Money was the fourth episode of Blackadder II and features Edmund’s increasingly desperate endeavours to raise enough cash to settle a debt owed to the Bank of the Black Monks. In this podcast Gerry and Iain take a look at a delicious piece of blackmail.
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Stealing every scene and chewing every piece of scenery available in this episode was Ronald Lacey as the Bishop of Bath and Wells, while there were supporting roles for Cassie Stuart as Molly, a prostitute familiar with both Blackadder and the Bishop; John Pierce Jones as Arthur the horny sailor; and Barry Craine and Lesley Nicol as Mr & Mrs Pants, who purchase Blackadder’s home.
Blackadder II was written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis and all six episodes were directed by Mandie Fletcher. John Lloyd produced the series and Howard Goodall was responsible for the music.
Money was released in 1986. It is 29 minutes long and originally aired on the BBC. Blackadder II can be viewed on Netflix in the UK and Ireland and a remastered set of the whole series is available on DVD around the world (Region 1) (Region 2).
Brilliant podcast as always! I never realised that Mrs Pants was Mrs Patmore from Downton Abbey – thank you! I loved both of Gerry’s favourite lines too and I love the way Percy says “Hello, it was lovely working with you” at the end – it makes me laugh every time. I LOVE Percy, have always thought he is so funny.
Thanks Sooz. This was a great episode! I really like how Percy and Baldrick are both supposed to be idiots, but are portrayed so distinctly.
Yes – I really like that too. Both great characters. I prefer how Baldrick is in this series to how he is in Blackadder Goes Forth. This is my favourite episode of Blackadder II – Blackadder is so brilliant in it!
Some behind the scenes trivia from the DVD commentary. It seems that after the scene with Blackadder and Baldrick down at the docks there was a discussion that when they’re seen coming back home Baldrick would be limping as he came into the room. It was decided that was “too gross” after the scene of the sailor asking for a shag.
I mentioned that during the recording. Not sure if it made the final edit!!
Oh, and Percy saying “Let us sit upon the floor and tell sad stories” is a paraphrase from Henry II Act 3 Scene 2 excerpted here:
“…For God’s sake let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings:
How some have been depos’d, some slain in war,
Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed,
Some poisoned by their wives, some sleeping kill’d…”