Blackadder: Season 4, Episode 6 Goodbyeee

This season was very controversial at the time as there was still people alive that fought in WW1 and people werent sure of a comedy poking fun at it.

Mr Snrub

i love that they ended it this way, a few small jokes but ultimately is paid respects to all those who gave their lives so that we could be free now, a lot of us having family members somewhere who have done just that, i cry everytime, that realism, that transition to the poppy field, the most poignant ending to comedy series ever, RIP to all those that gave their lives for us in both world wars, true heroes.

Morg106

I've seen this series so many times. Someday I may be able to watch the last episode without shedding tears. Not this time yet though. It hits hard, especially as a Brit. Wiki has it between 1.9% to 2.2% of the entire British population who died in that war (then factor in those wounded or coming out of it with PTSD). People from many allies and colonies who were born no where near Europe died too. Many other countries had a much higher rate (some above 10 percent of their entire population). It fucked an entire generation from many countries. The fact they didn't sugar coat it at the end is one of the things that makes "Blackadder goes forth" a true classic. It's November 11th tomorrow, at 11 am it'll be exactly 103 years since the war ended ( I can't believe I didn't think of that when I started watching your reactions today!)

Neil Carleton

LOL it was rough man.

After Work Reactions

I'm pretty robotic when it comes to emotional scenes in TV/film but dude that ending makes me WEEP everytime!

Sam Reeves

As a matter of fact I just found the documentary on YouTube https://youtu.be/yi2bX2u5HpA check it out if you feel inclined.

Ferris Booyaa

This ending gets me every time. There is a behind the scenes styled documentary commissioned by BBC about the making of blackadder and it takes you from the first season right to the end and really gives you such insight into making of and the historical context of the show. That very last bit with the end credits is a tulip field in Europe that was the sight of the part of the western front line trenches. When I was doing history in secondary school they included the drinks cabinet line from blackadder in the textbooks as it best illustrated the pointlessness of the war. A fantastic show all round.

Ferris Booyaa

I agree man it was a heavy episode but a great ending.

After Work Reactions

A funny but very emotional episode and really make it feel final. When I was a kid I always thought blackadder was being stupid ignoring possibly baldriks most cunning plan...Bmbut I also heard that Ben Elton would've possibly been disowned by some family if he decided to make it a joke at the end and all was well..as sadly the reality of war is there are no winners or losers only loss.

Martin

I can see why bud this is an intense episode!

After Work Reactions

Still remember watching this when it first aired as a kid, I must have been about 7. I remember it made me cry. My first real appreciation of the ramifications of war.

Gyle

Thanks bud!

After Work Reactions

Don't forget "Blackadder Back and Forth". It's set in the present-day but him and Baldrick time travel and cause all kinds of shit. It's a one-off episode made in 1999 :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzHn2H2V8N4

Jack Morgan

A lot of people have a lot of theories, history is never 100 percent accurate and the slightest things change the game. I wish people put less stock in history, treat it as fiction and move on... I'm so bored of people being born today who become angry over things that happened 100+ years ago. I mean in Luton were had Muslims against the Crusades awhile back.... who cares? Stop being angry.

WWI is generally considered an avoidable and extremely brutal war. The revolutionary technologies (planes, tanks, machine guns, etc.) resulted in the greatest loss of life of any war up until that point I believe. War had always been romanticised, visions of charging across European landscapes, fighting with swords, muskets or pistols, in service of your country, but trench warfare 'changed the game'. Teenage boys left to rot in the mud until they were obliterated by shelling or their inept generals sent them out to get cut down by machineguns in a futile effort to gain a few metres of land. There is also a cultural turning point for Britain at the start of the 20th century. Throughout the show, George represents that naive and sheltered upper-class Brit, brought up with the tales of the glorious British Empire, and thinks war is like the jolly games he played at university. Blackadder is the jaded soldier who has glimpsed behind the curtain of colonial Britain. There's a well-known poem called 'Dulce et Decorum est' by Wilfred Owen, a young soldier in WWI - it's only 200 words long, definitely google it. It describes the horrific reality of trench warfare, and how the citizens are sold a lie about how sweet and honourable it is to die for your country. Owen sadly died exactly one week before the end of the war, his mother receiving a telegram of his death as the church bells rang in celebration of Armistice Day.

Michael Leighton's Karl Pilkington Animations

LOL I agree man the last few minutes were tense. Such a great ending man I really enjoyed this show a whole lot.

After Work Reactions

Thanks for sharing the picture man!

After Work Reactions

Very true man, that ending was very unexpected but they did a great job. Thanks man, I will probably still add season 1 to a poll because some have asked but most people did not want to watch it.

