Black Adder, Black Adder, with many an cunning plan

[TrolleyDave]

A mate of mine dropped this off about half an hour ago, the complete series! It's going to be a wasted day of 360 gaming and Black Adder, a pretty perfect day really! I watched the Black Adder Rides Again special that was on the other night and mentioned to a mate that I loved it but hadn't seen it in donkey's years.

Fucking love this show, classic British comedy! Starring some incredibly funny comedians with some of the smartest dialog in any show ever. Rik Mayall is a proper scene stealer in the episodes he stars in and it shows the true comic genius that is Rowan Atkinson (fucking Mr Bean, pah).

For any House MD fans out there who haven't seen Black Adder you should check out series 3 and 4, it stars Hugh Laurie in some fantastic comedic performances. You've never seen House this posh or this dumb!

 

[Toni Plutonij]

Does this set contains special episode "Christmas Carol"? One of my personal favorites!

Man I really love Black Adder, especially the season with the Nazis (in that bunker), I'm not sure which one is it!
I'd love to get my hands on that collection!

 

[TrolleyDave]

Does this set contains special episode "Christmas Carol"? One of my personal favorites!

Man I really love Black Adder, especially the season with the Nazis (in that bunker), I'm not sure which one is it!
I'd love to get my hands on that collection!

It's not listed on any of the cases but it wasn't part of any of the seasons, it was a christmas special episode. It might be a special feature but I'm grabbing it from the newsgroups as I type this though just in case. It was an awesome episode. The season set in the bunkers was the fourth. One of my favourite seasons, I thought it would be pretty lame with trying to take the piss out of the war but they showed alot of respect to the soldiers as well as keeping it really funny. Baldrics coffees always have my sides splitting.

The only one I never liked was the one made for the millenium dome, Black Adder Goes Back and Forth or something. It was funny but it didn't feel like Black Adder.

I think I'm going to have to shell out some readies for the set as well. This one's just a loaner, I could rip it but it's one of the shows where I'd rather have the originals. I was going to get Guitar Hero:World Tour tomorrow but I'm thinking it's going to have wait and get a boxset for myself!

 

[Hadrian]

I have this too and Christmas Carol is on it as well as The Cavelier Years, which is great just because of Stephen Fry's take on King Charles is actually an impression of Prince Charles. There is also the pilot where the characters were played by different actors, seeing someone else as Baldrick pretty much shows how Tony Robinson was vital to the series.

Shame Back & Forth wasn't really Black Adder, in fact the only bit I liked was when Rik Mayall came on as Robin Hood.

It is a shame that most of those involved have gone downhill nowadays with exception to Fry & Laurie. Rik Mayall sadly hasn't really done anything nowadays apart from The New Statesman live show which was great.

I know a lot of people want a new series but it wouldn't be very good, especially if they went with the "Black Adder is a Brian Epstein style guy managing a 60's band, featuring a drummer called "Bald Rick"" idea which just sounds as awful as Richard Curtis's Vicar of Dibley.

 

[Mei-o]

Question, is this show, uhm..."safe" or uh, "friendly"? A few eps came with that Mr. Bean DVD I bought way back then, soooo...

 

[TrolleyDave]

I have this too and Christmas Carol is on it as well as The Cavelier Years, which is great just because of Stephen Fry's take on King Charles is actually an impression of Prince Charles. There is also the pilot where the characters were played by different actors, seeing someone else as Baldrick pretty much shows how Tony Robinson was vital to the series.

Shame Back & Forth wasn't really Black Adder, in fact the only bit I liked was when Rik Mayall came on as Robin Hood.

It is a shame that most of those involved have gone downhill nowadays with exception to Fry & Laurie. Rik Mayall sadly hasn't really done anything nowadays apart from The New Statesman live show which was great.

I know a lot of people want a new series but it wouldn't be very good, especially if they went with the "Black Adder is a Brian Epstein style guy managing a 60's band, featuring a drummer called "Bald Rick"" idea which just sounds as awful as Richard Curtis's Vicar of Dibley.

Nice, I skimmed the cases and didn't notice Christmas Carol or Cavalier Years listed on it. Looking forward to the alternative pilot as well, I've never seen it. It's hard to picture anyone but Tony Robinson as Baldric. As smart as the character was in the first series I still prefer the Baldric of 2,3 and 4 and Atkinson worked better as a bitter Black Adder then a cowardly little shit! He looked and acted the part in the first season but really shined when the roles were swapped around.

To be honest I can barely remember Back and Forth but I do remember Rik Mayall in it. His cameos are always great in the series though. I never even knew there was a New Statesmen live show though?!? How old is it and does the comedy still work now the tories are out? I used to love that show, haven't seen in it in a loooong time though. Is it still mostly the same cast?

