"Blackadder II"
Bells (1986)

Director:

Mandie Fletcher

Writers:

Richard Curtis (written by) &
Ben Elton (written by)

TV Series:

"Blackadder II" (1986)

Original Air Date:

9 January 1986 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Blackadder develops feelings for a woman posing as his male servant.

Plot Keywords:

Left At The Altar | Manservant | Male Impersonators | Quack Doctor | Disguise

Cast

Rowan Atkinson	...	Lord Edmund Blackadder
Tim McInnerny	...	Lord Percy Percy
Tony Robinson	...	Baldrick
Miranda Richardson	...	Queen Elizabeth I
Stephen Fry	...	Lord Melchett
Patsy Byrne	...	Nursie
Gabrielle Glaister	...	Kate
Rik Mayall	...	Lord Flashheart
John Grillo	...	Dr. Leech
Edward Jewesbury	...	Kate's Father
Barbara Miller	...	Wisewoman
Sadie Shimmin	...	Young Crone

Trivia:

Rik Mayall's bizarre attire was designed by Mayall himself. The rest of the cast had never seen it prior to his entrance in the wedding scene and were falling about in fits of laughter while Mayall was being filmed.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Half way through the scene with the doctor, a microphone can be seen dropping in the top of the screen for a second.

Quotes:

Lord Percy Percy: I'd like to meet the Spaniard who can make his way past me.
Lord Edmund Blackadder: Well, go to Spain; there are millions of them

I didn't like it at first, but "Bells" is a very good first episode.

"I like you, Bob, you've got balls!"

Let me open my comment by saying this - Blackadder II does not have the atmosphere of its predecessor. However, this is not all bad - the lack of real emotion actually makes it funnier, and lets us feel that we are watching proper comedy - not dark historical dramas. And this is how Blackadder shall be like from here on - not delivering the thrills and the shocks, but delivering the laughs, like it is meant to.

"Bells" starts off funny, and only gets funnier, and proves how stupid Blackadder, Baldrick and Percy really are. Also joining the Blackadder comedy cast are Stephen Fry (Lord Melchett), Miranda Richardson (Queen Elizabeth I), and a new character called Nursie, who is the Queen's old carer. The presence of these three makes the episode and series even more funny, and betters the comic appearances of Prince Harry, the Queen and Richard IV in Blackadder 1. Ben Elton's new role as the second writer of Blackadder has made the show more funny, and likely to be enjoyed by all. The first series tries to be taken seriously, but this series was a bigger success in not being serious and being lighter and more openly funny.

"Bells" contains some clever humour, some great new characters and a whole new era - a good opening to the second historic series! I give it an 8 out of 10.