The "slow motion" ending all happened very last minute. The crew thought the final take wasn't going to be any use, it was only "in post" someone had the most brilliant idea for that incredible ending, to slow it down to a freeze and fade to a field of poppies. Just absolutely brilliant.
My Grand Pa was there Shooting at Hitler when Adolph was a Message Runner Grand Pa got Wounded by Mustard Gas and got to go to Egypt to Recover when Lawrence of Arabia was in Egypt. Most Guys were Killed in the first 50 Yards , One Attack after another until Britain let Canada and Aussie Run the Attacks and The Germans were Freaking when They Heard the Americans were Joining the Canucks. They Surrendered not Long After.
Yes it still sends a shiver down my spine. When this was first shown, it was shocking way to end, considering the comedy aspect of the show. It was so emotional. its not something I ever forgot. Even now, seeing that field still brings a chill to my body. its often stated that filming of this scene performed as normal, but it didnt really work. When someone slowed it down, it gave everyone a kick in the stomach to watch it. Thus a perfect, but sad way to end the show.
I too remember watching this first time it was aired. I remember thinking Blackadder will find a way out of it but it gradually becomes clear that there really is no escape. Heartbreaking. The final cunning plan from Baldrick that we never get to hear and the line from Blackadder about noticing another mad man around here were so absolutely on point..
The finest piece of television ever made. Anyone interested should look up the scramble to save the ending, and how this famous ending occurred it’s quite a story
We saw Tony Robinson at a book / Q&A event a few years ago and he explained how the foam scenery was impossible to run on and that could have scuppered the final take as they were flailing all over the place, but it worked out perfectly because they slowed it down so them losing their footing looked more realistic. I show this episode most years when we cover WW1 in my lessons, and it’s still so moving ❤
The scene was recorded at the end of a long days filming. The cast were p1ssed off and wanted to get away. As they went over the top, the explosive device was far more effective than they expected and Rowan Atkinson who was closet to it gor really angry and had a hissy fit saying that was it and he would not do a retake. The footage was passed to the editorial team with see what you can do with this. The decision to slow the footage and overlay the music, the commensurate slow speed and fade to poppy fields was pure genius and a piece of television legend was born.
Every time I see this masterpiece it brings tears to my eyes.I''m 92 and my mothers' youngest brother died in the 14-18 war . He was only sixteen, lied about his age.
The futility of that war, I'm 70 and my grandad was in WWI, he told my dad that they couldn't understand why they were fighting with a country that they had no ill feelings for. He was a Royal Navy gunner attached to a British merchant ship sailing to America for supplies, his ship was torpedoed by a U-boat and as the ship was sinking he literally stuck to his guns and kept on firing at the U-boat and then jumped overboard to a lifeboat. He was awarded a considerable amount of money for his bravery, but in the telegram I have, there is no mention of a medal. Like most heros (in my eyes) he was a quiet hard working man but modest. RIP Grandad!
@@brythonicman3267 Yes futile is precisely the word, and endlessly criminal. Macho sabre rattling that resulted in pointless slaughter and misery and paved the way for WW2 and the Holocausts, the unessecary murderous destuction in Japan and the ultimate destruction that now hangs over all of us like Damocles sword, and of course the iron curtain and the misery in Eastern Europe leading us to now. The 'gift' that keeps on giving...
@@brythonicman3267this is very interesting, thank you for sharing! This does align with what I seem to know about British opinion of European nations at the time, Germany was seen as a cousin (quite literally for the royal family) and France was still viewed with some suspicion (in the Crimean war 50 years earlier, where the French were on our side, some English generals still referred to France as “the enemy”) it was only the politicians that had a problem with Germany, for building too many boats and threatening to beat France easily and have control over the whole of northern Europe’s coast. I guess this is why we had to wait for Belgium to be attacked to join, otherwise the common person would not see a justification for war. We do criticise Chamberlain for his inaction against Hitler in the 1930s, but if we had seen, like he did, millions die for minimal land gain, with millions more coming back injured and shell-shocked, for no real reason except international disagreements, you would hesitate to do it again so soon RIP your grandad, hope you and your family are doing alright
That's interesting. I am 68 and my grandfather was born in 1898, and he also lied to the recruiting sergeant about his age. He spent 4 years on the Western Front, but never spoke about it ever again after being discharged in 1918. Only once did he mention to me the war, was when he showed me the tin that was sent by the King on Christmas day to all the troops. Each tin had a chocolate bar inside. It was then I asked my grandfather how bad was it in the war, he simply replied that it would be too shocking to explain. And that was all he said.
I always think it's a really interesting little bit of writing. Captain Darling has been a pretty one-dimensional character the whole time, and then in a single line, he's got a job, a hobby and a girlfriend back home. And the delivery tells us that he know he won't ever see any of them again.
And how Blackadder calls him captain and even seems to take his hat off when he comes in is a change as well. The physical acting is wonderful too, he says so much with his awkward stance in his oversized coat.
His girlfriend is briefly mentioned (albeit in a moment of hysteria) in the last episode, "General Hospital", when Blackadder interrogates him on false charges of being a spy. Nonetheless, I more or less agree: he has existed primarily as a foil for and rival of Blackadder, which, though worthy of note as a role in and of itself, hasn't given him much of a personality, other than one who could make snide remarks in a similar way to him. In the scene where he pleads with the General not to send him away, though, it becomes clear that he is also identical to Blackadder in terms of using his position to try to stay away the frontlines. When he finally arrives in the trench, he and Blackadder are united in their sense of danger and are no longer able to make jibes at each other.
@@Extra_050 It's almost brotherly banter. And when the chips are down... Well you may or may not not like your siblings but in that moment you stand with them.
The bit that always gets me is Hugh Laurie saying "Sir? I'm.....scared, Sir". Up till that point throughout all of the series, he'd always been a bit of a clown character, even leading up to that line, he's all "Hoorah! We'll be sucking sausages in Berlin by tea time", but then he just suddenly comes out with the "Sir, I'm scared, Sir" line, and in a split second, it gets very 'real'. The comedy just evaporates from that scene and the mood dramatically changes. Suddenly you feel immensely sad and scared for these characters. You know that these are their final moments, and they're suddenly realizing it too. Absolutely masterful acting and writing.
For me this has to be one of the most emotional endings to a series ever. We had laughed along with the characters and knew what what happened to them and regrettably, so many others in real life without a word needing to be said. I remember that when this was released the actors and crew were worried that they might offend First World War veterans who were still alive. As it turned out they had nothing but thanks from them. The veterans had started to feel that they were being forgotten and fortunately this wasn't the case.
I remember watching the whole series as part of our history class in School, and along with it there was a recorded interview from a WW1 veteran about it. And he said, to paraphrase my fading memories of 1994, If they hadn't ended the series in the way they did, it would have been insulting. But by ending it that way, it became respectful.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.
I've always found Captain Darlings plaintive "keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen......marry Doris....." particularly affecting in this magnificent piece of TV. It's almost never mentioned in discussion, but in that moment one of the hate figures of the show, a man who even has a joke name, becomes a human being who just wants to go home, play Cricket and marry his sweetheart.
Yes - I remember watching it and being left speechless and devastated. And tbh this was more effective than any poppy appeal- it was tragic. All war is tragic. All war is wrong ------
My Great Uncle and namesake "Robbie" died at the Somme,1916. He was 26,and was a professional soldier.His daughter lived to over 100 years old. My Nan spoke about her big brother until she died in 1986. I have postcards from him to my Nan. Addressed "Somewhere in France" Lest we forget! ❤
Blackadder stopping to wish everyone good luck is such a deep contrast to how he usually resents being stuck with George, Baldrick and Darling, and it's perfect.