After Work Reactions

Thanks bud I will check that out for sure!

After Work Reactions

I will be adding the other season to a poll at some point for you all to vote on.

After Work Reactions

That is interesting man, thanks for sharing =]

After Work Reactions

What was Baldrick's cunning plan? I imagine it was to step on the nasty splinter so you'd hurt yourself and be unable to climb over. The way the dialogue leaves us to desperately think of a way for them to get out of the situation, a pregnant gap where Baldrick would otherwise explain his crazy plan, but this time left conspicuously absent. Builds tension, but without a comic release, just the release of death.

𝙶𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚗

I had a relative fight and die in Ypres. Visiting that place was one of the best decisions I made

Magnet Hand

I think the point of keeping it heavy is that in Europe in the 80's we still had many living veterans. It was quite a controversial series when it came out because that particular war had been so bloody, because it had caused so much death. I would like to recommend, perhaps for a reaction, perhaps for your own time, a film released a couple of years back by Peter Jackson called They Shall Not Grow Old, where all of this ancient footage is restored with AI then colourised. It's absolutely incredible how the war is brought to life. Also, Dan Carlin's hardcore history - the WW1 series is so well brought to life. As for this episode, it never used to do a lot for me because WW1 seemed so remote. The footage was always grainy and jerky. I got that it was sad at the end but it never got that kind of response. Knowing what I know now about just how senseless the killing was, just how it was industrial scale death of an entire generation of young men. That and when doing my family tree, seeing my Great Grandad's brothers who went to war, one in Ypres, the other in Gallipoli. They lasted days. I mean, it must have just been like: - Basic training - Shipped out - Have a couple of laughs with other soldiers - Dead

Ian Webster

The only thing I can think of in comedy that is comparable is Grandad's 'Heroes Fit for Homes' speech in OF&H. This is my Great Grandad, Ernest James Shorey: https://www.everyoneremembered.org/profiles/soldier/1647021/

Keith Pratt

Doesn't matter how many times I watch this one I'm always hoping Blackadder will manage to get out before they go over the top

Dave Barratt

One of the best finales ever. I love when a comedy can make you feel big emotions suddenly. The Office did it too. It's a genius maneuver. "First you make them laugh then you make them cry". It produces an exceptionally memorable experience for the viewer. By the way, I agree with your decision not to watch S1. It's a totally different show and I don't think you'll like it. Move on I say. But the specials are def worth watching.

ArtVandalHey!

I believe it is poppies over here as well. Veterans hand out little fake red flower around 4th of July and Memorial day I am pretty sure they are poppies.

After Work Reactions

That is awesome man, I used to record a bunch of stuff on tapes lol

After Work Reactions

I was totally caught off guard! It was a great episode and an awesome ending. I have to read up more about WW1 but yes it was very sad.

After Work Reactions

I agree man they did a great job. The ending was for sure super surprising.

After Work Reactions

I totally agree with everything you said bud. They did an amazing job with this episode and it was totally unexpected.

After Work Reactions

Wow man that is sad. I will have to read up more on WW1 I don't know a ton about it. In school here they teach more about WW2 about the Holocaust and Pearl Harbor.

After Work Reactions

I can understand why man it was a great finale! I am bummed it is over but I did enjoy it a whole lot and look forward to the next show =]

After Work Reactions

Awesome bud I will check that out!

After Work Reactions

LOL I am bummed it is over as well =/

After Work Reactions

https://youtu.be/MzXpOjegSrk if you ever want to see how they came to create the last scene. I think there was some debate about it amongst them about what they should do. And i think being too lighthearted wouldn't have gone down as well as this did.

Michael

This was a great last episode man they did a really great job with it. Thanks for the info bud I didn't know about that about the poppy fields. Thanks bud I enjoyed watching this along with you all.

After Work Reactions

That is interesting man thanks for sharing!

After Work Reactions

That is awesome bud, I really enjoyed this show a whole lot!

After Work Reactions

I agree man they did a great job on this last episode,

After Work Reactions

Personally it would do my head in knowing theres another series out there and im not going to watch it crazy decision but 🤷‍♂️oh well. As you said this war is real theres no point putting a joke at the end sometimes even a comedy series has to be real.great reaction of these series and i hope in the future you change your mind about series 1.

King parrott

Thanks bud I will for sure add it to a poll so you all can vote for it if you like. I agree man they did a good job with costumes and set design!

