Hi everyone! I know the overlay is very annoying and unbearable for many of you. I will try and find a better way to avoid the copyright. Also idk why people hate on Blackadder 1 so much i really loved this
If you like Brian Blessed as King Richard IV, you really should look him up as emperor Augustus in a more serious role for him, the old BBC TV drama I, Claudius. A fantastic TV drama about the rule of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius back in the Roman Empire.
One tip. Watch the credits to the end. A lot of the first season episodes have a gem right at the end of the credits. Like this one, that I think you’ve missed
Season one of Blackadder is so underrated, it's a pleasure to not only see somebody reacting to it, but actually enjoying it. Keep em coming, Connor. It's also worth checking out more of Brian Blessed, not only does he have that voice and that presence, he's also an incredibly interesting person with an epic history behind him. He is also a fantastic storyteller, see if you can find his (true) story about punching a polar bear in the face ;)
By the way, he punched the polar bear to save its life. Everyone else he was with wanted to shoot it. Brian loves animals. Watch out at the end of Blackadder - you missed a little bit after the credits.
Regarding your remarks about his playing the King, Brian Blessed played the Emperor Augustus to great effect in the BBC's acclaimed television dramatisation of "I Claudius" in the 1970s with Derek Jacobi in the title role. I remember him bellowing "Is there anyone in Rome who has not slept with my daughter?". I have seen him onstage playing King Lear.
The banquet scene with the ghost is a parody of Macbeth as is the scene with the three witches telling Edmund he will be king. There are also many other Shakespearean references throughout the episode (Henry V, Richard the Third etc.).
Brian Blessed is the larger than life actor with the booming voice most known for playing Leader Of The Hawkmen in the 1980’s film Flash Gordon and his most famous line “GORDONS ALIVE!!!”
@@karenblackadder1183 When he was a fresh-faced no-nonsense bobby, who had to deal with mischievous & unruly characters. Such as the teenager portrayed by the actress who went on to play "M", in the Bond movies. :)
PS -You also missed the final bit after the credits when the witches realise that they had given their prediction of one day becoming King to the wrong person - they had meant it to be for Henry Tudor, not Blackadder...
Season 1 is very different from the others, but it's brilliant in it's own right. The actor Brian Blessed is as good as King Richard IV as he was as emperor Augustus in the fantastic old TV drama I, Claudius. Thank's for a lovely reaction 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
OMG ..... I, Clavdivs The best thing ever on TV. Still eminently watchable after all these years. Some of the greatest actors Britain had to offer....... Derek Jacobi, Sian Phillips, John Hurt, George Baker, Brian Blessed, Patrick Stewart, Bernard Hill, John Rhys-Davies, Patsy Byrne (also Black Adder) The list goes on.....
So glad you decided to check it out and you seemed genuinely pleased and entertained by it. I mentioned in an earlier video how good Brian Blessed was (the guy with the beard and booming voice) so I feel vindicated to hear you get excited about him. 😁 And you're not ruining it. I genuinely want to hear what you want to say in reaction to what you see. So happy to see you discover a classic.
The great actor, the master of the shouted whisper, is Brian Blessed, a beloved national treasure, now 86 years old. He was Prince Vulcan in Flash Gordon, Emperor Augustus in I Claudius, Long John Silver in Return To Treasure Island, this though was his favourite role. In his spare time he is a mountaineer and explorer, three times in his fifties he tried to climb Everest without oxygen, getting up above 28,000 feet. He was the oldest man to reach the Magnetic North Pole, where he punched a polar bear on the nose.
That line about "A horse, a horse..." is from Shakespeare's "Richard the 3rd" ( there is also a famous movie based on this play featuring Laurence Olivier as this notorious baddy ). When R3's actual skeleton was found under a car park during an archeological excavation a few years ago ( it was the site of a chappel back in those days ), some witty people changed this line into "A hearse, a hearse, my kingdom for a hearse" - or "My kingdom for a parking space ..." 😂
Series one was always underrated! A great interpretation of medieval Britain. Some excellent stars in as well. Sir Brian Blessed played the new king. He also played that winged King in Flash Gordon. He is similarly over the top amd dramatic in real life. A real character! He's actually attempted to climb Everest several times in his 70s. The man is a legend. King Richard was played by the late Peter Cook. A legendary comedian / actor.
So much of this episode is inspired by many Shakespeare plays (and quotes) - Henry V, Macbeth, Richard III etc. But if you don't know the plays then you won't get the references. And I wonder how many others have missed them as well.
The Baldrick/ Black Adder relationship works so well because Baldrick is so subservient in making his suggestions, and Blackadder just pretends not to hear him and acts like they're his own ideas.
I am so so pleased you are reacting to this. I hope you do the other five, no one does it, they go with the mob. I think you summed up the differences pretty well. First this was the version that Rowen Atkinson conceived, he wrote it with Richard Curtis. From series two, he stepped back and Ben Elton took over, it is Elton that created the other version. When Blackadder became cleverer, Baldrick became stupider. Here the joke is that he is actually smarter than his social superiors. It is a different style of comedy. The other thing you noted was the sets, the budget was huge by British TV standards at the time, so yes the sets and props are quality, there were outdoor location shoots and a much bigger cast plus extras. There are great episodes to come, it's best to forget what comes after and enjoy it as a thing on its own.