I don't think a new season of Black Adder would work either. I was listening to the ideas in Ride Again and cringed at them all. Plus I don't think it would be as popular these days, most of our comedy now is half ass attempts at dumbed down comedy. There aren't many writers nowadays as sharp as Richard Curtis and Ben Elton used to be. I can see them trying something like Son of Black Adder but it would just end up starring people like Matt Lucas and David Walliams to keep it chav hip.

And don't ever, ever, ever, ever, ever mention Vicar of Dibley again! It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

QUOTE(Mei-o @ Dec 28 2008, 01:59 PM) Question, is this show, uhm..."safe" or uh, "friendly"? A few eps came with that Mr. Bean DVD I bought way back then, soooo...

The show is both safe and friendly, and a whole lot funnier than Mr Bean! You should definitely watch them.

 

[Hadrian]

I never even knew there was a New Statesmen live show though?!? How old is it and does the comedy still work now the tories are out? I used to love that show, haven't seen in it in a loooong time though. Is it still mostly the same cast?

Its basically Alan B'Stard creates New Labour and gets a failed singer to be PM, and at the same time plays America & Alqaeda off each other and settling his divorce.

It was pretty damn funny, just as good as the series. Had the same writers but Rik is the only cast member I recognised from the series. It was re-written in 2007 but I never saw that version.

I did hope they'd tour it again but they never did nor did it come out on DVD.

 

[Toni Plutonij]

I tried to find that Alan B'Stard series, but I didn't knew the original title....Our translation was really crappy!!

I'll try to get my hands on few episodes, I loved it.....damn funny!

 

[TrolleyDave]

Its basically Alan B'Stard creates New Labour and gets a failed singer to be PM, and at the same time plays America & Alqaeda off each other and settling his divorce.

It was pretty damn funny, just as good as the series. Had the same writers but Rik is the only cast member I recognised from the series. It was re-written in 2007 but I never saw that version.

I did hope they'd tour it again but they never did nor did it come out on DVD.

Damn. I'm gutted I missed that. In the right role Mayall is funny as fuck, he plays the ego-maniac perfectly. He really needs to do some new stuff with Edmonson, you could always tell he was the one with the real writing talent. To be honest I wouldn't mind a new series of Bottom, it would work alot better than a new series of Black Adder.

QUOTE(Toni Plutonij @ Dec 29 2008, 10:59 PM)

I tried to find that Alan B'Stard series, but I didn't knew the original title....Our translation was really crappy!!

I'll try to get my hands on few episodes, I loved it.....damn funny!

I've never really seen any New Statesmen anywhere for download. It's a shame cos it was one of Mayalls best shows and I wouldn't mind watching it again. I might have to just shell out for the DVD set when I've got some cash.

 

[Hadrian]

I have only seen episodes of New Statesman on emule & Kazaa and that was like years and years ago. Haven't used them for like 5 or so years so no idea if they still have them.

Got the complete collection on DVD and it also includes the TV movie too.

As for Bottom coming back, as long as its better than the last two live shows I'd welcome it. Mayall claims that he had a new comedy and claimed it was funnier than the Young Ones but apparently the BBC wouldn't let him make it as it wasn't "hip" enough. You'd think he'd go to ITV, when was the last time they had a funny sitcom? New Statesman?

 

[p1ngpong]

I love black adder, I got all the episodes on a dvd-r somewhere, Im getting in the New Statesman now, I kinda remember that show, was well funny!

 

[TrolleyDave]

I have only seen episodes of New Statesman on emule & Kazaa and that was like years and years ago. Haven't used them for like 5 or so years so no idea if they still have them.

Got the complete collection on DVD and it also includes the TV movie too.

As for Bottom coming back, as long as its better than the last two live shows I'd welcome it. Mayall claims that he had a new comedy and claimed it was funnier than the Young Ones but apparently the BBC wouldn't let him make it as it wasn't "hip" enough. You'd think he'd go to ITV, when was the last time they had a funny sitcom? New Statesman?

I think I may have to invest in the boxset myself. I'm a little gutted about the Black Adder boxset my mate brought over, I don't think it's the real deal. They're silvers but it hasn't got the christmas episode, cavalier years or unshown pilot and the picture and sound quality is pretty dodgy. I knew they wouldn't be remastered or anything but these look like they've come from video tape rather than studio tape, there's a terrible hiss to the sound on the first 2 seasons. I'll have to ask him where he got them from when I see him next.

I didn't mind the third live show, it wasn't fantastic but it passed some time. The fourth one was a disgrace though, just a rehashed less funny version of the third.

