoleonic Wars, specifically at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. The Duc de Darling served as aide-de-camp to Emperor Napoleon I. Darling questioned why France desired to invade Britain, to which Napoleon replied that he disagreed with Britain’s superiority complex and believed the British were not in the favour of God, who would deliver France a decisive victory at Waterloo. At the same time, the Duke of Darling was aide-de-camp to Arthur Wellesley, later the 1st Duke of Wellington. Darling would distribute Wellesley’s cunning battle tactic to the troops, ultimately winning the battle for Britain and ending the Napoleonic Wars.

Darling Goes Forth

The Darling family would reappear a century later in the trenches of the First World War. Captain Kevin Darling MC was the sycophantic adjutant to General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett VC KCB. Captain Darling’s name was often used comedically, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Captain Darling was suspected by his rival, Captain Edmund Blackadder, of being a German spy, which was later confirmed to have been false. Darling and Blackadder ultimately made their peace with each other when Darling was sent by Melchett to the front for the Big Push, which may well have claimed his life and most, if not all, of Blackadder’s men. However, Blackadder survived by taking cover in the next trench.

Archdeacon Darling and Beyond

The final main Darling was Archdeacon Darling, a late twentieth century cleric in the Church of England and assistant to Archbishop Melchett. Apparently, Darling donated a kidney to Captain Blackadder’s grandson Lord Edmund Blackadder, who revealed the kidney operation to be a practical, yet not well received, joke.

Finally, the last Darling is Sir Osmond Darling-Blackadder, Keeper of the Lawn Sprinklers. Despite his being a Darling, Sir Osmond resembled the Blackadders, and appeared to have inherited their distinctive cynicism.

The Melchett dynasty is a British aristocratic family. Long seated at Melchett Manor, the Melchett family has produced several icons in the British government, military, and intellectual community.

Flavius Melchius (Roman Britain)

Flavius Melcius, a Roman general active in the province of Britannia during the reign of Emperor Caligula (37-41 CE), is the nominal ancestor of the Melchett dynasty. Within his force were the consul Georgius, Centurion Edmundus Blackaddicus, and Legionary Baldricus. The Melchetts would be repeatedly acquainted with Blackaddicus and Baldricus’ descendants for centuries to come. It is possible Blackaddicus and Baldricus were local conscripts, as they appeared not to understand Melchius when speaking in Latin.

It is possible Melchius married a local woman, siring children who would become the Melchett family’s ultimate progenitors.

Lord Melchett (Elizabethan Era)

Fifteen centuries later, the Melchetts would reappear in the form of Lord Melchett, the obsequious Lord Chamberlain of Elizabeth I. Melchett was very protective of his advisory position, always doing his best to stay in the Queen’s good graces. Melchett attended the Annual Communion Wine-Tasting and officiated the failed wedding of Edmund, Lord Blackadder, his court rival; these facts would indicate Melchett had a sidecareer in the Church.

General Melchett (The Great War)

By the early twentieth century, the Melchett dynasty has profoundly shifted their character. Rather than the reserved, brilliant, obsequious sycophant his ancestor was, General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett VC KCB was a loud and pompous warmonger, constantly flanked by his sycophantic adjutant Captain Kevin Darling. An alumnus of the University of Cambridge, he was a caricature of First World War generals in that his preferences in battle tactics and attitude towards warfare were left in an age gone by. Melchett failed to understand the concepts of trench-based warfare and sent his men to a senseless death, whose fear he did not grasp. This drew the ire of many, including Lord Melchett’s court rival’s descendant Captain Edmund Blackadder. Melchett nearly had Blackadder shot for the court martial offence of shooting his top carrier pigeon Speckled Jim. Melchett nearly married performer Gorgeous Georgina, not recognising her as Captain Blackadder’s colleague Lieutenant the Honorable George Colthurst St Barleigh, to whom Melchett was a family friend. Ultimately, Captain Darling is sent by Melchett to join Blackadder and his men in the Big Push, lest we forget.

Archbishop Melchett (Turn of the Millennium)

By the late twentieth century, the Melchetts appear to have rebounded; A Melchett is an intelligent and witty archbishop in the Church of uh, “England”, I believe they call themselves, which owns land, much land. Land on which houses have been built. Houses in which it is statistically probable that private acts of lesboid love have been committed!* (I digress.) Archbishop Melchett was flanked by his assistant Archdeacon Darling.

Lord Melchett (2020)

In 2020, General Melchett’s grandson was Head of the Royal Household. Quarantined at Melchett Manor with Lord Blackadder, the brilliant Melchett conversed via Zoom with the now Prince of Wales before both stepped outside to commend the National Health Service (NHS) for their relentless diligence in that bleak hour for Britain…and indeed the entire world.

HOWL, HOWL, HOWL, HOWL, HOWL, HOWL oh well can't be helped.

Delighted to see Tim McInnerny popping up in Gladiator II

A little taste of the interview we had with the big man himself ...

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BvLJHD0kou0oGMDNlpTPS?si=lxhz6TeZSWOkmffHXUUw9g

I love how the little details of design and words the acter say shape the whole series. Like Hugh Laurie who is is German in S2 and having German blood in S3 and S4.

I forgot the other Canon stuff but Tim McInnerny having French lineage as well and kinda wished the show also did like Baldrick's head hit hard on something, becoming smart and reverts back.

A lot of users here are actually just heartless gloaters. I've seen them in so many fan groups, people let them in and then they say "can I come in for a gloat" and we always have to tell them "oh you heartless gloater!"

I'd also appreciate it if the mod didn't poo poo my complaints about gloaters. If he's not careful the morale of this group could be destroyed entirely by poo poo.

To make it short. Who has seen the pilot?

This episode’s special guest is Welsh man-mountain John Pierce Jones, who played Arthur The Sailor in the iconic Blackadder II episode, Money. John talks to us about his career as a bilingual TV, film and theatre actor, and about all the fun he had working and socialising with the Blackadder team. He also mentions the time he borrowed co-star Robert de Niro’s on-set trailer and ate all his fruit.

This time around, our scene stealer is veteran actor Frank Finlay, who cut a memorably scary figure as the titular character in the Witchsmeller Pursuivant in the first series. We take a brief look at his illustrious career, recall how he ended up stranded in the wintry wilds of Northumberland after recording the episode, and offer a time-saving tip for any listeners who are thinking of summoning the devil in the comfort of their own homes.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BvLJHD0kou0oGMDNlpTPS?si=lxhz6TeZSWOkmffHXUUw9g