The Blackadder

The Black Adder
Title screen, showing Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, a main location for the series.
Created by	Richard Curtis Rowan Atkinson
Starring	Rowan Atkinson Tony Robinson Tim McInnerny Brian Blessed Elspet Gray Robert East
Narrated by	Patrick Allen
Theme music composer	Howard Goodall
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	6
Production
Producer(s)	John Lloyd
Running time	33 minutes (approx)
Release
Original network	BBC 1
Picture format	4:3
Audio format	Mono
Original release	15 June 1983 – 20 July 1983
Chronology
Preceded by	Unaired pilot
Followed by	Blackadder II
External links
Website

The Black Adder is the first series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd. The series was originally aired on BBC One from 15 June 1983 to 20 July 1983, and was a joint production with the Australian Seven Network. Set in 1485 at the end of the British Middle Ages, the series is written as a secret history which contends that King Richard III won the Battle of Bosworth Field, only to be unintentionally assassinated by his nephew Edmund and succeeded by Richard IV, one of the Princes in the Tower. The series follows the exploits of Richard IV's unfavoured second son Edmund (who calls himself "The Black Adder") in his various attempts to increase his standing with his father and, in the final episode, his quest to overthrow him.

Conceived while Atkinson and Curtis were working on Not the Nine O'Clock News, the series covers a number of medieval issues in Britain in a humorous and often anachronistic manner—witchcraft, royal succession, European relations, the Crusades and the conflict between the Crown and the Church. The filming of the series was highly ambitious, with a large cast and much location shooting.Shakespearean dialogue is sometimes adapted for comic effect. Despite winning an International Emmy, The Black Adder is generally regarded as the weakest series of Blackadder, even by its creators.