Like many others, I rate this series ahead of 1, but slightly behind 2 and 4; however, the scenes in the kitchen are uniformly brilliant and pants-wettingly funny. How Tony Robinson manged to keep a straight face while ramming unspeakable things up the nether regions of some poor piece of poultry I will never know, but they make great viewing. Check out Blackadder's rant about Wales in 'Amy and Amiability' if you don't believe me.
I suspect the reason I don't rate it quite as high as the 2nd and 4th series is that Prince "thick as a whale omelette" George was just too easy a mark, putting Blackadder basically in charge. In the other two, the comedy came from his being smarter than all his colleagues, but having no power to change events.
Nevertheless, it's a darn good romp, and full of the usual piquant observations about the times. And there's no shame in running a close second to absolute classics.
I suspect the reason I don't rate it quite as high as the 2nd and 4th series is that Prince "thick as a whale omelette" George was just too easy a mark, putting Blackadder basically in charge. In the other two, the comedy came from his being smarter than all his colleagues, but having no power to change events.
Nevertheless, it's a darn good romp, and full of the usual piquant observations about the times. And there's no shame in running a close second to absolute classics.