I didn't know Mayall had written a new series, I'm surprised he hasn't tried taking it to ITV. They were the ones who showed the Rik Mayall Presents series (which admittedly was a bit hit and miss) and The New Statesman. They need to bring back the old comedy writers, I really don't like alot of modern British comedies. They've lost the wit that they used to have, too much sketch and character comedy like Little Britain. Although I have to admit I've bee enjoying the new season of The IT Crowd. Couldn't stand the first season but this one has been really random and has worked pretty well.

 

[p1ngpong]

Yeah British sitcoms almost always fail now, heres the recipe for one:

Get a bunch of unfunny pounces straight out of uni to write it.

Insert stupid male character.

Insert annoying children.

Insert female character that shows up the male character ten times an episode.

Insert Ipod and internet references, and anything else that was fashionable five years ago.

Insert boring predictable plot and situations.

Insert something "ethnic"

Insert jokes from a Christmas cracker. Repeat them five times an episode each.

Insert stupid audience that lol at nothing.

 

[Hadrian]

I liked the 3rd Bottom one, Arse Oddysey kinda had its moments but the last one was just really bad.

It does sound like you have a pirate of Black Adder, the one I have isn't really remastered but looks pretty much the same as the ones broadcasted. The extra episodes I think were on discs 5 or 6.

New modern comedies...mmm...I do like IT Crowd, Mighty Boosh (even that that is more sketched based than sitcom and I totally understand why people hate it), Extras was sort of ok and that is about it. The stuff BBC Three has is really abysmal.

I think the problem with modern British comedy is that they're trying to do them US style with teams of script writers and that, wheras before it was basically one to three writers doing episodes and even then they were pretty much re-written when they went to reherse them with a cast. Also a lot of writers now have gone in to films like Edgar Wright & co did.

 

[TrolleyDave]

Yeah British sitcoms almost always fail now, heres the recipe for one:

That sums it perfectly! It's shows you how bad it is, it used to be the Americans ripping off our comedy and now it's the other way around. It's a shame that more comedians aren't getting the breaks they deserve, I can't actualy name any of them (need to pay more attention when I watch them!) but I've seen some cracking stand-ups on telly.

QUOTE(Hadrian Uranium @ Dec 30 2008, 02:03 PM) I liked the 3rd Bottom one, Arse Oddysey kinda had its moments but the last one was just really bad.

It does sound like you have a pirate of Black Adder, the one I have isn't really remastered but looks pretty much the same as the ones broadcasted. The extra episodes I think were on discs 5 or 6.

New modern comedies...mmm...I do like IT Crowd, Mighty Boosh (even that that is more sketched based than sitcom and I totally understand why people hate it), Extras was sort of ok and that is about it. The stuff BBC Three has is really abysmal.

I think the problem with modern British comedy is that they're trying to do them US style with teams of script writers and that, wheras before it was basically one to three writers doing episodes and even then they were pretty much re-written when they went to reherse them with a cast. Also a lot of writers now have gone in to films like Edgar Wright & co did.

Shit, I thought they'd only done 4! It sounds like I was pretty lucky missing the last one.

I've not watched Mighty Boosh, I'll have to check it out. I enjoyed Extras but Ricky Gervais kind of kept it safe for the second season. He knew what made the first season funny and stuck to it. Did you ever see The Sunday Show, the show where Dennis Pennis was created? Gervais was blinding on that.

 

[p1ngpong]

The mighty boosh is good, in a fucked up random sort of way.

It can be well funny at times though!

 

[TrolleyDave]

The mighty boosh is good, in a fucked up random sort of way.

It can be well funny at times though!

Nice one, I'll have to grab some later. Just finished watching the Shooting Stars Xmas special. I used to love the show, it wasn't as great as used to be but it was still pretty funny. I forgot that that fat cunt from Little Britain used to actually be funny!

 

[p1ngpong]

Little Britain recipe:

Make up six jokes

repeat same jokes for three series

Dress up as woman or act gay

Profit from stupid people

 

[TrolleyDave]

lmao, that's pretty spot on. I blame The Fast Show really, they were the first to just show the same characters over and over with the same stupid catchphrases every week. They started the dumbing down of British comedy and Little Britain got passed the torch.

 

[Hadrian]

Nice one, I'll have to grab some later. Just finished watching the Shooting Stars Xmas special. I used to love the show, it wasn't as great as used to be but it was still pretty funny. I forgot that that fat cunt from Little Britain used to actually be funny!

Yeah it was ok, to be honest I wasn't really into the last series either, think I just missed Mark Lamarr on it. I've seen some stand up from Matt Lucas and he is very funny, seems to me he is best unscrpted and without a cunt who is too busy fucking loads of women to hide his gayness. Saying that Walliams was good in that Frankie Howard bio.