Ink and Incapability
- Episode aired Sep 24, 1987
- TV-PG
- 29m
Baldrick burns the only copy of Samuel Johnson's dictionary, and Blackadder has only one weekend to rewrite it.Baldrick burns the only copy of Samuel Johnson's dictionary, and Blackadder has only one weekend to rewrite it.Baldrick burns the only copy of Samuel Johnson's dictionary, and Blackadder has only one weekend to rewrite it.
Photos
- Edmund Blackadder, butler to the Prince
- (as Mr. Rowan Atkinson)
- Baldrick, a dogsbody
- (as Mr. Tony Robinson)
- The Prince Regent, their master
- (as Mr. Hugh Laurie)
- Dr. Samuel Johnson, noted for his fat dictionary
- (as Mr. Robbie Coltrane)
- Mrs. Miggins, a coffee shoppekeeper
- (as Mifs. Helen Atkinson-Wood)
- Shelley, romantic junkie poet
- (as Mr. Lee Cornes)
- Byron, romantic junkie poet
- (as Mr. Steve Steen)
- Coleridge, romantic junkie poet
- (as Mr. Jim Sweeney)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode is based on a real-life incident from the 19th Century, in which the philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle sent the only copy of his monumental History of the French Revolution to fellow philosopher John Stuart Mill, only to have him return days later to tell him that one of his servants had mistakenly used the manuscript to light a fire. Undaunted, Carlyle proceeded to rewrite the entire work from scratch, and published the completed book in 1837. However, modern consensus is that Mill intentionally burned the manuscript in a fit of jealous rage, having tried and failed to produce a similar work on the Revolution for many years, and concocted the story as a cover.
- GoofsBlackadder declares that Sir Thomas More was 'burned alive' for 'refusing to recant his Catholicism'. More was not burned, but beheaded, and it was for refusing to acknowledge Henry VIII as the Supreme Leader of the Church of England, not for refusing to renounce his faith.
- Quotes
Dr. Samuel Johnson: [places two manuscripts on the table, but picks up the top one] Here it is, sir. The very cornerstone of English scholarship. This book, sir, contains every word in our beloved language.
Blackadder: Every single one, sir?
Dr. Samuel Johnson: Every single word, sir!
Blackadder: Oh, well, in that case, sir, I hope you will not object if I also offer the Doctor my most enthusiastic contrafibularities.
Dr. Samuel Johnson: What?
Blackadder: "contrafibularities", sir? It is a common word down our way.
Dr. Samuel Johnson: Damn!
[writes in the book]
Blackadder: Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I'm anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Blackadder Exclusive: The Whole Rotten Saga (2008)
This is an excellent episode that mixes historical literary figures and comedy perfectly.
It has a fairly simple plot where Dr Johnson is introduced as somewhat of an antagonist and a mistake by Baldrick puts Blackadder in a seemingly impossible position to escape.
As always the banter is fantastic with Blackadder looking to do intellectual battle with Johnson and the results are hilarious. In the same breath George is equally funny in his ignorant indifference towards Johnson's magnum opus.
Rowan Atkinson and Robbie Coltrane dominate this one with epic charisma and great verbal sparring. Hugh Laurie and Tony Robinson both provide excellent support.
- snoozejonc
- Jan 30, 2021
Details
- Runtime29 minutes
- Color