I think most people remember the first time they watched this. I still can’t get through it without crying. Beautifully made. One of the greatest moments of British television for me.
First time I ever saw it, I was 14 studying WW1 for history. Our teacher put this episode on to really bring home what the trenches and 'going over the top' was like. We were laughing at the jokes until this bit, and anyone can tell you it's rare to get a classroom full of young teens to sit and be quiet, but we were all stunned. Then in our GCSE class when I was 16, we were shown the beach landing scene from Saving Private Ryan. I never watched the full movie after that.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
The final scene is so moving. It's a moment of truth. The trenches were there. People fought and died. The land recovered and poppies grew. Birds sang. But the finest of many nations fought and died, laying down their lives. Everything now grassed over or rebuilt like it never happened. I really appreciate they made a very funny comedy but the last scene at the end was a special moment of remembrance, a recognition of all who fought and all who died. PS This was a lovely reaction.
@kevinlynott309 Well I have. After war all places heal and become normal. Cities destroyed are rebuilt, beaches used for swimming and sunbathing. There are of course monuments and graveyards. But often the countryside just grows back. Sometimes comparison photos are very moving. There's so much history underfoot.
As a brit I want you to know how much I appreciate the way you let that play out just as it did the first time it aired. Pre internet it was like the whole country stopped in silence.. the passing scene from battle field to poppy field was something you cant put into words.
I remember seeing this when it aired and literally the whole nation was in shock. We'd grown up with these characters and it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end 40 years later.
I saw this when it was first broadcast - my wife and I both cried. I’ve watched it a couple times since, and you cry again. This time, I thought seeing it on the small part of my mobile phone, would be different. But no, as soon as they went over the top again, my tears flowed. There’s never been a film or TV show that has such a powerful ending. So many lives lost, and for what? But for all those who died, or suffered so badly, we still remember them. Thanks for showing this to younger generations Connor, those men must never be forgotten. 🙏🏻
Astonishing, the fade out was almost an afterthought. No planning, no in depth analysis. The end result was so poignant that it will stand the test of time as a work of brilliance.
It's so well done with the inevitability of their fate seeping through the comedy and a reminder of what the soldiers went through and the futility of war . The ending is one of the crowning moments of British television .
Spent years in tears of laugher at all of the episodes of Blackadder, wasn’t until the last 90 seconds that I actually cried tears of sadness. Brutal ending to one of the best sitcoms of our time.😢😢
Considering just how much comedy they squeezed out of this series the last scene moved it from laughs to silence in one of the most hard hitting ways I think i've ever seen. Great writing. They even managed to make us think, if only a little bit, that they'd survive and I still remember just sitting there in silence the first time I saw it all those years ago. Still hits me when I see it now.
I'll never forget the very first time I saw this episode... You tend to assume with a comedy that they're bound to find some way to get out of it, but you could just feel the atmosphere change as the it went on, and this growing sense of dread and realisation about what's coming. It's masterful writing and acting all round. The slight quake of fear in Blackadder's voice in that final "good luck everyone" still gets me, no matter how many times I've seen it.
He is resigned to his fate, and he knows that they will all meet the same fate, and he wants his last words to his men to be the words of their captain, and not the man who took pleasure in putting them down for three years. Moving and fitting.
They all died at the end of Black Adder 1 & 2 as well (can't remember with 3). The difference with this one was that it wasn't just about a few historical characters it was about a huge chunk of an entire generation of men and they really sold that feeling well in the script and performance. When it aired is was also a war that we had great-grandparents who fought in it.
And above all, so unnecessary! England was never directly threatened by Germany when it entered the war. The worst part is that the UK and Germany had just gotten their act together and were in the process of finalizing a naval agreement and other steps towards further rapprochement. A persistent cold prevented that. And then the unthinkable happened... Or, as an American military historian once put it... "At the weekend the hour struck for the war supporters and England entered the war that ultimately ruined Britain... "
@@ruthmeb You weren't serious about your statement, were you? Violation of international law... You may remember that this age is called the age of imperialism. For the world's major powers, violating international law was like parking illegally for a driver. What did the British do immediately after the war began? They cut off German telegraph communications and established a long-distance blockade at sea. That was just as illegal under international law. Do you remember how Greece was forced into this war? The Entente fleet sailed in front of the Greek capital and threatened to bombard Athens from all barrels. And finally, an absolute blast! After the start of the armistice, when all German troops in the west had already returned home, the required ships from the German High Seas Fleet had been transferred to Scotland and interned and the German Air Force had been disbanded, the blockade continued. Before Christmas 1918, Allied troops had invaded the Rhineland and established large bridgeheads on the eastern side of the river. The result of the continued blockade was that 850,000 people starved to death in Germany until the “peace negotiations” were completed and the peace treaty was signed. The list goes on, but I will stop at this point. And you stand here and talk about international law. Where do you get this unprecedented arrogance from? In fact, the British (besides their own power-political considerations) were extremely embarrassed by the way the French and a few smaller allies conducted these peace negotiations. This was clearly expressed in a speech by the British Prime Minister at Versailles in 1919. Sir David Lloyd George said: "One may strip Germany of her colonies, reduce her army to a mere police force, and reduce her fleet to the strength of a fifth-rate power. Nevertheless, in the end, when Germany feels that she has been treated unjustly in the peace of 1919, she will find means , to compel its conquerors to make restitution.To obtain recompense, our conditions may be severe, they may be harsh and even ruthless, but at the same time they may be so fair that the country upon which we impose them feels it in its heart have no right to complain. But injustice and arrogance, displayed in the hour of triumph, will never be forgotten nor forgiven. I can think of no stronger reason for a future war than that of the German people, who will certainly prove themselves to be one of the most vigorous and powerful tribes in the world, would be surrounded by a number of smaller states, some of which had never before been able to establish a stable government for themselves, but each of which would contain large numbers of Germans who longed for reunification with their homeland .” But that's exactly what happened in 1919...
Look on the bright side; you never saw any of them die. They went on to civilian lives and Black Adder was knighted by Elizabeth II. Baldrick set up an ostrich santuary and George became King! Darling started a dance group and Melchett won 1925 moustache of the year award.
When filmed they did 'die', but it was recorded in a studio in front of a live audience. They all fell 'dead' after running a few paces. It looked awful and the producer asked them to do it again. Rowan Atkinson stood up and told him to 'sod off' (or words to that effect). Only post-production did they fade out the audience reaction, fade in music, slow everything down and then add the poppy fields. Truly inspired. (See the extras on the DVD boxed set for the full story.)
We are glad you watched to the very end, because the fade into the post war scene of mass Poppies, is based on reality, and the reason we use that wild flower on rememberance day.
For all reading this: the Blackadder Goes Forth finale has been SO resonant with British audiences since broadcast, as it touches a very sentimental nerve in terms of utmost respect for the fallen, whilst wrapped in humour and recognition of the horror. For non-UK viewers, it's important to recognise that this is highly respected as a testament to the follies of war. Side note: IR Realist here...
I grew up on Blackadder and this ending never fails to reduce me to tears. Not just an hilarious comedy programme but ultimately a respectfully handled tribute to those who gave their lives. That ending was a sucker punch to the gut, and reminds you that there are areas of France that are de facto graveyards. They are still finding bodies, even 105 years later.
