Blackadder’s Christmas Carol was a special festive episode of the show and features three of literature’s most memorable spirits combined as one 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.
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Alongside the series regulars this special featured returning guests Robbie Coltrane, Miranda Richardson, Miriam Margolyes and Jim Broadbent (who we have of course still to encounter on the podcast). The show is a twist on the classic Dickens Christmas Carol tale as Mr Blackadder – the nicest man in the world – is visited by three spectres rolled into one.
Blackadder’s Christmas Carol was written by Ben Elton and by Richard Curtis and directed by Richard Boden, his first stint in the chair ahead of Blackadder Goes Forth. Once again, John Lloyd produced the special and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.
Blackadder’s Christmas Carol was released in 1988. It is 42 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. Blackadder’s Christmas Carol is presently available on Netflix and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).
Merry Christmas, Blackadder fans!
If you listen closely Grand Admiral Blackadder doesn’t like made up languages either:
Frondo: What news of the foul Malmydons?
Blackadder: Scattered to the Nine Vectors, My Lord.
Frondo: …and the Sheepsqueezers of Splatican Five? Have they been suckcreamed as a Qvarnbeast’s nobbo?
Blackadder: Well, they’re dead, if that’s what you mean.
Pigmot: Plus, Commander, did you vanquish the Nibblepibblies?
Blackadder: No, My Lord Pigmot, I did not vanquish the Nibblepibblies; because you just made them up.
“Well, they’re dead, is that’s what you mean” It’s worth it just to hear Rowan Atkinson’s delivery of that line.
Spectacular!
“Baldrick, I want you to take this and go out, and buy a turkey so large you’d think its mother had been rogered by an omnibus.”
An omnibus was a large, enclosed horse drawn passenger vehicle in use during the Victorian era. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5c483c8435c9a3eb89060110caba6ed116e32424984afffa479ce8810d9e9376.jpg
http://www.gail-thornton.co.uk/public-vehicles/omnibus.php
Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
Nicola Bryant actually started as Peri at the tail end of Peter Davison’s time as Dr Who. She spent most of her first Dr Who story in a bikini.
Happy New Year everyone!
Happy New Year!
“three benevolent spirits”?
Three-in-one, as it were. Cleared that up now!
I figured you’d been blogging after sampling something a wee bit more… medicinal?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5ad2dc4e509979b675157e9e67e77373facfcf107d4b485073b3883e6fad0cfa.jpg
Ha! In truth I blame the fact I watched the Muppet Christmas Carol between seeing this and writing the notes!