Corporal Punishment
- Episode aired Oct 5, 1989
- TV-PG
- 30m
Blackadder hatches a cunning plan to avoid starvation and ignore his orders by eating a carrier pigeon.Blackadder hatches a cunning plan to avoid starvation and ignore his orders by eating a carrier pigeon.Blackadder hatches a cunning plan to avoid starvation and ignore his orders by eating a carrier pigeon.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe line concerning solicitor Bob Massingbird was a post-production overdub: the line-as-spoken in studio referred to "Bob Moxon Browne". There was a real QC Robert Moxon Browne and this could have been seen as the BBC promoting him, thereby flouting the then still in Force prohibition on members of 'the professions' directly advertising their services.
- GoofsThe firing squad's rifles are not cocked.
- Quotes
[last lines]
[Blackadder has found Baldrick and George drunk]
Private Baldrick: I think I can explain sir.
Captain Blackadder: Can you, Baldrick?
Private Baldrick: No.
Captain Blackadder: As I suspected. I'm not a religious man as you know, but henceforth I shall pray nightly to the God who killed Cain and squashed Samson that he comes out of retirement and gets back into practice with the pair of you.
[the phone rings. Blackadder snatches it up]
Captain Blackadder: Blackadder. Ah, Captain Darling. Well, you know, some of us just have friends in high places, I suppose. No I can hear you perfectly. You want what? You want two volunteers for a mission into No Man's Land. Codename "Operation Certain Death". Yes I think I have just the fellows.
[He hangs up and looks at the two]
Captain Blackadder: God is very quick these days.
[George and Baldrick look terrified]
- ConnectionsFeatured in Blackadder Exclusive: The Whole Rotten Saga (2008)
This is my favourite episode of Blackadder and for me it is one of the best thirty minutes of BBC comedy of all time.
The plot, like much of Blackadder Goes Forth, is reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's 'Paths of Glory', which is a deeply serious movie, however it takes the same theme and makes it humorous. How? With the concept of General Melchett's beloved pet pigeon driving the plot and putting some of the funniest characters of all time at the centre of it.
Curtis and Elton wrote a situation that creates some of the funniest 'gallows humour' I've ever heard. Every sarcastic punchline from Blackadder lands like an artillery shell and the supporting characters are as oblivious as ever whilst caught up in their own hilarious ineptitude.
Rowan Atkinson has fantastic material to work with and his performance is very worthy of it. He delivers every word with incredible comic timing and perfect facial expressions. Tony Robinson's Baldrick is crucial to the comedy and gives one of his best performances. Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Tim McInnerny are also important, not just setting up Atkinson for punchlines, but with great individual moments that linger in the memory.
Some of my favourite scenes involve the firing squad. Not only is this a brilliant concept, but Stephen Frost and co, have one of the most memorable group cameos of the entire Blackadder series.
I have watched it numerous times since it was first aired on television and on every viewing it feels like comedy gold.
- snoozejonc
- Feb 8, 2021
Details
- Runtime30 minutes