After Work Reactions

I seem to remember an interview with Rowan Atkinson where he is asked about the ending. He and the writers were worried that a comedy about the First World War would face a backlash from the public. (When the show was released, there were still many surviving veterans of that war). So they decided to have a serious ending so that no one would accuse them of making light of tragedy. As it happened, there was no such backlash even before the final episode aired. But that was the rationale. I think the interview may have been in the special features of the DVD collection.

Pnyx

I think they couldn’t really treat the ending of this in a slapstick or comical way because it related to an era that was still within living memory at the time of broadcast. I think it sort of works quite well, fading to the same field in modern times as a poppy field. I don’t know if the US actor John Wayne is a bit before your time (used to star in a lot of westerns in the 50’s & 60’s). Would you believe it if I said he once pushed Baldrick in the River Thames ? 😃 https://youtu.be/31nbTYePtaY

Gary Tamblyn

Wonderful reaction. I really hope series 1 wins a poll one day. It's mad, the amount of people that give it such bad press. It wasn't a bad series, just different. Baldrick was actually the clever one, and Blackadder played the dimmer character. And of course, it had the formidable Brian Blessed who played... Well, Brian Blessed, really!🤣 the set design and costumes were also pretty on-point and accurate, being set in the late medieval period.

Jack Nicholas

That 'Good luck everyone' floors me. As much as they annoy him, they're still his friends.

ALW

As a comedy I think it does a better job than a documentary to appreciate the people who died. Imperfect people sent too a horrible fate

Tuts Tut

I have to reiterate what Ed said a few comments up. This show especially this episode was always special to me ever since I saw it as a kid. Love the reactions Josh thank you so much

Magnet Hand

Essentially every tiny village and town in the UK has some sort of memorial to their dead of the First World War, it impacted the country and national psyche so heavily I don’t think there’s any other way they could have ended this.

Kieran B

It's a really tough line to walk too. Too many shifts in tone and it doesn't sit right. This one is just perfect. Especially George's painful honesty - 'I'm scared'. It reminds me a little of David Brent telling Finchy to 'fuck off'. A shift in tone that reveals a side of the guy we hadn't seen. Although Brent's moment was happy and this is not.

Saul

I never fail to shed tears at the end of this episode. Blackadder is my favourite British sitcom, I love all the characters and the writing is brilliant throughout. This episode is so poignantly written to honour the time and situation of the war that this season is set in. The slow fade to the silent fields of poppies depicting the same field of battle years later is heartbreaking. We say goodbye to the characters we've loved and laughed at through so many ridiculous situations in a completely unexpected turn. The poppy is Britains symbol for remembrance day (Veterans day in the US), poppies grew in the same fields after the war and is our way to remember the fallen. I think it would have been wrong to end the show on a lighter note as it would have been disrespectful to the soldiers this season was all about. It's a truly iconic and perfect ending to a masterpiece. Thank you for reacting to the show Josh, its always great to laugh along with you.

Ed

I always think these serious moments hit that much harder in comedy series. You're used to everything being turned into a joke, and having little to no consequences, so when it doesn't, it really emphasises the tragedy.

Eddy

Do a link then.

Man that ending. Perfect and devastating. The way Blackadder says good luck to everyone at the end really gets to me. The theme tune over the shots of the poppy field as well :( Jesus.

BelladonnicHazeyJaneII

I was 9 years old when this episode first aired and I cried like a baby at the time. Just want to echo what someone said about the Poppy field at the end. Not sure if it has any symbolism in the US but in the UK we all buy a poppy every year which we wear to honour everyone who has died in war and makes that last image even more powerful. The fact it ended the series made it all the more sadder

Steve King

Good idea about that clip. and following on from that, It's worth watching this one too which shows how Mitchell and Webb actually ended their sketch show... https://youtu.be/OV3NGcdtKMg

Not sure if I should bring this up as not to spoil your moment of knowing it was a deep and conflicting end of season 4 (amazing none the less) but there is a behind the scene footage of the original ending of series 4 which can be found on YouTube.

James Shuker

The part that gets me is the manner in which Blackadder genuinely wishes everyone "good luck", after spending the entire series despising all of them. It was an acknowledgement that despite their differences, they were all genuinely decent people with their own lives. Especially the respect he showed Darling at the end, who was effectively just a mirror image of Blackadder, in that he was also essentially someone that was trying to avoid fighting and getting killed. I always thought the dynamic between Blackadder and Darling was an interesting one because of that. I think the writing on this was fantastic and very respectful, in the way it didn't end the series with a joke, or leave the main characters unaffected. I think your feelings at the end reflected what most others felt, Josh.

