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.
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.