Viewers from outside of the Commonwealth may not appreciate the symbolic significance of the poppies growing over the former battlefields, a red paper poppy is worn to remember the fallen each November, culminating in Remembrance Sunday a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life: on November 11th at 11am we have two minutes silence, when the whole country basically stops, this is usually repeated on Remembrance Sunday st war memorials all over the UK. I remember watching the original last episode and others have said, it was an emotional experience.
So sad now that our Service of Remembrance can be disrespected in ways those wonderful people would not understand and those of us who mourn our dead that day have to defend the poppy and it's meaning. The poignancy in the fading is far more effective than anything else I have seen. Bitter tears indeed.
I remember so well watching this when it first was broadcast. I was totally stunned. I started to sob and cried for about 10 minutes. I still get teary when I watch it now. Not only do I cry for the characters but also for all those who lost their life in that war. Such a waste. BTW it was a junior assistant who came up with the idea of putting the picture of the field of poppies at the end. They were talking about it and how to end it. They just didn't want to end it with the guys dying. She ran upstairs to the film library and got the picture and showed it to them. They knew it was perfect.
The first time they were to be shown being killed, but they all dropped & the set moved, so they set up a different ending, one which turned out far more powerfully. It's not just the poppies, but the song of the skylarks, you hear them on the WW1 battlefields to this day (as well as in the UK countryside).
It's the juxtaposition of the comedy and the tragedy that makes this one of the finest scenes ever shown and witnessed. What's even worse for oldies like me, I remember, as a child, the veterans who came home from this slaughter. Still get upset every Rememberance Sunday for all those who had to leave us so young. God bless them all 🌺 Lest We Forget
I believe I may have already mentioned, my Grt Uncle died on the opening day of the battle of the Somme. Private Charles Wicks, he was 18....Researching your family tree can and does bring many stories of those who fought and died during the wars....So this episode is very special to many of the British public.
It was special, watched all of Blackadder when they first came out. This was a fitting, moving climax. Comedy genius and total class. Nice to have shared. God bless.
That last shot of the smoke clearing and a field of poppies taking it's place says everything about why this flower is used in our Remembrance Day tributes to the fallen.
It's just the way Capt Darling trails off as he says "marry Doris...". Gets me every time 😭 I think when you watch all the series back-to-back it really hits home. Like, you follow these families down the generations as they laugh, love and cry, and there's something eternal about the bloodlines... and then it all comes to a sudden halt in this episode. I know there was a couple of specials made after this, but I wished they never did any set in the years since WW1 because this episode had a kind of finality to it which was the reality for many families at the time.
There was talk a few years ago about a swinging 60s Blackadder. Where Baldrick was going to be a hippy called Bald Rick, but that ended up being only talk.
@@Tommy-he7dx Yes I remember that being said, thank you for reminding me! Don't get me wrong I did like the specials (including Back & Forth) but I just felt the finality of this episode was a bit... sacred.
The tension in the episode just ramps up until the end in which everything suddenly comes into sharp focus, the seemingly unnecessary sacrifice of life which was WW1. As an ex serviceman, I was stationed in Saudi Arabia in 1994 during joint operations with the French and US Air Force personnel. We had an old VCR boxset of the whole series of Blackadder Goes Forth and it was as popular with the US airmen as it was with us Brits.
I haven't seen this for many years and remember this incredible ending. I was in floods of tears then and I am in floods of tears now. We have just had our Remembrance Day here in the UK and it is always a very emotional time.I am now 75 years old and my dad fought in the Second world war. Luckily he survived but I was brought up to respect all the people who didn't , and never forget what they sacrificed for us. Thank you for sharing this and I think everyone should watch and remember.Take care....
My great uncle died in the trenches in WW1. I have letters written to my grandmother from him in the trenches.My father was a POW for 5 years in WW2. My mother, her sisters and brother all served in the Forces. We should never forget.
The slo-mo and final fade was improvised not scripted as the actors wouldn't do another take after the terrifying pyrotechnics. It remains the finest close of any comedy or drama from the BBC. If you want a take on the genuine humour arising from soldiers in WWI, try the TV movie 'The Wipers Times' about the satirical newspaper written from the West Front trenches. The script was written by Ian Hislop (Private Eye editor and Have I Got News for You team captain) and Nick Newman (satirical cartoonist) and the film includes Monty Python's Michael Palin in a supporting role as the General who stops it being censored. The story is presented as a drama and pulls no punches about the Great War, which makes the events all the more extraordinary.
My father's oldest brother Charles, my auncle who I never knew was killed in 1916 on the Somme. Every rememebernce day I place a cross and poppy on our village war memorial for him. When we stand in silence I think of him and what he endured and his poor family on hearing of his death. I always cry for them all when I watch this last episode.
I remember seeing this ending at the time... Astounding to end a comedy series with this... words fail me. I'll never forget this series, and much more importantly never forget the debt we owe to those represented by that field of poppies. We shall remember them.
This was a great reaction, You handled it well. On a lighter side there are Two Blackadder specials that came out after, Blackadder`s Christmas carol and Back and forth.
The Christmas Carol often gets blocked, but it probably the better of the two specials. it just reeks of blackadder! I have never forgotten the line, "What about my poor Tiny Tom!"
The final episode was transmitted on 2nd November, the week before Rememberence Sunday, and lookout for the documentary about the whole show, especially where Tim McInerny says they didn't know what the final shot was going to be (wasn't decided until editing was finished) and when he watched the episode for the first time, he cried at the end 😢
For a long time here in Australia the perception of Field Marshal Haig was as a callous buffoon, but as I am now the age of many of those generals struggling to keep up with changing technology I'm not so confident I would have done any better. Also reading Rolland Perry 's biography of General Monash, the commander of Australia's army in France, Haig came to see him the day after the battle of Amiens on 1918 Haig stood in front of the senior officers and said "You Australian and Canadians don't really know what you have done for us...." but he couldn't continue he was so emotional that he broke down and started sobbing.
Put it this way. The allies had no other way of winning but attack. The Germans had to do nothing but defend(which is why there trenches had a high concentration of concrete. Attacking an entrenched position is always costly. The British army had only recently had a huge recruitment drive going from a small experienced army to a huge volunteer army, although most people know about pals battalions,what isn't generally known is that Training was very hit and miss(lack of rifles meant some had never handle one in training, lack of surviving experienced men could mean Training was poor,etc). Haig had only taken over from French approx 6 months before,he had gone from leading 100,000 men(approx), that he could see and command to millions on hundreds of miles of trenches with no modern communications,phones when they worked, runners and carrier pigeons. The Somme was meant to be a joint operation between British and French troops, but due to Verdun was required to take a far larger part than originally planned. Britain,as the junior partner,also had to show it was willing and able to fight. Despite appearance,it was not a static war. Ideas were tried,pored over,lessons attempted to learn,tactics evolved. It was Haig that promoted for the tank and brought it in before it was really ready. Of course than you have to invent tank tactics,etc. after the war Haig created the British legion and was it's first chief,it has continued to look after Brit veterans ever since, if you look at Haig's funeral you will probably see far better how Haig was viewed by the soldiers under his command. Sorry for length
It is an amazingly profound and emotional ending to one the best sitcoms ever made. I remember sitting in silence for a while the first time I saw it because of the effect it had.
