Blackadder has never had foreign tastes, but it has in this one, which is based around the French Revolution. A promising, original idea is once again translated well to the silver screen, and with gusto. The French Ambassador is very good in his role, as is the Comte de Frou Frou, and whilst Blackadder on death row is not a particularly original idea, this episode once again shows how he never gets irritated in any situation and is always cruel to those he is stuck with. The bit when Blackadder kicked the cat in the air is not exactly genius, but it is hilarious, and shows that we are in for another corker of an episode. Blackadder is very nasty to the French, but he hates everything and everyone, and this intelligently-written, very funny episode shall prove that fact even further. Another great episode - Series 3 has recaptured the funny heights of Series 2 (though never recaptured its success), and is a very enjoyable watch. Bravo! 9/10
8 Reviews
The most underrated of all Blackadders.
zacpetch2 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This is one episode that is often forgotten about, probably because the dictionary episode "Ink And Incapability" precedes it. That's a shame because this is a very good episode and sees the return of Tim McInnerny to the show. He'd quit for fear of typecasting but he's back for this episode and will return with a completely different character for series four.
His character is Lord Topper, who with fellow french-man Lord Smedley, challenges Edmund to go to revolutionary France, rescue an aristocrat and present them at the french embassy ball. Edmund doesn't do that. Instead he goes to the shop and collects one, Le Compte De Frou Frou, telling him to play along and he'll get a share of the cash and never have to eat horse-willy again, which I suppose is a plus.
This episode is the ones that mocks 'Le Pimpernelle Scarlette' as Edmund, Baldrick and Frou Frou get locked up by a revolutionary who has killed the ambassador and turned him into pate. Frou Frou is taken away and the next morning Madame Guillotine arrives with the intention to kill the two remaining prisoners.
The excellent reveals from here on out reveal Guillotine to be Smedley in disguise - He's the Scarlet Pimpernel! - only for him to have been got by the pill in the glass routine before the reveal and dying in a rather odd manner. Then we learn that there's a second pimpernel in the form of Topper who is in fact Le Compte De Frou Frou!
I'll end this review with my score: 8/10. Now if you don't mind I'd like to jump into this corner............... ......... .............. ......................................................
His character is Lord Topper, who with fellow french-man Lord Smedley, challenges Edmund to go to revolutionary France, rescue an aristocrat and present them at the french embassy ball. Edmund doesn't do that. Instead he goes to the shop and collects one, Le Compte De Frou Frou, telling him to play along and he'll get a share of the cash and never have to eat horse-willy again, which I suppose is a plus.
This episode is the ones that mocks 'Le Pimpernelle Scarlette' as Edmund, Baldrick and Frou Frou get locked up by a revolutionary who has killed the ambassador and turned him into pate. Frou Frou is taken away and the next morning Madame Guillotine arrives with the intention to kill the two remaining prisoners.
The excellent reveals from here on out reveal Guillotine to be Smedley in disguise - He's the Scarlet Pimpernel! - only for him to have been got by the pill in the glass routine before the reveal and dying in a rather odd manner. Then we learn that there's a second pimpernel in the form of Topper who is in fact Le Compte De Frou Frou!
I'll end this review with my score: 8/10. Now if you don't mind I'd like to jump into this corner............... ......... .............. ......................................................
and Nobility
Prismark1028 March 2021
An episode with a funny gallic flavor. French fever is sweeping London as the French aristocrats are seeking refuge in the city.
Blackadder is not impressed with the new continental flavour. He also mocks the adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel to Prince George and his foppish friends Lord Smedley and Lord Topper.
Blackadder boasts that he too can nip over to France and bring home an aristocrat.
In fact Blackadder plans to stay in the basement of the palace for a week, pluck a fresh aristocrat from Mrs Miggins pie shop and take him to the French Embassy.
Only for Blackadder to find himself apprehended by a revolutionary and needs rescuing from the Scarlet Pimpernel.
It is an episode that is inspired by the Carry On films. Blackadder is in danger of losing his head. Everyone seems to bash Baldrick and watch out for the suicide pills.
Nigel Planer guest stars as a not very young one aristocrat. Tim McInnerny makes his only appearance in series 3. Chris Barrie has fun as the revolutionary.
Blackadder is not impressed with the new continental flavour. He also mocks the adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel to Prince George and his foppish friends Lord Smedley and Lord Topper.
Blackadder boasts that he too can nip over to France and bring home an aristocrat.
In fact Blackadder plans to stay in the basement of the palace for a week, pluck a fresh aristocrat from Mrs Miggins pie shop and take him to the French Embassy.
Only for Blackadder to find himself apprehended by a revolutionary and needs rescuing from the Scarlet Pimpernel.
It is an episode that is inspired by the Carry On films. Blackadder is in danger of losing his head. Everyone seems to bash Baldrick and watch out for the suicide pills.
Nigel Planer guest stars as a not very young one aristocrat. Tim McInnerny makes his only appearance in series 3. Chris Barrie has fun as the revolutionary.