Jay

One of the best and most iconic endings to a show ever in my opinion. It's hard to look back on Blackadder as a show without remembering this sad ending. But in a good way. It's just a perfect end to a fantastic show. We watched this episode in school history class to show the realities of the war.

Jason

It never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Incredibly Powerful poignant ending.

Fred bates

For the first time I've noticed that Geoffrey Palmer who plays Field Marshal Haig is introduced not as a special guest but as a special brass hat (I think a play on the word ass hat).

Christopher Horner

He's a Field Marshall and he wants his sausages! My parents recorded this series on VHS, and wrote the episode titles on the label, but forgot to write episode 6 on it. After years of rewatching eps 1-5, I randomly left the video playing and stumbled across the finale. I was about 10 years old and the ending shook me to my core! (Although Baldrick's barista skills is a series highlight for me!)

David Lyons

Echo all the comments above, They have emphasised and played a tribute to the millions of Soldiers lives thrown away at the command of upper class generals, half of the jokes around Melchard and Haigue being mad are a bit tongue in cheek as they have since been heavily criticized for there disregard of the soldiers lives. The massive loss of life holds a very profound place in our hearts, the poppy is a flower which is used every year on rememberance Sunday . November the 11th. The fields where these battles were fought were so chewed up,nothing grew post war for quite a while, except for the poppy which is really hardy. So the fields of poppy’s that grew over these battle fields are a symbol of the blood that was spilled the millions of young lives, but also new life. The poppy now is a symbol of rememberance day, the cut to the poppy fields and the mood is to remind us of all these young men and that in actual fact the wasted lives is a serious counterpoint. Lest we ever forget

Mike Doel

I personally think the ending was to honour the fallen. Make that loss another memory. From what google tells me this episode aired just over a week before Remembrance Day. Makes sense when it’s put that way. And as soon as he mentioned 1917 I just knew they were going to perish. This was my first time watching this along with you.

Austyn Shaw

Your reaction to the ending was just like mine bro. I felt stunned, hollow and empty that these characters we've been enjoying for so long were just senselessly massacred with no punch line or after-joke. The nature of WW1, and the art it has inspired as being a truly horrific and largely pointless event still makes one think.

Kit Taylor

That scene is probably the main reason Blackadder has stood the test of time. As poignant as comedy gets and a meaninful send off to the cast and a good reminder at how disgusting WWI was. The entire episode fills me we unease these days, like the anxiety you get before a test result or exam. Gallows humour at it's finest.

Spooony

yeah kinda salty that people encouraged him not to watch S1 at all :D - totally get skipping it when you're just starting the show but S1's still good in its own way and has a few of my favourite jokes / scenes out the whole thing.

lemmy101

The final few minutes really do hammer home the senseless futility of some of the tactics used in the First World War - or war in general. Brilliantly written, acted and put together...does really hammer home how many young men lost their lives for no real reason, and most would’ve known it before it happened. Galling

Oliver Inwards

That ending never fails to utterly floor me emotionally. To keep up the comedy like that to the very last minute, then a couple of lines where they use pathos to truly remind us of the reality of the situation, "I'm scared, sir." and "who'd have noticed another madman around here?" .... ....and then over the top to the slowed down and mournful piano rendition of the Blackadder theme....and then the fade to the poppy fields. Beyond stunning. Utterly devastating. Indeed, after the quips and japes and silliness, the sheer and prevailing folly of war and its dire consequences is the final note they leave it on. And rightly so.

Ash Jeffries

As background, my mother never knew her grandfathers as they both died as young men in the 1st World War, one in the Somme aged 19 and one in Ypres aged 25. So many young men died in that war for no good reason whatsoever. It is one of the many sad events of history.

Jake Cross

I feel that final scene pretty much cemented Blackadder in the minds of many Brits as one of the finest TV programmes ever made, let alone a comedy. A huge chunk of it's reputation (all series) rests on that single scene.

BertFredStan

There’s a clip from one of the Blackadder documentaries about how the final scene came together, it’s on YouTube and worth a watch https://youtu.be/MzXpOjegSrk

Kieran B

U need to check out series 1 next it's s different vibe but still funny

Stu 79

Thought I'd check in to see if this was here yet... gonna save it for later. Were you expecting an ending like that Josh? did anyone even give away there was something specifically notable about this episode that made you anticipate it? EDIT: By the way Josh, now that you've watched this episode, I think it's safe to recommend this Mitchell & Webb sketch you might enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhBuCcNjan0 (Not overly hilarious but hey, it means something for sketches like this to have references you now understand!)

Ben

An end to a great series, I’m not gonna cry 😂

Pete Reid