I watched this series when first broadcast. We were left quite stunned as it faded to the poppy field. Brings tears to my eyes each time now. My Grandma's only brother was 'lost on the Somme' in 1916. No known grave.
I watched this while serving as part of the British Army Of the Rhine when it first came out. We loved it and watched it over and over again, the jokes and terminology wound it’s way into our everyday chat. Even now we quote it to each other on a daily basis on social media.
I toured across the Somme region last year on my bike. Went to all manner of museums and wartime graveyards. This scene hits me even harder now, amongst all the satire and funny moments, it's truly a horrific human tragedy. So many kids (and they were kids) sent over to fight a pointless war, betrayed by their leaders with promises of 'glory' and 'honour'. Leaves me with a massive lump in my throat every time I see it, if not straight up crying.
I must have seen this last episode over 50 times and it makes me cry every time...great Characters who you’ve grown to love over many years of Blackadder...brilliant acting, directing, production x
I remember watching this episode when it came out on the BBC. I was probably too young for it to really hit as hard as it did for my parents and the previous generation. As I grew up and rewatched all the Blackadders, when I was mature enough to contemplate this ending it still hit just as hard, even now, watching you watching it, I still feel its impact. And this is from a slapstick, dry humoured British comedy show that is decades old. Its incredible.
I've seen this countless times and the ending always breaks me. It's such an amazing series and the finale has not been topped since. Good effort from you for not being in tears.
This always brings tears to my eyes. This is one of the most powerful pieces of television you will ever see. The First World War has left a permanent imprint on the people of Europe, not least in the UK. When I was 15, my first weekend job was working in a hospital geriatric ward where about 20 veterans of WW1 lived permanently. They had lived their lives suffering from the effects of gas and awful wounds but old age had worsened the effect these had on the old soldiers. I was not much young than most of them when they signed up as volunteers to fight for King and Country, but I was an ignorant, self-centred teenager - what did I know? They were so kind and open with me, ready to talk and show me their medals if I asked. One man I particularly remember, Bill Ayling. He told me he had lied about his age when he signed up. I assumed he had said he was older than he really was, as so many did. " No Boy!" was his answer, "I was TOO OLD!" This mad had been over 40 in 1914, had fought in the Boer War and had volunteered again when his country needed him. They had a big impact on me and my life and I will never forget them or cease to be grateful that I knew them. As a side point, did you know there are fourteen parishes in the UK where not single man died in WW1 or WW2. Just fourteen. These places were called Thankful or Blessed Villages. In every city, town, village and hamlet you will see war memorials to these lost generations.
It's a timeless comedy and moving at the end. The bit at the end all of the cast were asked if they wanted to re-film that scene and all said "no" just because what they filmed was spot on because the real soldiers went over just the once so it made it even more moving for the cast!! Great series 👍🏻
There was a series made a few years ago celebrating The Blackadder, interviews with the cast and how certain scenes came to be. That last iconic fade out scene wasn't actually written in the script. The reason behind it was quite accidental but necessary, and it could never have been bettered. ❤
Was a teenager when this aired, you followed the larks, laughs and japes until the last 5 minutes when Darling shows up, suddenly you were with them, the normal, common soldier who had to fight an imperial war for foolish generals and out dated notions of empire...in the end it all comes down to the folly of war, the futility....the pathos of that last scene haunts you and to this day it brings a lump to my throat as it did as that young boy watching it.
My grandad, who I never knew, was in the Somme after having been in Gallipoli … he came home profoundly injured, mentally and physically; the scars of his past haunted his family to this very day. This scene is profound.
This ending was so fitting for the series .... I remember watching it with my late father and both of us shedding tears, for such a brilliant comedy to pay such a wonderful tribute to the many young men who died in that dreadful conflict.
A series with such outstanding actors. Absolutely hilarious. Its beyond words... Proud to be British... An incredible ending, so emotional. Can the quality of the Blackadder series 1-4 ever be matched..? I doubt it.... Thanks for sharing.
Thank you everyone for watching along with me, such a great series. Hope everyone is doing well ♥😊😊
Great reaction Sir... it's a toss up between Blackadder or Fawlty Towers as my GOAT. A fine line between the two them in my opinion.
Please start watching Only Fools and Horses
Nobody seems to react to “The fast show. “ Really worth a look.
The "slow motion" ending all happened very last minute. The crew thought the final take wasn't going to be any use, it was only "in post" someone had the most brilliant idea for that incredible ending, to slow it down to a freeze and fade to a field of poppies.
Just absolutely brilliant.
My Grand Pa was there Shooting at Hitler when Adolph was a Message Runner
Grand Pa got Wounded by Mustard Gas and got to go to Egypt to Recover when Lawrence of Arabia was in Egypt.
Most Guys were Killed in the first 50 Yards , One Attack after another until Britain let Canada and Aussie Run the Attacks and The Germans were Freaking when They Heard the Americans were Joining the Canucks.
They Surrendered not Long After.
This is nearly 40 years old, and I have seen it countless times, but still, every time, it leaves me in tears.
Me too!
It really hits home how those guys must have felt.
This 34 years old, which is by definition a misdirection above 10%...
@@melchiorvonsternberg844 thank goodness someone pointed it out! I wasn't going to be able to sleep from worry.
@@JustMe-ks8qc You're welcome...
For everyone who saw this the first time, we were gob smacked. It was a talking point for weeks after, for a great comody to end like this, wow.
Yes it still sends a shiver down my spine. When this was first shown, it was shocking way to end, considering the comedy aspect of the show. It was so emotional. its not something I ever forgot. Even now, seeing that field still brings a chill to my body. its often stated that filming of this scene performed as normal, but it didnt really work. When someone slowed it down, it gave everyone a kick in the stomach to watch it. Thus a perfect, but sad way to end the show.
Absolutely! No one thought it would end like this. Very emotional, an excellent end to the series
The other thing I remember is that the series was criticised in the press for making light of WW1 but after this episode that criticism melted away.
Still can’t watch the end without crying.😔
I too remember watching this first time it was aired. I remember thinking Blackadder will find a way out of it but it gradually becomes clear that there really is no escape. Heartbreaking. The final cunning plan from Baldrick that we never get to hear and the line from Blackadder about noticing another mad man around here were so absolutely on point..
The finest piece of television ever made. Anyone interested should look up the scramble to save the ending, and how this famous ending occurred it’s quite a story
We saw Tony Robinson at a book / Q&A event a few years ago and he explained how the foam scenery was impossible to run on and that could have scuppered the final take as they were flailing all over the place, but it worked out perfectly because they slowed it down so them losing their footing looked more realistic. I show this episode most years when we cover WW1 in my lessons, and it’s still so moving ❤
Everyone knows. Don't be a dick because you think cleverness comes from a TV review programme.
@@vebesese5632 Why not? - you just did : )
The scene was recorded at the end of a long days filming. The cast were p1ssed off and wanted to get away. As they went over the top, the explosive device was far more effective than they expected and Rowan Atkinson who was closet to it gor really angry and had a hissy fit saying that was it and he would not do a retake. The footage was passed to the editorial team with see what you can do with this. The decision to slow the footage and overlay the music, the commensurate slow speed and fade to poppy fields was pure genius and a piece of television legend was born.
@@vebesese5632 I didn't know it - and I'm sure I'm not alone.
Every time I see this masterpiece it brings tears to my eyes.I''m 92 and my mothers' youngest brother died in the 14-18 war . He was only sixteen, lied about his age.
