Captain Cook

• written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
  
• directed by Richard Boden
• music by Howard Goodall
• Story: Captain Edmund Blackadder, serving on the front lines of World War I, suspects that he and his men, Lieutenant George and Private Baldrick, are about to be sent on a suicide mission. When a call comes from General Melchett looking for an artist to inspire the troops for the big push, Edmund sees it as an opportunity to get out of the trenches. But once he gets the assignment, Edmund realizes there's more to it than he was led to believe...
• Season 2 Regular Cast: Rowan Atkinson (Captain Edmund Blackadder), Tony Robinson (Private S Baldrick), Stephen Fry (General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett), Hugh Laurie (Lieutenant The Honourable George Colthurst St. Barleigh), Tim McInnerny (Captain Kevin Darling)
• Guest Cast: none
• Notes: No explanation is given as to how the Blackadder line has fallen again despite the previous series ending with Edmund assuming the identity of the Prince Regent, and so presumably ruling England as King George IV. This Edmund may simply be descended from a different line than the lead character of Blackadder the Third.
         This is the first series to feature absolutely no new additions to the cast. The entire regular cast had appeared as regulars in one or more previous series.
         In keeping with the claustrophobic nature of life in the trenches, Blackadder Goes Forth features fewer guest appearances than any other Blackadder series.
• Original airdate: September 28, 1989

Corporal Punishment

• written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
  
• directed by Richard Boden
• music by Howard Goodall
• Story: Edmund's various schemes to avoid actually fighting finally come to a head when he kills a pigeon that turns out to be a pet of General Melchett's. Arrested for defying orders (and the murder of a pigeon), Edmund's fortunes look grim once George takes on his defense...
• Guest Cast: Jeremy Hardy (Corporal Perkins), Stephen Frost (Corporal Jones), Lee Cornes (Private Fraser), Paul Mark Elliot (Private Robinson), Jeremy Gittins (Private Tipplewick)
• Notes: Stephen Frost returns to the series, having previously appeared in The Black Adder (Witchsmeller Pursuivant).
         Lee Cornes was seen in both Blackadder II (Chains) and Blackadder the Third (Ink and Incapability).
• Original airdate: October 5, 1989

Major Star

• written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
  
• directed by Richard Boden
• music by Howard Goodall
• Story: With the overthrow of the Czar, Russia has pulled out of the war. In an effort to boost morale, General Melchett decides to put on a show for the troops and Edmund takes the assignment when he learns it could lead to a return to London. George is a fantastic success in drag as "Georgina". So successful, in fact, that the General falls in love with "her" and his thoughts turn to marriage...
• Guest Cast: Gabrielle Glaister (Driver "Bob" Parkhurst)
• Notes: Gabrielle Glaister portrayed another cross-dressing "Bob" in the Blackadder II episode Bells and returns as Parkhurst in the next episode, Private Plane.
• Original airdate: October 12, 1989

Private Plane

• written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
  
• directed by Richard Boden
• music by Howard Goodall
• Story: In yet another attempt to get out of the trenches, Edmund, George and Baldrick join the Air Force, thinking it a safer alternative to the trenches. Once Edmund realizes the true level of danger, he attempts to get out of it, but is shot down while on his first mission and captured. Any number of tortures are possible, for Edmund finds he is in the clutches of the Red Baron, himself: Baron von Richthoven...
• Guest Cast: Rik Mayall (Lord Flashheart), Adrian Edmondson (Baron von Richthoven), Hugo E. Blick (Lieutenant von Gerhardt), Gabrielle Glaister (Driver Parkhurst)
• Notes: Rik Mayall returns with a new incarnation of Lord Flashheart, first seen in Blackadder II (Bells). He also appears in The Black Adder (The Black Seal) and in Blackadder: Back & Forth.
         Gabrielle Glaister plays a much more feminine "Bob" than in her previous appearance (Major Star). "Bob" seems to have given up the pretense of being a man.
• Original airdate: October 19, 1989

General Hospital

• written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
  
• directed by Richard Boden
• music by Howard Goodall
• Story: There is a spy at the Army field hospital sending information to the Germans. Captain Blackadder is sent in to investigate and finds himself romantically involved with a beautiful nurse. True, there is a patient named "Smith" with a German accent, but the evidence points towards someone quite close to Edmund...
• Guest Cast: Miranda Richardson (Nurse Mary), Bill Wallis (Brigadier Smith)
• Notes: Miranda Richardson swings full circle, giving a mostly dramatic reading as Nurse Mary, in stark contrast to her Queen Elizabeth from Blackadder II and following her schizoid performance in Blackadder the Third (Amy and Amiability). She also appears in Blackadder's Christmas Carol and Blackadder: Back & Forth.
         Bill Wallis returns, having previously appeared in The Black Adder (The Archbishop) and Blackadder II (Head).
• Original airdate: October 26, 1989

Goodbyeee

• written by Richard Curtis & Ben Elton
  
• directed by Richard Boden
• music by Howard Goodall
• Story: The time has come at last for the "Big Push" and Edmund tries every trick in the book to get out of it. But General Melchett is wise to Edmund's plans and there really doesn't seem to be any way out this time...
• Guest Cast: Geoffrey Palmer (Field Marshal Haig)
• Notes: Geoffrey Palmer is a mainstay of British comedies, appearing in diverse projects such as The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Whoops! Apocalypse, and As Time Goes By. He also appeared in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies and with Rowan Atkinson in the Full Throttle episode of Heroes and Villains.
         Goodbyeee was named the most popular episode of all Blackadder series by the registered members of the BBCi web site. It was also voted the most popular final episode of any TV series by a 2004 BBCi poll.
• Original airdate: November 2, 1989

Blackadder Goes Forth Available On DVD!

The entire fourth season of Black Adder is now available on DVD, complete with historical notes and other bonus features. The fourth season is available by itself, or as part of the Complete Black Adder DVD Box Set.

Complete Season 4

Complete Series

This page is © 2004 by theLogBook.com.

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BLACK ADDER and all related characters and placenames are the property of the British Broadcasting Corporation. This document is not intended to infringe upon their copyright in any way. The author(s) make no attempt - in using the names described herein - to supercede the copyrights of the copyright holders, nor is this guide officially sanctioned, licensed, or endorsed by the shows' creators or producers.

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