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Blackadder the Third

  • TV Series
  • 1987
  • TV-PG
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
49K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,307
343
Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson in Blackadder the Third (1987)
SatireComedy

In the Regency era, Mr E. Blackadder serves as butler to the foppish numskull Prince George amidst the fads and crazes of the time.In the Regency era, Mr E. Blackadder serves as butler to the foppish numskull Prince George amidst the fads and crazes of the time.In the Regency era, Mr E. Blackadder serves as butler to the foppish numskull Prince George amidst the fads and crazes of the time.

  • Stars
    • Rowan Atkinson
    • Tony Robinson
    • Hugh Laurie
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.6/10
    49K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,307
    343
    • Stars
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Tony Robinson
      • Hugh Laurie
    • 51User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Top rated TV #165
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 3 wins & 6 nominations total

    Episodes6

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    TopTop-rated1 season1987

    Photos31

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    Top cast25

    Edit
    Rowan Atkinson
    Rowan Atkinson
    • Edmund Blackadder, butler to the Prince…
    • 1987
    Tony Robinson
    Tony Robinson
    • Baldrick, a dogsbody…
    • 1987
    Hugh Laurie
    Hugh Laurie
    • The Prince Regent, their master…
    • 1987
    Helen Atkinson Wood
    Helen Atkinson Wood
    • Mrs. Miggins, a coffee shoppekeeper…
    • 1987
    Robbie Coltrane
    Robbie Coltrane
    • Dr. Samuel Johnson, noted for his fat dictionary
    • 1987
    Hugh Paddick
    • Keanrick, thespian
    • 1987
    Miranda Richardson
    Miranda Richardson
    • Amy Hardwood, the elusive Shadow
    • 1987
    Stephen Fry
    Stephen Fry
    • The Duke of Wellington, a famous soldier
    • 1987
    Tim McInnerny
    Tim McInnerny
    • Lord Topper -Fop
    • 1987
    Kenneth Connor
    Kenneth Connor
    • Mossop, thespian
    • 1987
    Vincent Hanna
    • Mr. Vincent Hanna, his own great great great grandfather
    • 1987
    Warren Clarke
    Warren Clarke
    • Mr. Hardwood, her father
    • 1987
    Nigel Planer
    Nigel Planer
    • Lord Smedley - Fop
    • 1987
    Denis Lill
    Denis Lill
    • Sir Talbot Buxomly, a member of Parliament
    • 1987
    Lee Cornes
    Lee Cornes
    • Shelley, romantic junkie poet
    • 1987
    Gertan Klauber
    Gertan Klauber
    • King George III, a mad Monarch
    • 1987
    Chris Barrie
    Chris Barrie
    • Ambassador - a Fearsome Revolutionary
    • 1987
    Ben Elton
    • Anarchist
    • 1987
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews51

    8.649.4K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'Blackadder the Third' is acclaimed for its sharp wit, clever writing, and standout performances by Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie, and Tony Robinson. Many find it comparable or superior to other series, highlighting memorable jokes and inventive plots. The chemistry between main characters is celebrated, though some critics note a weaker supporting cast compared to other series. Despite this, its unique blend of historical satire and comedic brilliance makes it a fan favorite.
    AI-generated from the text of user reviews

    Featured reviews

    10Sylviastel

    Too Good for Television!

    We could still use Black Adder even today. Imagine Rowan Atkinson resuming the role of assistant to the prime minister played by the wonderful Hugh Laurie. Hugh is sensational as the dimwit Prince George and Edmund as his brilliant assistant. I love the episode which Kenneth Connor guest stars as a British thespian. Every time, Edmund says Macbeth. The two thespians do a silly little act to ward off evil spirits. It's the funniest things that you will see. Of course, none of this brilliance and comedic genius could be without Ben Elton and Richard Curtis who are also behind the films like Love Actually, The Thin Blue Line, Four Weddings and A Funeral. Black Adder is funny and almost too good for television. Humor can be smart, sexy, and funny all at one. I was hoping last night on Saturday Night Live that Hugh Laurie would pay homage to his background in British humor. If the gang at SNL did some research, they would know what a treasure it was to have Hugh Laurie grace their stage.
    10VictorianCushionCat

    Absolute Class

    The 3rd and in my view the best of the Blackadder series.

    The only downside is that there is no Lord Percy who was the funniest character from the previous series but Hugh Laurie's Prince Regent is suitably madcap laugh a line.

    As a package it's quality through and through with convincing regency sets, superb cutting sarcasm and little bits of the wacky, the 'macbeth' actors standing out and Prince Georges 'lucky us' chicken impression, and the missing words from Dr Johnson's dictionary.