Bless you sir, and my best wishes to you x
The futility of that war, I'm 70 and my grandad was in WWI, he told my dad that they couldn't understand why they were fighting with a country that they had no ill feelings for. He was a Royal Navy gunner attached to a British merchant ship sailing to America for supplies, his ship was torpedoed by a U-boat and as the ship was sinking he literally stuck to his guns and kept on firing at the U-boat and then jumped overboard to a lifeboat. He was awarded a considerable amount of money for his bravery, but in the telegram I have, there is no mention of a medal. Like most heros (in my eyes) he was a quiet hard working man but modest.
RIP Grandad!
@@brythonicman3267 Yes futile is precisely the word, and endlessly criminal.
Macho sabre rattling that resulted in pointless slaughter and misery and paved the way for WW2 and the Holocausts, the unessecary murderous destuction in Japan and the ultimate destruction that now hangs over all of us like Damocles sword, and of course the iron curtain and the misery in Eastern Europe leading us to now.
The 'gift' that keeps on giving...
@@brythonicman3267this is very interesting, thank you for sharing! This does align with what I seem to know about British opinion of European nations at the time, Germany was seen as a cousin (quite literally for the royal family) and France was still viewed with some suspicion (in the Crimean war 50 years earlier, where the French were on our side, some English generals still referred to France as “the enemy”) it was only the politicians that had a problem with Germany, for building too many boats and threatening to beat France easily and have control over the whole of northern Europe’s coast. I guess this is why we had to wait for Belgium to be attacked to join, otherwise the common person would not see a justification for war.
We do criticise Chamberlain for his inaction against Hitler in the 1930s, but if we had seen, like he did, millions die for minimal land gain, with millions more coming back injured and shell-shocked, for no real reason except international disagreements, you would hesitate to do it again so soon
RIP your grandad, hope you and your family are doing alright
That's interesting. I am 68 and my grandfather was born in 1898, and he also lied to the recruiting sergeant about his age. He spent 4 years on the Western Front, but never spoke about it ever again after being discharged in 1918. Only once did he mention to me the war, was when he showed me the tin that was sent by the King on Christmas day to all the troops. Each tin had a chocolate bar inside. It was then I asked my grandfather how bad was it in the war, he simply replied that it would be too shocking to explain. And that was all he said.
I always think it's a really interesting little bit of writing. Captain Darling has been a pretty one-dimensional character the whole time, and then in a single line, he's got a job, a hobby and a girlfriend back home. And the delivery tells us that he know he won't ever see any of them again.
❤ fitting end to a sizzling series
And how Blackadder calls him captain and even seems to take his hat off when he comes in is a change as well.
The physical acting is wonderful too, he says so much with his awkward stance in his oversized coat.
The way he delivers two words "marry Doris" just makes your heart break for the guy.
His girlfriend is briefly mentioned (albeit in a moment of hysteria) in the last episode, "General Hospital", when Blackadder interrogates him on false charges of being a spy. Nonetheless, I more or less agree: he has existed primarily as a foil for and rival of Blackadder, which, though worthy of note as a role in and of itself, hasn't given him much of a personality, other than one who could make snide remarks in a similar way to him. In the scene where he pleads with the General not to send him away, though, it becomes clear that he is also identical to Blackadder in terms of using his position to try to stay away the frontlines. When he finally arrives in the trench, he and Blackadder are united in their sense of danger and are no longer able to make jibes at each other.
@@Extra_050 It's almost brotherly banter. And when the chips are down...
Well you may or may not not like your siblings but in that moment you stand with them.
The bit that always gets me is Hugh Laurie saying "Sir? I'm.....scared, Sir".
Up till that point throughout all of the series, he'd always been a bit of a clown character, even leading up to that line, he's all "Hoorah! We'll be sucking sausages in Berlin by tea time", but then he just suddenly comes out with the "Sir, I'm scared, Sir" line, and in a split second, it gets very 'real'. The comedy just evaporates from that scene and the mood dramatically changes. Suddenly you feel immensely sad and scared for these characters. You know that these are their final moments, and they're suddenly realizing it too.
Absolutely masterful acting and writing.
I remember the first time I watched it. When Darling says “We lived through it, the Great War, 1914 to 1917”, my heart sank.
Maybe the darkest joke of all time. Hilarious though!
An beautifully delivered too ... imagine that having been spoiled by "canned laughter".
@@tc5458 I think it's darker that Haig just casually sweeps his toy soldiers in the trash, as he does his enlisted troops.
@@jaycee330 I agree. It's terrifying actually.
That and his monologue
For me this has to be one of the most emotional endings to a series ever. We had laughed along with the characters and knew what what happened to them and regrettably, so many others in real life without a word needing to be said.
I remember that when this was released the actors and crew were worried that they might offend First World War veterans who were still alive. As it turned out they had nothing but thanks from them. The veterans had started to feel that they were being forgotten and fortunately this wasn't the case.
The Fast show comedy series got me too!
Towards the end, Paul Whitehouse had me gasping for air through tears! Profound relatability!
I remember watching the whole series as part of our history class in School, and along with it there was a recorded interview from a WW1 veteran about it. And he said, to paraphrase my fading memories of 1994, If they hadn't ended the series in the way they did, it would have been insulting. But by ending it that way, it became respectful.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
I've always found Captain Darlings plaintive "keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen......marry Doris....." particularly affecting in this magnificent piece of TV. It's almost never mentioned in discussion, but in that moment one of the hate figures of the show, a man who even has a joke name, becomes a human being who just wants to go home, play Cricket and marry his sweetheart.
It made me want to hold my wife close. These young men lost so much.
His reaction to being told he was going over the top was as moving as the final scene.
The ending was found by accident.....they were unsure what to do , they just slowed the final scene right down ....the results were perfect
Well said sir.
Yes, a sad way to be redeemed.
After all these years that ending is still devastating.
Yes - I remember watching it and being left speechless and devastated. And tbh this was more effective than any poppy appeal- it was tragic. All war is tragic. All war is wrong ------
Nobody can imagine the fear that those poor souls felt when instructed to go over the top…
My mother was French, and her father was killed at Verdun in 1916, like so many Frenchmen of hi s generation. She never really knew her father
My Great Uncle and namesake "Robbie" died at the Somme,1916.
He was 26,and was a professional soldier.His daughter lived to over 100 years old.
My Nan spoke about her big brother until she died in 1986.
I have postcards from him to my Nan.
Addressed "Somewhere in France"
Lest we forget! ❤
My great uncle died in WW1 in 1915. He was 20. I have a postcard and letters written yo my grandmother from the trenches. Heartbreaking.
Blackadder stopping to wish everyone good luck is such a deep contrast to how he usually resents being stuck with George, Baldrick and Darling, and it's perfect.
Rowan Atkinson was the perfect comedic actor; capable of making you laugh and cry with equal measure. Chaplin could do the same.
@@paulinegallagher7821 With the teeny weeny difference, that Rowan Atkinson has an IQ of 185, which is only 20 points above Albert Einstein...
@@melchiorvonsternberg844 Id well believe that, he just radiates intellect.
@melchiorvonsternberger844…. are youe quite sure? I believed it was an IQ of 186
@@Jack-bs6zb Well... I'm pretty sure. But if you are right, this changes nothin' about Rowan Atkinson, right?
I think most people remember the first time they watched this. I still can’t get through it without crying. Beautifully made. One of the greatest moments of British television for me.
