h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Why is this my favourite episode? Probably because it uses the core characters in their best roles to their full potential without relying on outside characters for plot development.

Possibly because it has the best opening lines on any episode:

Blackadder: Baldrick, what are you doing?

Baldrick: Carving my name on this bullet, sir.

Blackadder:...

Baldrick: You know how they say somewhere there's a bullet with your name on it.

Blackadder: Yes?

Baldrick: I though if I owned I wouldn't get hurt by it 'cos I'd never shoot myself.

Blackadder: More's the pity.

Baldrick: And the chances of there being two bullets with my name on are very small indeed.

Blackadder: It's not the only thing that's very small indeed. you brain, for example, is so small that if a hungry cannibal cracked your head open there wouldn't be enough inside to cover a small water biscuit.

...And so on.

The beauty is the dialogue. How it entertains, reveals character and setting seemingly effortlessly. Within moments of Baldrick drawing breath we know he's totally naive and stupid while Blackadder is bored and cynical about the whole state of affairs. Within a few minutes we're introduced to George - an improvement on the Hugh Laurie's role in Blackadder III. Soon we're introduced to Melchett with his booming grunt of approval and Captain Darling, in a sense Blackadder's nemesis, and a completely different character to Tim McInnerny's role in Blackadder II. Captain Darling's role helps to balance the characters and he's not mad or stupid, and like Blackadder an immense coward. This means that Blackadder isn't the only bright spark in the cast and Darling is a real threat, which Blackadder hasn't had to deal with in a regular line up in the previous series. After all it's Baldrick and George who are the stupid ones, stupidity, stupidity, stupidy in the whole stupidiness.

And why is Blackadder great? Memorable characters, certainly. But best of all quotablility. You can take a bit of Blackadder with you. Share thoughts and philosophy down the pub. Relive good times. All due to quotability.

Though maybe there were a few more armament factories and a few less elephants.

Yeah, my fav is CC as well, not that many ppl think thats the best but i think that its just soo funny! i know all the words from watching the video (i've only watched very few ba's on t.v and they were repeats) the jokes about king and country and toilet paper just make me laugh for days!! The whole program is fanastic but i probably watch the 4th more than the others. What about you? i really like Tims role as Darling, i just think the chemistry between him and blkackadder is great, i meen he breaks his pencil/pen whenever black comes in the room!! even before the first line of the program we can see blacks character though, in his expression, he's hillarious!!

I agree with all of that. I've probably seen the 4th the most as well.

It's a damn good episode, I'll give you that. But for an opening, you can't possibly beat "teaching Baldrick counting" from the beginning of "Head".

"Baldrick, the ape creatures of the Indus have mastered this."