Blackadder

This has got to be my favorite episode in the Blackadder II series. As the episode opens, we find that there really are some things in life you can count on… birds singing… the sun shining… Lord Blackadder desperately scheming to get money because he's broke again… comforting how some things don't change, isn't it?



In this case, Blackadder’s targets are his not so beloved aunt and uncle Lord and Lady Whiteadder who have wallets "as capricious as an elephant scrotum, and just as difficult to get into." Unfortunately for the intemperate Blackadder, his aunt and uncle are the most fanatical Puritans in England. If that wasn't bad enough, Blackadder accidentally talked himself into having a drinking contest at his house on the very same night he’s supposed to meet with his relatives. Blackadder, of course, tries to reschedule the drinking contest, knowing his relatives will not give him money if they find out about it, but the queen thinking he is trying to get out of it threatens to execute him. Faced with no other alternative Blackadder has to hold both events in different rooms at his house and then run back and forth and hope nobody notices, which of course everyone does. Blackadder originally had no intention of getting drunk, since we learn he has no tolerance for alcohol, and starts singing about a goblin after only one drink. He initially tells Baldric to bring him water when he calls for beer. Baldric answers with the funniest line of the episode "when you say beer, I pass water." Blackadder just can't cover his tracks well enough though and eventually has way too much to drink resulting in his insulting the queen who shows up at his house unexpectedly. It's all good though, because after threatening to execute everyone mad Queen Bess get as rollicking drunk as everyone else.

Blackadder arranges with Melchett for a drinking contest later that day. Unfortunatley, once he gets home, he realises that he is supposed to have dinner with his Aunt and Uncle: Lord and Lady Whiteadder, who are strict puritans.



He can't cancel the drinking night because Queenie thinks he is trying to chicken out and he can't cancel the meal with his Aunt and Uncle because they want to discuss his inheitance and Blackadder wants to get hold of their money. They only solution is to hold both events, totally separately, in Blackadders house, and hope that he isn't found out!



But, in true Blackadder style, everything goes horribly wrong. He tries to bluff his way through the night with quick lies but all he gets is a number of slaps from his aunt.



Eventually, he can't take it anymore and, totally drunk, he confesses everything to his Aunt and Uncle, who are less than impressed to say the least! It's a very funny ending to a very funny episode, one of the best!