    Few comedies have been quite as both clever as they are funny, okay the odd lame observation or line gets in but mostly it's a scream.
    9arvie88

    Edmund Blackadder, A Butler's Tale

    I think 'Blackadder the Third' is the best one of the series.

    Actuelly all the episodes are funny, personally i really like the episode with the 'French invasion', but the one with the superstitious actors, in 'MACBETH' is also really funny, the way Rowan keeps playing on with them is really (English) Humor at the highest level.

    Actors: 'Never say that again, always call it the Scottish Play; Blackadder: Oh, So you want me to say the Scottish Play? Actors: YES Blackadder: Rather than MACBETH...!

    I am a big fan of Rowan and i have the majority of his work, but i think he did the series of Blackadder especially good.

    I Hope Rowan is going to continue his great style, but i think we can count on him, because he is already working on a Bean 2 Movie, that will be out this year, i can't wait...

    I Give this 3rd Blackadder a 9 out of 10 Rating.
    worlok

    from an American fan

    I own the DVD box set of all of the Blackadder series and this one and "Goes Forth" are my favorites, but I love them all. This series skips through history with tongue firmly planted in cheek and is just superb. I call it "smart yet silly" comedy. The British are, or were, pros at this. Seeing some more recent "Britcoms", as some of us Yanks call them, I lament that they are taking too much from our lame American sitcoms. The brilliance of the recent "Coupling" gives me hope for the future.

    I really enjoy Rowan Atkinson and the cast of Blackadder. They are all fabulous, but Steven Fry just cracks me up as the Field Marshall in the Fourth Series.

    To get back to the Third series I really enjoy the guest appearances of Tim McInnerny as Lord Topper/Le Comte de Frou Frou, Chris Barrie (of Red Dwarf and Brittas Empire fame) as the French Revolutionary Guard, and who can forget the role of Dr. Johnson played by the illustrious Robbie Coltrane (who later played Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter series of movies).

    If you like "smart" comedy then check out Blackadder!!
    10scifi_luv

    The opposite of Baldrick's trousers!

    Holy crap this is so hysterical! Why aren't American comedies written like this? For anybody who thinks comedy has to be dumb-- there is more wit and intelligence in the six episodes of this series than in a shelf of novels! Hugh Laurie is a complete hoot. I couldn't believe it was the same guy as House! There are so many great lines and gags in this series you could watch each show dozens of times and still pick up on new things each time. Rowan Atkinson is hilarious as the verbose and put upon butler Edmund. This is my favorite of all the Blackadder series. And Tony Robinson is wonderful as ever as the somewhat obtuse heart of the series, "the oppressed mass" Baldrick. Some of my favorite lines: "When someone messes with a Wellington he really puts his foot in it" and Baldrick explaining how he got his name and cousin Macadder "the top kipper salesman" and homicidal swordsman from Scotland.

    More like this

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    8.6
    Blackadder II
    Blackadder Goes Forth
    8.8
    Blackadder Goes Forth
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    8.0
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    7.6
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    Blackadder: The Cavalier Years
    7.9
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    7.9
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    Fawlty Towers
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Blackadder does not sport a beard in this season of the show because Rowan Atkinson's then-girlfriend hated it.
    • Goofs
      Although purportedly set during the British Regency (1811-1820), there are appearances by, and contemporary references to, historical figures who were dead before that time, such as Samuel Johnson and Admiral Nelson. Characters use expressions not developed until later, such as "prince and the pauper" or "roller coaster."
    • Quotes

      Baldrick: [Blackadder slams the door] Something wrong, Mr. B?

      Blackadder: Oh, something's *always* wrong, Balders... the fact that I'm not a millionaire aristocrat, with the sexual capacity of a rutting rhino, is a constant niggle.

    • Crazy credits
      Among the books that Blackadder peruses during the opening credits are:
      • (Morte D'Edmund?)
      • The Blackadder's Progress
      • Rise and Fall
      • Bath on 5p a Day
      • Encyclopaedia Blackaddica Vol XIX FUN to HUG
      • Chelsea Arts Club (...)
      • Blackadder Unbound
      • Landscape Gardening by Capability Brownadder
      • From Black Death to Blackadder
      • Blackadder's Bedside Cockfighting Companion
      • The Blackadder of Calcutta
      • (...)
      • Blackadder Book of Martyrs
      • The Blackobite Rebellion
      • Old Blackamore's Almanac Second Edition
      • Sir Francis Blackadder (Letters?)
    • Connections
      Featured in Laughter in the House: The Story of British Sitcom (1999)

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    FAQ

    • How many seasons does Blackadder the Third have?
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    • What are some interesting facts about dictionaries?
    • Is the series historically accurate?
    • Are "aardvark" and "sausage" really missing from Samuel Johnson's dictionary?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 17, 1987 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Blackadder III
    • Filming locations
      • BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK(Studio)
    • Production company
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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