The greatest moment in British comedy. Ever.
First time I ever saw it, I was 14 studying WW1 for history. Our teacher put this episode on to really bring home what the trenches and 'going over the top' was like. We were laughing at the jokes until this bit, and anyone can tell you it's rare to get a classroom full of young teens to sit and be quiet, but we were all stunned.
Then in our GCSE class when I was 16, we were shown the beach landing scene from Saving Private Ryan. I never watched the full movie after that.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Written by a Canadian legend (Dr John McCrae) from my hometown (Guelph).
The final scene is so moving. It's a moment of truth. The trenches were there. People fought and died. The land recovered and poppies grew. Birds sang. But the finest of many nations fought and died, laying down their lives. Everything now grassed over or rebuilt like it never happened.
I really appreciate they made a very funny comedy but the last scene at the end was a special moment of remembrance, a recognition of all who fought and all who died.
PS This was a lovely reaction.
I think without that last scene it would have been a little insulting. But because of it, the whole thing becomes something a little bit special.
And the politicians are waiting in the wings, biding their time, ready to inflict the same thing again.
"Like it never happened" You've clearly never visited Northern France or Belgium
@kevinlynott309 Well I have. After war all places heal and become normal. Cities destroyed are rebuilt, beaches used for swimming and sunbathing. There are of course monuments and graveyards. But often the countryside just grows back. Sometimes comparison photos are very moving. There's so much history underfoot.
As a brit I want you to know how much I appreciate the way you let that play out just as it did the first time it aired. Pre internet it was like the whole country stopped in silence.. the passing scene from battle field to poppy field was something you cant put into words.
Darlings Joke at 4:36 after the guns stopped "we lived through it. 1914 to 1917" is just amazing writing and very thought provoking
I remember seeing this when it aired and literally the whole nation was in shock. We'd grown up with these characters and it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end 40 years later.
I saw this when it was first broadcast - my wife and I both cried. I’ve watched it a couple times since, and you cry again. This time, I thought seeing it on the small part of my mobile phone, would be different. But no, as soon as they went over the top again, my tears flowed. There’s never been a film or TV show that has such a powerful ending.
So many lives lost, and for what?
But for all those who died, or suffered so badly, we still remember them.
Thanks for showing this to younger generations Connor, those men must never be forgotten. 🙏🏻
Well said
The Reverence shown at the end of the series was perfect......and the fade to the Poppy fields kicks me in the feels every time
Astonishing, the fade out was almost an afterthought. No planning, no in depth analysis. The end result was so poignant that it will stand the test of time as a work of brilliance.
Truly one of the most remarkable moments in British television
The best series of Blackadder they made,by far.
Still brings a tear to the eyes all these years later 😢
Yep, me too!
Yup.
Thank goodness I’m not the only one…..
It's so well done with the inevitability of their fate seeping through the comedy and a reminder of what the soldiers went through and the futility of war . The ending is one of the crowning moments of British television .
Spent years in tears of laugher at all of the episodes of Blackadder, wasn’t until the last 90 seconds that I actually cried tears of sadness. Brutal ending to one of the best sitcoms of our time.😢😢
He didn't get "Clucking Bell"! He didn't get it lmao... my word.
😅The finest moment of British TV....yes its a comedy ...but a beautiful nod of respect was given....and rightfully so....never forget...
Yes 100% best comedy ending of all time, I cannot possibly think of anything that ended so powerfully
Considering just how much comedy they squeezed out of this series the last scene moved it from laughs to silence in one of the most hard hitting ways I think i've ever seen.
Great writing.
They even managed to make us think, if only a little bit, that they'd survive and I still remember just sitting there in silence the first time I saw it all those years ago.
Still hits me when I see it now.
"Who would have noticed another mad man round here".....best line ever!
I'll never forget the very first time I saw this episode... You tend to assume with a comedy that they're bound to find some way to get out of it, but you could just feel the atmosphere change as the it went on, and this growing sense of dread and realisation about what's coming.
It's masterful writing and acting all round. The slight quake of fear in Blackadder's voice in that final "good luck everyone" still gets me, no matter how many times I've seen it.
He is resigned to his fate, and he knows that they will all meet the same fate, and he wants his last words to his men to be the words of their captain, and not the man who took pleasure in putting them down for three years. Moving and fitting.
They all died at the end of Black Adder 1 & 2 as well (can't remember with 3). The difference with this one was that it wasn't just about a few historical characters it was about a huge chunk of an entire generation of men and they really sold that feeling well in the script and performance. When it aired is was also a war that we had great-grandparents who fought in it.
@@pitmatix1457In 3, Prince George died. It's the only one where Blackadder lived.
I’ve seen that episode probably 50 times and it still brings a tear.
When George says 'I'm scared sir' tears me up every time.
Greatest scene in the history of television and quite possibly unmatched in the movies
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍
When the BBC produced pure gold, touching, sentimental and funny, just incredible. Excellent review.
Usually voted amongst the top TV episodes of all time .........
Telling that through every season Baldrick always had a "cunning plan". Until now , just "a plan".
Gets me every time.
this episode is always sad, as it reminds us of how many of our ancestors died for us. the bravest or the brave
And above all, so unnecessary! England was never directly threatened by Germany when it entered the war. The worst part is that the UK and Germany had just gotten their act together and were in the process of finalizing a naval agreement and other steps towards further rapprochement. A persistent cold prevented that. And then the unthinkable happened... Or, as an American military historian once put it... "At the weekend the hour struck for the war supporters and England entered the war that ultimately ruined Britain... "
@@melchiorvonsternberg844Not really the point. The resurgence of Prussian militarism was a genuine threat, and international law predicated action.
@@ruthmeb You weren't serious about your statement, were you? Violation of international law... You may remember that this age is called the age of imperialism. For the world's major powers, violating international law was like parking illegally for a driver. What did the British do immediately after the war began? They cut off German telegraph communications and established a long-distance blockade at sea. That was just as illegal under international law. Do you remember how Greece was forced into this war? The Entente fleet sailed in front of the Greek capital and threatened to bombard Athens from all barrels. And finally, an absolute blast! After the start of the armistice, when all German troops in the west had already returned home, the required ships from the German High Seas Fleet had been transferred to Scotland and interned and the German Air Force had been disbanded, the blockade continued. Before Christmas 1918, Allied troops had invaded the Rhineland and established large bridgeheads on the eastern side of the river. The result of the continued blockade was that 850,000 people starved to death in Germany until the “peace negotiations” were completed and the peace treaty was signed. The list goes on, but I will stop at this point. And you stand here and talk about international law. Where do you get this unprecedented arrogance from? In fact, the British (besides their own power-political considerations) were extremely embarrassed by the way the French and a few smaller allies conducted these peace negotiations. This was clearly expressed in a speech by the British Prime Minister at Versailles in 1919.
Sir David Lloyd George said:
"One may strip Germany of her colonies, reduce her army to a mere police force, and reduce her fleet to the strength of a fifth-rate power. Nevertheless, in the end, when Germany feels that she has been treated unjustly in the peace of 1919, she will find means , to compel its conquerors to make restitution.To obtain recompense, our conditions may be severe, they may be harsh and even ruthless, but at the same time they may be so fair that the country upon which we impose them feels it in its heart have no right to complain. But injustice and arrogance, displayed in the hour of triumph, will never be forgotten nor forgiven. I can think of no stronger reason for a future war than that of the German people, who will certainly prove themselves to be one of the most vigorous and powerful tribes in the world, would be surrounded by a number of smaller states, some of which had never before been able to establish a stable government for themselves, but each of which would contain large numbers of Germans who longed for reunification with their homeland .”
