S1.E5

Beer

Name: Beer
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1986-02-13
Duration: 30 min
Rating: 8.5
Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson

Episode aired Feb 13, 1986
TV-PG
30m

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

Comedy

Blackadder finds himself hosting a drinking competition on the same night he is entertaining his puritanical relatives.Blackadder finds himself hosting a drinking competition on the same night he is entertaining his puritanical relatives.Blackadder finds himself hosting a drinking competition on the same night he is entertaining his puritanical relatives.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The episode marks Hugh Laurie's first ever Blackadder appearance, and Miriam Margolyes' second. Laurie would go on to appear in every subsequent episode of the show.

Goofs
When Edmund is given the red wine, he opens the cupboard door and throws it in, spilling it all over the floor. Elizabeth knocks at the door and it cuts to a shot of Percy knocking in reply to the knock at the door. When it cuts back, the drink on the floor has gone.

Quotes
[Edmund is trying to impress his puritan relatives]
Blackadder: This is a house of simple purity.
Monk: [Runs in and vomits in fireplace] Great booze-up, Edmund.
Lady Whiteadder: Do you know that man?
Blackadder: No.
Lady Whiteadder: He called you Edmund
Blackadder: Oh, know him? Yes, I do.
Lady Whiteadder: Then can you explain what he meant by "great booze-up"?
Blackadder: [very long pause] Yes, I can. My friend is a missionary and on his last visit abroad brought back with him the chief of a famous tribe. His name is Great Boo. He's been suffering from sleeping sickness and he's obviously just woken because as you've heard, Great Boo's up.

Crazy credits
In the closing credits, the theme is sung as though the singer were drunk, with a swift decline in vocal quality, and at one point, a hiccup.

Connections
Featured in Blackadder Exclusive: The Whole Rotten Saga (2008)

User reviews9

Review

Featured review

9/10

Simple and effective concept with many great performances

Blackadder and Melchett have a drinking contest on the same night that Blackadder's relatives come to visit.

This is another excellent episode from series 2 of Blackadder. I love the situation it puts the characters in, the sharp (as always) comic dialogue and a number of brilliant performances.

The situation Edmond is put in here was a great idea from Curtis and Elton that allows comedy to flow so well. How on earth is someone meant to hold debauched drinking session and entertain a puritanical Auntie and Uncle all under the same roof? With great difficulty and hilarious consequences. It's also works as a great satire of the puritanical movement done in a fairly silly way.

One reviewer has described it as Blackadder meets the 'Young Ones', which I can see to a certain extent with some of the behaviour on display. What I also find is the structure of the plot flows very much like a 'Fawlty Towers' episode as Edmund bounces back and forth between a rock and a hard place as his ill-conceived deception crumbles before his eyes.

It showcases more of the epically funny dialogue that Blackadder is famous for. The 'great boo' scene is very memorable along with virtually everything said by Queen Elizabeth and Lady Whiteladder.

All performances are as fantastic as ever with Rowan Atkinson delivering one of his best Blackadder performances with great support from Miranda Richardson, Miriam Margolyes, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson and Patsy Byrne.