The Archbishop
Prince Edmund becomes Archbishop of Canterbury in a religious satire.
The third episode of Blackadder's first series, The Black Adder, is set in late 15th-century England. It features Prince Edmund becoming Archbishop of Canterbury as part of the King's scheme to seize Church lands, with the comedy driven by religious satire. This episode earned an International Emmy Award in 1983 for Popular Arts.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Blackadder
- Writer
- Rowan Atkinson; Richard Curtis
- Air date
- 29 June 1983
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In November 1487, the Duke of Winchester lies on his deathbed with King Richard and Archbishop Godfrey present. Winchester initially plans to leave his lands to the Crown, but Godfrey threatens him with Hell unless he bequeaths the estate to the Church. After the will is signed, Winchester dies, and the King has Godfrey murdered. Edmund learns of the death from his brother Harry and remarks that Godfrey was the third archbishop in a year to die in an absurdly obvious murder. Hearing a rumour that Harry will be appointed archbishop, Edmund gleefully anticipates his brother's murder, which would leave Edmund next in line for the throne. To Edmund's horror, King Richard announces Edmund himself as the new archbishop. Fearing assassination, Edmund tries to flee to France with Baldrick and Percy but is caught by the King and Harry; he claims he was going to Canterbury. Harry accompanies Edmund to Canterbury, where Edmund is ordained as Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England. Edmund makes Baldrick a monk and ordains Percy as Bishop of Ramsgate, and all three adopt clerical vestments and shaved tonsures.
Production
William Russell, known for playing Doctor Who's Ian Chesterton, stepped in as the Duke of Winchester after Wilfrid Brambell quit the set, frustrated by shooting delays. Russell was billed as Russell Enoch. The final broadcast omitted several scenes: Prince Harry asking his brother about castrating choirboys and torturing talkative women, Edmund's farewell speech to the castle turrets before exile, and King Richard's angry sermon at Archbishop Godfrey's funeral. King Richard's castle was filmed at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland in February 1983. Edmund's consecration at Canterbury Cathedral used Brinkburn Priory, a faithful replica of a medieval monastery church.
Critical assessment
The depiction of the medieval world in The Black Adder has drawn critical commentary for relying on popular perceptions that are not always accurate. The scripts of "The Archbishop" and the later episode "Witchsmeller Pursuivant" have been attributed to a post-Reformation perception of Medieval Catholicism; archbishops were not routinely assassinated, and witch hysteria was not widespread in England until the 1640s. Reviewer Katherine J. Lewis draws similarities between Baldrick's relics scene and The Pardoner's Tale from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, whose protagonist also trades in fake relics; Lewis suggests that Chaucer's story shows Church teachings were open to ridicule even in the 14th century. In the 2008 documentary Blackadder Rides Again, Richard Curtis and Tony Robinson both mention the relics scene as a highlight. Curtis, generally critical of the first series, noted that the most successful parts were essentially sketches, pointing to Baldrick's relic scene as an entertaining but self-contained sequence. Robinson felt that this scene was the first time the three performers truly gelled as an ensemble.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Archbishop?
The Archbishop was written by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis.
When did The Archbishop first air?
The Archbishop first aired on 29 June 1983.
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