Blackadder II

Blackadder II
Created By	Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
Theme Music Composer	Howard Goodall
No. of Episodes	6
Producer(s)	John Lloyd
Running Time	30 Minutes
Preceded By	The Black Adder
Followed By	Blackadder the Third

Blackadder II was written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, as opposed to bieng written by Curtis and Rowan Atkinson. It first screened in 1986 and was set in the Elizabethan Era

Characters

Regulars

• Lord Edmund Blackadder
• Baldrick
• Lord Percy Percy
• Lord Melchett
• Queenie
• Nursie

Guests

• Bob
• Lord Flashheart
• Prince Ludwig
• The Bishop of Bath and Wells

Plot

The series follows the life of Lord Edmund Blackadder, the great-grandson of The Black Adder. He is accompanied by Baldrick and Lord Percy. Blackaddder claims to be rich to stay in favour with the Queen, but is actually quite poor, not even having £1000. Blackadder's rival for the Queens favouritsm is Lord Melchett. Blackadder continually attemtps to make money, either by scamming relatives, or by borrowing from sadistic priests.

Episodes

The series aired for six episodes broadcast on Thursdays on BBC One at 9.30pm between 9 January 1986 and 20 February 1986. The titles of the episodes are single words based on the theme of the episodes - "Bells" (a wedding), "Head" (decapitation), "Potato" (exploration), "Money" (debt), "Beer" (alcohol) and "Chains" (prison).

"Head" was originally intended to be the first episode, and was first to be filmed. This resulted in the small continuity error of Lord Percy still having a beard in "Head" which he shaves off in "Bells". In addition, during the early scenes of "Head", the principal characters are introduced to the audience with Baldrick's stupidity highlighted.

	Title	Air date
2-1	Bells	9 Jan 1986
Blackadder employs a young man called "Bob" (who is actually a woman in disguise) whom he finds himself attracted to, much to his dismay. Once he discovers that "Bob" is actually Kate, he plans to marry her, only to have her elope with his best man, Lord Flashheart. Guest starring Rik Mayall as Lord Flashheart.
2-2	Head	16 Jan 1986
Blackadder is made Lord High Executioner and decides to change the execution schedule in order to give himself more free time. Unfortunately this brings him in to conflict with the Queen's wishes.
2-3	Potato	23 Jan 1986
In the wake of Sir Walter Raleigh's triumphant return from America, and in an attempt to impress the Queen, Blackadder plans a voyage of his own around the Cape of Good Hope. Guest starring Simon Jones as Raleigh and Tom Baker as Captain Redbeard Rum.
2-4	Money	6 Feb 1986
Blackadder is pursued by the baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells over an unpaid loan and is forced to formulate ingenious ways to make money. Guest starring Ronald Lacey as the Bishop.
2-5	Beer	13 Feb 1986
With the promise of a large inheritance in mind, Blackadder attempts to impress his fanatically Puritanical aunt and uncle, while simultaneously attempting to win a drinking competition. Guest starring Miriam Margolyes as Lady Whiteadder and Hugh Laurie as Simon 'Farters' Partridge.
2-6	Chains	20 Feb 1986
Blackadder and Melchett are kidnapped by the German Prince Ludwig, a murderous master of disguise, and held to ransom. Guest starring Hugh Laurie as Mad Prince Ludwig.