Topper and Smedey snuff it!
planktonrules5 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
It's French fever in London. All anyone seems to be able to talk about are the exploits of the Scarlet Pimpernel and his exploits as he spirits aristocrats out of revolutionary France. As expected, Black Adder couldn't care less and wishes everyone would just shut up about him. However, when the thicky, George, makes a bet with friends that Edmund could also save a French aristo, Edmund jumps at the idea. He figures on hiding out in town for a week and paying a down-and-out Frenchman to pretend to have been rescued by him. Unfortunately, the plan falls apart when Edmund actually IS taken prisoner by French revolutionaries. And it becomes worse when Edmund accidentally murders a few people in the process! Overall, not a great episode but one worth seeing. A plus is seeing Tim McInnerny ('Percy' from the first two Blackadder shows). Plus, the ending is pretty funny.
Funny
bevo-136782 April 2020
Strong episode with Blackadder on top cynical form
snoozejonc31 January 2021
Blackadder agrees to rescue a French aristocrat from the revolution as part of a bet.
This is a strong episode with more humorous dialogue, historical satire and great performances.
The plot is similar to the series 2 episode Potato where Blackadder seemingly agrees to undertake a difficult task to prove a point. Much like that one it involves him 'going' on a dangerous adventure.
As always I enjoyed the humour, particularly Blackadder's cynical lack of enthusiasm for the Francophile sentiment sweeping country. In every series of Blackadder, he is often at his funniest when he is putting his negative spin on a subject or person that all the other characters are excessively positive about. It also works well as a historical satire of British aristocracy's sympathy with its French counterparts at this period in history.
All performances are excellent with Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson and Hugh Laurie on top form. There are also some nice cameos from Nigel Planer and Tim McInnery. Chris Barrie is superb as the revolutionary prison guard. This is an ironic role for Barrie, who went on to play Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf who was obsessed with Napoleon.
This is a strong episode with more humorous dialogue, historical satire and great performances.
The plot is similar to the series 2 episode Potato where Blackadder seemingly agrees to undertake a difficult task to prove a point. Much like that one it involves him 'going' on a dangerous adventure.
As always I enjoyed the humour, particularly Blackadder's cynical lack of enthusiasm for the Francophile sentiment sweeping country. In every series of Blackadder, he is often at his funniest when he is putting his negative spin on a subject or person that all the other characters are excessively positive about. It also works well as a historical satire of British aristocracy's sympathy with its French counterparts at this period in history.
All performances are excellent with Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson and Hugh Laurie on top form. There are also some nice cameos from Nigel Planer and Tim McInnery. Chris Barrie is superb as the revolutionary prison guard. This is an ironic role for Barrie, who went on to play Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf who was obsessed with Napoleon.
The Black Pimpernel
Tweekums20 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Revolution is sweeping through France and the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel is the talk of London; Blackadder is not impressed. As he tells Prince George and his buffoonish friends Lords Lord Smedley and Topper there is nothing impressive about popping over to France and bringing back an aristocrat. The two lords challenge Blackadder to do just that and he accepts their wager
of course he has no intention of actually doing that; he decides to lay low for a week, find a recently rescued aristocrat then deliver him to the French embassy. The plans goes perfectly until they get to the embassy and find it has been taken over by revolutionaries! Will Baldrick come up with a cunning plan? Will the Pimpernel save them? Will Blackadder get away with his scam?.
This is another fine episode with plenty to laugh at; the mocking of French cuisine, Prince George's inability to put on a pair of trousers unaided and the contents of Baldrick's trousers to mention just three. The story is of course rather silly but that is the fun of it. The ending is particularly amusing and classic Blackadder. Tim McInnerny, who played Lord Percy in the first two series makes a welcome return, this time playing Lord Topper; there are also fun turns from Nigel Planer, as Smedley, and Chris Barrie as the revolutionary who murdered the ambassador and turned him into pâté. Overall a fine episode which rivals the Carry On team's 'Don't Lose Your Head' when it comes to making comedy about the Pimpernel story.
This is another fine episode with plenty to laugh at; the mocking of French cuisine, Prince George's inability to put on a pair of trousers unaided and the contents of Baldrick's trousers to mention just three. The story is of course rather silly but that is the fun of it. The ending is particularly amusing and classic Blackadder. Tim McInnerny, who played Lord Percy in the first two series makes a welcome return, this time playing Lord Topper; there are also fun turns from Nigel Planer, as Smedley, and Chris Barrie as the revolutionary who murdered the ambassador and turned him into pâté. Overall a fine episode which rivals the Carry On team's 'Don't Lose Your Head' when it comes to making comedy about the Pimpernel story.
Easily the Best
Marqymarquis9 May 2017
Just for the scene where the prince is being coached by the actors into making a speech; with his legs apart and nipples as though attached to charging two charging rhinoceros then screaming "aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh ..unaccustomed as I am....." is worth a look - old hands Kenneth Connor and Hugh Paddick ham it up for all they are worth a look. Some say this is the worst of all Black Adder Series - I say it is second best to Blackadder Goes Fourth
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