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Blackadder: The Cavalier Years
Blackadder Cavalier Years
Specials,
Written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
Directed by Mandie Fletcher
Featured music Howard Goodall
Original airdate 5th February 1988
Episode chronology
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""Duel and Duality"" ""Blackadder's Christmas Carol""
List of episodes

Blackadder: The Cavalier Years is a 15 minute one-off edition of Blackadder set during the English Civil War, shown as part of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day on Friday 5 February 1988.

Plot[]

1649, the country is in chaos, civil war rages across England as King Charles I hides in Sir Blackadder's house, being attended to by his servant Baldrick, as Edmund goes to the toilet, he tells Baldrick that 'if Oliver Cromwell and his Roundheads should turn up in the next ten seconds then the king is not here'. Oliver Cromwell does turn up and asks Baldrick if the king is here, Baldrick struggles to answer the question but eventually says no, unfortunately, he gives the game away by telling Cromwell not to touch the purple cup because ' it's the king's'.

As the king sits in the tower, Blackadder turns up dressed as a priest and tells the king that he is planning his escape, he tells him that the only flaw in his execution plan is that nobody will offer to become his executioner, just then, Edmund gets a note saying that they have found his executioner.

Back at his house Edmund finds out that Baldrick has volunteered to be the executioner, but has a 'cunning plan', he is going to paint a pumpkin, put it over the kings head and cut that off. Edmund tells him that it's a stupid plan and decides to be the executioner instead, taking the 10,000 pounds that comes with the job.

Edmund turns up at the tower on the execution day where the king figures out his executioner disguise, thinking that Edmund intends to save his life, the king gives some money for his 'troubles', Edmund tries Baldrick's plan of putting a pumpkin on ther king's head, the crowd sees through the charade and Edmund is forced to kill the king.

Left in his home, holding the infant Charles II and surrounded by roundheads, Edmund gives the baby to Baldrick, disguises himself as a roundhead and tells them to kill Baldrick.

Cast[]

Anachronisms[]

  • The future Charles II is depicted as a baby. At the time of his father's execution, the heir to the throne was actually 18 years old.

External Links[]

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