"Blackadder the Third"
Amy and Amiability (1987)

Director:

Mandie Fletcher

Writers:

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

TV Series:

"Blackadder the Third" (1987)

Original Air Date:

15 October 1987 (Season 1, Episode 5)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

When Blackadder discovers that the Prince Regent is completely broke, he devises a plan to restore his fortunes through marriage.

Plot Keywords:

Role Reversal | Cult Favorite | Cunning Plan | 1700s | 1790s

Cast

Rowan Atkinson	...	Edmund Blackadder
Tony Robinson	...	Baldrick
Hugh Laurie	...	The Prince Regent
Helen Atkinson-Wood	...	Mrs. Miggins
Miranda Richardson	...	Amy Hardwood
Warren Clarke	...	Mr. Hardwood
Barbara Horne	...	Sally Cheapside
Roger Avon	...	The Duke of Cheapside

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Trivia:

As Blackadder is going through the list of possible wives for George he mentions Caroline of Brunswick as the only available princess but dismisses her as having horrible personality. In real life, George did in fact marry Caroline of Brunswick and the marriage was an unmitigated disaster.

Quotes:

[trying to find a bride for the Prince]
Blackadder: Of the 262 princesses in Europe, 165 are over 80 - they're out - 47 are under 10 - they're out - and 39 are mad.
Baldrick: They sound ideal.
Blackadder: They would be if they hadn't all got married last week in Munich to the same horse.

Not the best of Series 3 - still good, though.

Amy and Amiability proved to be a bit of a letdown. The main problem with the episode was Amy's immense wetness - it made this episode hard to watch, though her father was pretty funny. The squirrel effects in this episode were so hideously cheap and nasty - they were like squeezy toys being dropped from above. The episode was funny, and at least we actually got to see Blackadder as a highwayman, but once again, the ending was a letdown - it was so predictable and easy. The last scene in the bedroom was pretty funny, and did have one half-decent visual effect in which a dropped tray jumped into Blackadder's hands (not quite Matrix stuff, but OK). Overall, the episode was funny, witty, sarcastic and original in parts like the rest of them, but lacked something that made all the other episodes great (I don't quite know what), and wasn't the best. On the whole, I don't think this is an episode to be skipped, but I don't think it's the greatest ever. But it is enjoyable. 8/10