The Blackadder Podcast

After four series and three specials we've come to the end of our Blackadder odyssey. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look back at the best the show had to offer and consider how well it stands up 30 years on.

Back and Forth was a special episode of Blackadder created as part of an exhibition to mark the turn of the century at the Millennium Dome and saw the Lord Blackadder of the time travel through history to impress his friends. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider skipping ahead to the next episode.

The Black Seal was the final episode of The Black Adder and saw Prince Edmund take the destiny of the crown into his own hands. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider team-building strategies and robust recruitment policies.

Witchsmeller Pursuivant was the penultimate episode of The Black Adder and featured one of the first televised criminal trials to include evidence from an equine witness. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the greatest challenges to face this nation since the Swiss Invasion.

The Queen of Spain's Beard was the fourth episode of The Black Adder and featured a masterclass in the noble art of translation. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider shotgun weddings and the nutritional value of a glass of water at midnight.

The Archbishop was the third episode of The Black Adder and featured a cunning attempt by King Richard to cut short the dispute between church and state over bequests from the wealthy. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider secret escapes and the ethics of selling authentic relics online.

Born to be King was the second episode of The Black Adder and saw Edmund seek to take advantage of the King's presumed death in battle to usurp the throne. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the importance of getting your dates right.

The Foretelling was the first episode of The Black Adder and introduces viewers to Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh and a couple of familiar cohorts. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the value of first impressions and whether historical context is important to a comedy show.

Goodbyeee was the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features one last desperate attempt by Edmund to avoid going over the top. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the values of comradeship, sacrifice and recognition of the realities of war.

General Hospital was the fifth episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features a budding relationship between Blackadder and a nurse at the local hospital. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider ways to spot a spy and - perhaps more importantly - ways not to.

Private Plane was the fourth episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features a cunning effort to escape the front lines by signing up en masse for the Air Corps. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider good uses of a final twenty minutes, give or take a few seconds.

Blackadder's Christmas Carol was a special festive episode of the show and features three benevolent spirits and a monarch with the common touch. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider whether Jo Rowling took significant influence from this episode when she created a popular member of her Harry Potter ensemble.

Major Star was the third episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features a cabaret extravaganza and a surprising proposal of marriage. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the ethics of using live moustache substitutes.

Corporal Punishment was the second episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features an impulsive decision that Blackadder soon comes to regret. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider justice, beloved pets and amateur lawyering.

Captain Cook was the first episode of Blackadder Goes Forth and features an artistic plan designed to allow Blackadder to leave the trenches of World War I's Western Front. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider opportunism, art and fine dining.

The Cavalier Years was a Comic Relief special aired in 1988 after the conclusion of Blackadder the Third. The special features a tense moment in history for the Cavaliers as their monarch, Charles I, faces execution. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider honour, valour and finding original ways to enter employment.

Duel and Duality was the final episode of Blackadder the Third and features a dramatic showdown when the Duke of Wellington discovers George has been getting a little too friendly with his nieces. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider family honour and the consequences of role-reversal.

Amy and Amiability was the fifth episode of Blackadder the Third and features a prospect of romance for the lovelorn Prince Regent. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the pitfalls of falling in love with a highwayman.

Sense and Senility was the fourth episode of Blackadder the Third and features some lessons in posture, presentation and diction for the Prince Regent from a pair of popular thespians. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider whether there are some things that simply cannot be taught and reveal the content of the Macbeth anti-jinx

Nob and Nobility was the third episode of Blackadder the Third and features a daring escapade to revolutionary France. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider the nature of heroism and a certain je ne sais quoi.

Ink and Incapability was the second episode of Blackadder the Third and features an expedited rewrite of an historical tome. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider a searing indictment of domestic servitude in the eighteenth century with some hot gypsies thrown in.

Dish and Dishonesty was the first episode of Blackadder the Third and features political shenanigans of the highest order. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider a rotten borough and the ennoblement of a most unlikely Lord.

Chains was the final episode of Blackadder II and features a dramatic escape from the clutches of a ruthless villain. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider an unfortunate incident with a sheep in the nighttime and look back on the series.

Beer was the fifth episode of Blackadder II and features the unfortunate confluence of two wholly incompatible social events. In this podcast Gerry and Iain take a look at a little goblin and his little feet.

Money was the fourth episode of Blackadder II and features Edmund's increasingly desperate endeavours to raise enough cash to settle a debt owed to the Bank of the Black Monks.  In this podcast Gerry and Iain take a look at a delicious piece of blackmail.