But that's exactly what happened in 1919...
George saying "I'm scared" ...it just suddenly cuts so deep into your heart! I cry every time!
Loved it! (It was broadcast here in Sweden back then).
So apt it was shown this week. Thank you, Connor.
Look on the bright side; you never saw any of them die. They went on to civilian lives and Black Adder was knighted by Elizabeth II. Baldrick set up an ostrich santuary and George became King! Darling started a dance group and Melchett won 1925 moustache of the year award.
When filmed they did 'die', but it was recorded in a studio in front of a live audience. They all fell 'dead' after running a few paces. It looked awful and the producer asked them to do it again. Rowan Atkinson stood up and told him to 'sod off' (or words to that effect). Only post-production did they fade out the audience reaction, fade in music, slow everything down and then add the poppy fields. Truly inspired. (See the extras on the DVD boxed set for the full story.)
We are glad you watched to the very end, because the fade into the post war scene of mass Poppies, is based on reality, and the reason we use that wild flower on rememberance day.
It's interesting to me because the versions usually available on TH-cam cut too soon.
For all reading this: the Blackadder Goes Forth finale has been SO resonant with British audiences since broadcast, as it touches a very sentimental nerve in terms of utmost respect for the fallen, whilst wrapped in humour and recognition of the horror. For non-UK viewers, it's important to recognise that this is highly respected as a testament to the follies of war. Side note: IR Realist here...
I grew up on Blackadder and this ending never fails to reduce me to tears. Not just an hilarious comedy programme but ultimately a respectfully handled tribute to those who gave their lives. That ending was a sucker punch to the gut, and reminds you that there are areas of France that are de facto graveyards. They are still finding bodies, even 105 years later.
When Dahling says "we lived through the great war 1914 to 1917" it's like, well this is gonna suck.
Even after 35 years I still tear up at this. Reading these comments has me doing it again!
Viewers from outside of the Commonwealth may not appreciate the symbolic significance of the poppies growing over the former battlefields, a red paper poppy is worn to remember the fallen each November, culminating in Remembrance Sunday a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life: on November 11th at 11am we have two minutes silence, when the whole country basically stops, this is usually repeated on Remembrance Sunday st war memorials all over the UK. I remember watching the original last episode and others have said, it was an emotional experience.
So sad now that our Service of Remembrance can be disrespected in ways those wonderful people would not understand and those of us who mourn our dead that day have to defend the poppy and it's meaning. The poignancy in the fading is far more effective than anything else I have seen. Bitter tears indeed.
I remember so well watching this when it first was broadcast. I was totally stunned. I started to sob and cried for about 10 minutes. I still get teary when I watch it now. Not only do I cry for the characters but also for all those who lost their life in that war. Such a waste. BTW it was a junior assistant who came up with the idea of putting the picture of the field of poppies at the end. They were talking about it and how to end it. They just didn't want to end it with the guys dying. She ran upstairs to the film library and got the picture and showed it to them. They knew it was perfect.
The first time they were to be shown being killed, but they all dropped & the set moved, so they set up a different ending, one which turned out far more powerfully. It's not just the poppies, but the song of the skylarks, you hear them on the WW1 battlefields to this day (as well as in the UK countryside).
It's the juxtaposition of the comedy and the tragedy that makes this one of the finest scenes ever shown and witnessed. What's even worse for oldies like me, I remember, as a child, the veterans who came home from this slaughter. Still get upset every Rememberance Sunday for all those who had to leave us so young. God bless them all 🌺 Lest We Forget
I believe I may have already mentioned, my Grt Uncle died on the opening day of the battle of the Somme. Private Charles Wicks, he was 18....Researching your family tree can and does bring many stories of those who fought and died during the wars....So this episode is very special to many of the British public.
It was special, watched all of Blackadder when they first came out. This was a fitting, moving climax. Comedy genius and total class. Nice to have shared. God bless.
Teenage me shed a tear when this came out. Even now it gets me, such a stunningly simple way to show the folly of war.
How fitting you watch this in November!
We remember those who gave their all that we may have today
Still leaves me in tears.
Cheers.
That last shot of the smoke clearing and a field of poppies taking it's place says everything about why this flower is used in our Remembrance Day tributes to the fallen.
It's just the way Capt Darling trails off as he says "marry Doris...". Gets me every time 😭
I think when you watch all the series back-to-back it really hits home. Like, you follow these families down the generations as they laugh, love and cry, and there's something eternal about the bloodlines... and then it all comes to a sudden halt in this episode. I know there was a couple of specials made after this, but I wished they never did any set in the years since WW1 because this episode had a kind of finality to it which was the reality for many families at the time.
There was talk a few years ago about a swinging 60s Blackadder. Where Baldrick was going to be a hippy called Bald Rick, but that ended up being only talk.
@@Tommy-he7dx Yes I remember that being said, thank you for reminding me! Don't get me wrong I did like the specials (including Back & Forth) but I just felt the finality of this episode was a bit... sacred.
The tension in the episode just ramps up until the end in which everything suddenly comes into sharp focus, the seemingly unnecessary sacrifice of life which was WW1. As an ex serviceman, I was stationed in Saudi Arabia in 1994 during joint operations with the French and US Air Force personnel. We had an old VCR boxset of the whole series of Blackadder Goes Forth and it was as popular with the US airmen as it was with us Brits.
One of the best bits of telly ever.
I haven't seen this for many years and remember this incredible ending. I was in floods of tears then and I am in floods of tears now. We have just had our Remembrance Day here in the UK and it is always a very emotional time.I am now 75 years old and my dad fought in the Second world war. Luckily he survived but I was brought up to respect all the people who didn't , and never forget what they sacrificed for us. Thank you for sharing this and I think everyone should watch and remember.Take care....
My great uncle died in the trenches in WW1. I have letters written to my grandmother from him in the trenches.My father was a POW for 5 years in WW2. My mother, her sisters and brother all served in the Forces. We should never forget.
The slo-mo and final fade was improvised not scripted as the actors wouldn't do another take after the terrifying pyrotechnics. It remains the finest close of any comedy or drama from the BBC.
If you want a take on the genuine humour arising from soldiers in WWI, try the TV movie 'The Wipers Times' about the satirical newspaper written from the West Front trenches. The script was written by Ian Hislop (Private Eye editor and Have I Got News for You team captain) and Nick Newman (satirical cartoonist) and the film includes Monty Python's Michael Palin in a supporting role as the General who stops it being censored. The story is presented as a drama and pulls no punches about the Great War, which makes the events all the more extraordinary.
I watched it live, I'll never forget it!
The watching public wept as a body at the end. Still makes me cry.
That last scene, the music and the final shot of the poppy field - no matter how many times I have seen this it always makes me cry x
My father's oldest brother Charles, my auncle who I never knew was killed in 1916 on the Somme. Every rememebernce day I place a cross and poppy on our village war memorial for him. When we stand in silence I think of him and what he endured and his poor family on hearing of his death.
I always cry for them all when I watch this last episode.
If I’m not in the right state of mind, I tear up if this comes on the tv. It’s brutal. Ex military.
I remember seeing this ending at the time...
Astounding to end a comedy series with this... words fail me.