Brian Blessed is one of Britain's treasures. Hes climbed Everest and done many things worth learning about. A larger than life character if ever there was one.
Brian Blessed is an icon, he has one of the most distinguishable voices ever. Also I don’t live far from bosworth battlefield, they say that it was Richard the third who said “A horse a horse, my kingdom for a horse” but others dispute it and say he never said it. I guess we’ll never know for sure
For your own benefit you should do a little research on Brian Blessed, he is a British treasure the man has done more than most of us dream about I guarantee you’ll be amazed
This was the very first Black Adder show I ever saw. I think I must have caught the beginning of the series on PBS or something. Anyway, the scene where he cut off the king's head and then tried to resuscitate him by flapping his arms around just had me dying laughing and almost falling out of my chair. The show gained a loyal fan that night and I made it a point to make time to watch it. Brian Blessed is the name of the actor that you think plays the part of king so well. I agree. His boisterous delivery makes him an ideal king, and probably also a pirate or sergeant too !
The king is played by Brian Blessed, a great shakesperian actor who can do anything. He is a legend on stage and screen. Series one is a bit of an acquired taste but is still a favourite of mine. The whole series is fantastic.
I LOVE the first series! At age 10-12, I discovered Fawlty Towers, then Monty Python, then this. It holds a special place in my heart. It vastly different to 2-4, but shouldn’t be dismissed. It’s great! Please, do the rest...
No don't skip just because the later ones became favourites doesn't mean as a history buff the early ones are just as great,let's face it if they had been bad the others would not have been made.
The intelligent shift of the position of Blackadder, from spineless to the most normal one, in Series 2, was absolutely necessary for the show to survive.
Brian Blessed is a national treasure, shakespearean actor, movie actor, strong man, mountaineer, pole explorer, has many rescue animals .. all round good guy.
This series Edmund was the idiot and Baldrick was the schemer. The writers didn't think there was much of a future in this setup, so the following series, the roles were reversed.
So nice to see the first Blackadder series get more love and attention. For a long time, it was my favourite of the four (now it's the third series), but I think it still holds up well, and I can't wait to see you react to the other five episodes. Bit sad you skipped the post-credits scene though.
Easy bud, been watching for a while. Love your reactions! Will happily watch any season of Blackadder😂 please consider Red Dwarf too 👌 perfect British comedy 🙌
Also, Stop apologising for pausing, if you have a thought I'm happy to hear it. Otherwise why watch Reaction videos?? Ignore anyone who tells you otherwise ✌
The thing about Blackadder and his descendants when it’s set in mediaeval times, he starts out as a prince of Edinburgh Scotland then as the series goes on, his position keeps going down so he starts as a prince, then his descendent is a lord then a butler then a captain in the army
I've only seen one episode from series 1 but I've watched the rest so many times. This is how I'm gonna see this for the first time 😂 Thanks Connor from 7 months ago
his name is BRIAN BLESSED. He narrated documentaries too but can't find them anywhere. :/ Had the same thoughts when I was 11, that his acting, comedic timing and micro expressions are just soo perfect for the role.
Series 1 is certainly funny, but very much suffers in comparison with the later series. When Ben Elton joined after this series as co-writer with Richard Curtis (who wrote series 1 with Rowan Atkinson), they streamlined the cast and settings for a much tighter show. Series 1 proved expensive with the larger cast and location shoots. The later series were mostly shot in studios and had just a handful of sets.
Series one is different from the others but, unlike them, it relies less on wisecrack jokes and more on knowledge of history. There's still plenty of historical jokes and digs in the other series afterwards but this one really does need some knowledge of late English medieval history and, in this episode particularly, Shakespearian plays in order to get all the jokes. There are lovely parodies from Richard III, Henry V, Macbeth and even a bit of Hamlet in there, as well the general take that it was Shakespeare who created the wicked and evil reputation of Richard III that persists to this day.
The late Peter Cook playing Richard III, Brian Blessed as Prince Richard/King Richard IV (he is very noisy in everything he starred in) Tim McInnery Lord Percy and Sir Tony Robinson as Baldrick. There are four series of Blackadder as well as Blackadder’s Christmas Carol and Blackadder Back and Forth for the millennium the last ever Blackadder no more will be made this was said by Rowan Atkinson and other actors in the cast. There was a Blackadder Comic Relief Special called The Cavalier Years (video can be found on RU-vid), also various appearances by members of the cast on stage and on Comic Relief in 2020 by Stephen Fry Melchett and this years Comic Relief by Sir Tony Robinson. Rik Mayall who stars in an episode of the first and an episode of the second series as well as Back and Forth died a few years ago and Patsy Byrne who plays Nursie in series 2 and Back and Forth died not long after Back and Forth was made.
