Bells
- Episode aired Jan 9, 1986
- TV-PG
- 30m
Blackadder develops feelings for a woman posing as his male servant.Blackadder develops feelings for a woman posing as his male servant.Blackadder develops feelings for a woman posing as his male servant.
- Minstrel
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRik 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.
- GoofsHalf way through the scene with the doctor, a microphone can be seen dropping in the top of the screen for a second.
- Quotes
Kate's Father: I'm sad because, my darling, our poverty has reached such extremes that I can no longer afford to keep us and must look to my own dear tiny darling to sustain me in my frail dotage.
Kate: But father surely...
Kate's Father: Yes, Kate. I want you to become a prostitute.
Kate: Never! Father.
Kate's Father: Do you defy me?
Kate: Indeed I do for tis better to die poor than to live in shame and ignominy.
Kate's Father: No it isn't.
Kate: I'm young and strong, clever, my nose is pretty. I shall find another way to earn a living.
Kate's Father: Oh please go on the game. It's a steady job and you'd be working from home.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Blackadder Exclusive: The Whole Rotten Saga (2008)
The first series of Blackadder was decent and sporadically funny. It was also very expensive with a lot of location shooting.
So it was a bit of surprise for a second series to be shown three years later. Ben Elton was drafted in as co-writer along with Richard Curtis. According to Elton, then controller of BBC1 Michael Grade only gave the go ahead with two changes. The budget was to be cut down by a third and he wanted more jokes.
In a sense this was a very economical series with more laughs per pound. It was also the first sit com made by alternative comedians to receive widespread praise and high viewing figures.
The first episode sets the tone of this new Blackadder. Rowan Atkinson's character is more wisely cynical, cunning and full of put downs. I think it was the first time Atkinson saw himself as a romantic hero rather than a gawky person.
The story is simple. Kate is so impoverished that her father wants her to become a prostitute. She goes to London and disguises herself as a boy called Bob to make a fortune.
Quick as a flash Baldrick is out on the streets as Bob becomes Blackadder's new manservant. Problem is both fall for each other leading to Blackadder going on a course of leeches to get rid of his affliction of fancying his manservant.
It is a barrel of laughs. I watched it 1986, seen it countless times since. Just to make sure that the memory did not cheat. I watched it again, even in the 2020's this one still stands up.
I can still remember the funny lines. Rik Mayall steals the show as Lord Flashheart. An absolute classic.
- Prismark10
- May 24, 2020
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color