I'll never forget this series, and much more importantly never forget the debt we owe to those represented by that field of poppies.
We shall remember them.
This was a great reaction, You handled it well. On a lighter side there are Two Blackadder specials that came out after, Blackadder`s Christmas carol and Back and forth.
The Christmas Carol often gets blocked, but it probably the better of the two specials. it just reeks of blackadder! I have never forgotten the line, "What about my poor Tiny Tom!"
The final episode was transmitted on 2nd November, the week before Rememberence Sunday, and lookout for the documentary about the whole show, especially where Tim McInerny says they didn't know what the final shot was going to be (wasn't decided until editing was finished) and when he watched the episode for the first time, he cried at the end 😢
I remember hearing them say 1914-1917 - that's when the penny finally dropped...
Now you know why people rate this so highly...
For a long time here in Australia the perception of Field Marshal Haig was as a callous buffoon, but as I am now the age of many of those generals struggling to keep up with changing technology I'm not so confident I would have done any better.
Also reading Rolland Perry 's biography of General Monash, the commander of Australia's army in France, Haig came to see him the day after the battle of Amiens on 1918
Haig stood in front of the senior officers and said "You Australian and Canadians don't really know what you have done for us...." but he couldn't continue he was so emotional that he broke down and started sobbing.
Put it this way. The allies had no other way of winning but attack. The Germans had to do nothing but defend(which is why there trenches had a high concentration of concrete. Attacking an entrenched position is always costly. The British army had only recently had a huge recruitment drive going from a small experienced army to a huge volunteer army, although most people know about pals battalions,what isn't generally known is that Training was very hit and miss(lack of rifles meant some had never handle one in training, lack of surviving experienced men could mean Training was poor,etc). Haig had only taken over from French approx 6 months before,he had gone from leading 100,000 men(approx), that he could see and command to millions on hundreds of miles of trenches with no modern communications,phones when they worked, runners and carrier pigeons. The Somme was meant to be a joint operation between British and French troops, but due to Verdun was required to take a far larger part than originally planned. Britain,as the junior partner,also had to show it was willing and able to fight. Despite appearance,it was not a static war. Ideas were tried,pored over,lessons attempted to learn,tactics evolved. It was Haig that promoted for the tank and brought it in before it was really ready. Of course than you have to invent tank tactics,etc. after the war Haig created the British legion and was it's first chief,it has continued to look after Brit veterans ever since, if you look at Haig's funeral you will probably see far better how Haig was viewed by the soldiers under his command. Sorry for length
It is an amazingly profound and emotional ending to one the best sitcoms ever made. I remember sitting in silence for a while the first time I saw it because of the effect it had.
I watched this series when first broadcast. We were left quite stunned as it faded to the poppy field.
Brings tears to my eyes each time now.
My Grandma's only brother was 'lost on the Somme' in 1916. No known grave.
I watched this while serving as part of the British Army Of the Rhine when it first came out. We loved it and watched it over and over again, the jokes and terminology wound it’s way into our everyday chat. Even now we quote it to each other on a daily basis on social media.
One of the best endings to any series, ever. Cried the first time it was on, and hard to watch now. Just. Brilliant.
The ending gave me goose bumps as a kid everytime I watched it. Your reaction was 👌
I toured across the Somme region last year on my bike. Went to all manner of museums and wartime graveyards. This scene hits me even harder now, amongst all the satire and funny moments, it's truly a horrific human tragedy. So many kids (and they were kids) sent over to fight a pointless war, betrayed by their leaders with promises of
'glory' and 'honour'. Leaves me with a massive lump in my throat every time I see it, if not straight up crying.
This has been voted the finest ending to a comedy series of all time
A great example of how to show the futility of war using comedy
This was the only way the series could really end. There were not many happy endings on the Western Front
@mcjibbin it got you .....knew it would .thank everyone for not spoiling it
I must have seen this last episode over 50 times and it makes me cry every time...great
Characters who you’ve grown to love over many years of Blackadder...brilliant acting, directing, production x
The birdsong and that empty field..
I have watched this dozens of times and I'm not ashamed to say that I shed a tear every time!!😢🇬🇧
I remember watching this episode when it came out on the BBC. I was probably too young for it to really hit as hard as it did for my parents and the previous generation. As I grew up and rewatched all the Blackadders, when I was mature enough to contemplate this ending it still hit just as hard, even now, watching you watching it, I still feel its impact. And this is from a slapstick, dry humoured British comedy show that is decades old. Its incredible.
I've seen this countless times and the ending always breaks me. It's such an amazing series and the finale has not been topped since. Good effort from you for not being in tears.
This always brings tears to my eyes. This is one of the most powerful pieces of television you will ever see. The First World War has left a permanent imprint on the people of Europe, not least in the UK. When I was 15, my first weekend job was working in a hospital geriatric ward where about 20 veterans of WW1 lived permanently. They had lived their lives suffering from the effects of gas and awful wounds but old age had worsened the effect these had on the old soldiers. I was not much young than most of them when they signed up as volunteers to fight for King and Country, but I was an ignorant, self-centred teenager - what did I know? They were so kind and open with me, ready to talk and show me their medals if I asked. One man I particularly remember, Bill Ayling. He told me he had lied about his age when he signed up. I assumed he had said he was older than he really was, as so many did. " No Boy!" was his answer, "I was TOO OLD!" This mad had been over 40 in 1914, had fought in the Boer War and had volunteered again when his country needed him. They had a big impact on me and my life and I will never forget them or cease to be grateful that I knew them. As a side point, did you know there are fourteen parishes in the UK where not single man died in WW1 or WW2. Just fourteen. These places were called Thankful or Blessed Villages. In every city, town, village and hamlet you will see war memorials to these lost generations.
I sobbed like a child when I first watched this. My great grandfather died in a trench aged 20. God bless all, RIP.
Utterly brilliant series. I’ve seen the ending a few times but gets me every time.
It's a timeless comedy and moving at the end. The bit at the end all of the cast were asked if they wanted to re-film that scene and all said "no" just because what they filmed was spot on because the real soldiers went over just the once so it made it even more moving for the cast!! Great series 👍🏻
There was a series made a few years ago celebrating The Blackadder, interviews with the cast and how certain scenes came to be. That last iconic fade out scene wasn't actually written in the script. The reason behind it was quite accidental but necessary, and it could never have been bettered. ❤
A phenomenal ending. No show this day and age would dream of.
Makes me cry every time
Was a teenager when this aired, you followed the larks, laughs and japes until the last 5 minutes when Darling shows up, suddenly you were with them, the normal, common soldier who had to fight an imperial war for foolish generals and out dated notions of empire...in the end it all comes down to the folly of war, the futility....the pathos of that last scene haunts you and to this day it brings a lump to my throat as it did as that young boy watching it.
My grandad, who I never knew, was in the Somme after having been in Gallipoli … he came home profoundly injured, mentally and physically; the scars of his past haunted his family to this very day. This scene is profound.
This finale was on a whole other level, for so many reasons
One of the most beautiful and eloquent endings ever .
This ending was so fitting for the series .... I remember watching it with my late father and both of us shedding tears, for such a brilliant comedy to pay such a wonderful tribute to the many young men who died in that dreadful conflict.
A series with such outstanding actors. Absolutely hilarious. Its beyond words... Proud to be British...
An incredible ending, so emotional.
Can the quality of the Blackadder series 1-4 ever be matched..?
I doubt it....
Thanks for sharing.