Great to see you going back to the very, very underrated first season. I have no doubt you will enjoy every episode. By the way, you need to watch the credits all the way to the end with Blackadder. There is sometimes a little gem of a scene AFTER the credits finish. Just like there is for this episode. Great reaction.
The originL King Richard who Blackadder beheaded was Peter Cook. The other is Brian Blessed (pronounced Bless Ed) who was also Prince Voltan in Flash Gordon movie and voice of Boss Nass the King of the Gungans in The Phantom Menace. He has also climbed Mount Everest without Oxygen back in the 80s.
Brian Blessed played Augustus in I, Claudius (1976), John Rhys-Davies was also in I, Claudius, playing Macro, who enjoyed taking down Sejanus, played by Patrick Stewart with hair.
The wonderful and legendary Peter Cooke. They were so lucky to have him appear in this. I'm not a fan of the first series, even Rowan Atkinson says he got the character wrong. However, it is so.
Always liked season one and Peter Cooke & Brian Blessed too, sure 2,3 & 4 take the accolades but 1 had a charm of its own... Nice choice for reaction and the correct place to start...
Connor, it is Green Screen... the BBC actually pioneered live colour replacement overlay... which is how the weather presenter has stood infront of a moving map for 50 years. As for all the lines you're thinking "I've heard that before?" they're literally lines taken from Shakespeare... the lines about a horse are from Richard III, the Witches are from MacBeth, and there's many others. Interestingly Brian BLESSED (I capitalise because he rarely speaks quietly) was a regular collaborator with Kenneth Branagh's film adaptations...
You've accurately identified the issues people have with series 1. They knew what they had to change for it to become the iconic show it became: BlackAdder clever, Baldrick stupid and a live studio audience. But that doesn't mean this series should be ignored!
Brian Blessed plays the King and is a badass in real life climbing mountains etc. Was in Robin Hood and Flash Gordon as well. He is great in this series.
Connor, the reason for the hate or derision of Season One, is it's so different to the others. Imagine if "The Big Bang Theory" was almost entirely filmed on location with single cameras. Secondly it's the ensemble cast, they whittled down to a core of five-ish: here you have Rowan Atkinson, (Sir) Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Brian BLESSED, Robert East, Elspet Gray... not to mention all the background actors, and the special guest star of Peter Cook. And finally the biggest misstep is the characterisation, Percy is an Idiot, Baldrick being cunning, and Edmund Blackadder as a snivelling sycophant.. in Later series it's all in studio, as a multi-camera program with standing sets that can readily be redressed for alternative locations... also Edmund becomes a cunning leader, Percy remains an Idiot, and Baldrick joins him as a halfwit. Robert East is replaced loosely by Stephen Fry as Lord Melchett, Brian Blessed and Elspet Gray by Miranda Richardson and Patsy Byrne as Queen Elizabeth I and Nursie (aka Bernard). As the series progress McInnerny is replaced by Hugh Laurie in Series 3, returns as Captain Kevin Darling in series 4... But watch out for Lord Flashheart (Woof!), or as he first appears Mad Gerald.
You were right with the Mr Bean remark. One of the big differences between the first series and subsequent ones was the switch in character between Blackadder and Baldrick. Blackadder became the smart, streetwise one, and Baldrick was reduced (or promoted) to village idiot status. And I still say the Mad Gerald scene which comes later was the funniest of all.
Most of The Kings lines are from Richard 3rd by William Shakespeare. You need to find out more about Brian Blessed. A really fine actor who even attempted to climb Everest 3 times without oxygen. A true British great. He is also the voice of Grandad Pig in Peppa Pig !
I’m glad that you ignored the calls to skip this series ( Yes🥴I was one of the folks who said you should skip it…😏sorry). Watching you enjoy it so much has made me want to watch the rest of it now ! Thanks for sharing 👍
Try actually thinking.... 🤦 An awful lot of people who don't like Season 1 were actually around when it first came out and as I myself, didn't really rate it. I didn't watch the whole series, and only took it up again after friend insisted the 2nd Season was so much better..... That was hardly because it was "different" from future seasons 🙄
Blackadder 1 is a different kind of production from the other 3 series so shouldn't be compared directly. The writing in series 2-4 is much tighter and full of one-liners, the jokes (with more vulgar innuendo) coming thick and fast, making up for the smaller budget, less elaborate studio sets and lack of location shots and action. The satire on Shakespeare (Richard II, Richard III and Macbeth in this first episode, Hamlet in the last) and the historical background made it funnier to those who were familiar with the references so it was perhaps pitched a little too high in pre-knowledge to gain popular approval. Sitcoms set in historical periods were rare when it first came out (I can only think of on other - "Up Pompeii!") so it was innovative. I know that, from what I saw on the first series, I was very eager for it to return. Rowan Atkinson's portrayal of the Blackadder character as being stupid differs from the other 3 series but, interestingly, in a pilot episode recorded before this one and with a different cast, the portrayal is much more similar to series 2-4 so there seems to have been a conscious decision to adopt this persona.
