Rowan Atkinson

Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition
$79.98
Tom Keogh does not sound like he is terribly familiar with the series.

"Edmund is a perennial survivor who never quite gets ahead in multiple episodes."

- "...in multiple episodes?" Really? My how insightful. I would just point out to him a few things.

- The series does not contain "witchsmellers, who smell out spell casters with their noses". It contains one character named the Witchsmeller Perswevent, who does not so much sniff out witches but destroy his enemies through clever tests and courtroom antics.

-In the Elizabethen era, Miranda Richardson plays Queen Elizabeth (I) , not "Queen Bess".

"The next incarnation we encounter is in late-18th-century Regency England. This time, Blackadder is ... 'caught in various misadventures with Samuel Johnson, Shakespearean actors, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and William Pitt the younger.' "

- My, doesn't that make me want to rush out and buy! I have never read a better example of sloppy third grade book report than this sentence.

"With a brief stop in Victorian London for a Christmas special, (you're fired - ed) the series concludes with several episodes set during the Great War. The new Edmund is a career Army officer, but a scoundrel all the same."

- Actually those "several episodes" are their own series, "Black Adder goes Forth". The point is that there are several series and each season the show was recast in a different era. Quite clever, really.

"Shirking his duties whenever possible and taking advantage of any opportunity for undeserved reward, this final, deeply sour, and very funny Blackadder negotiates survival among a cadre of fools and dimwits."

- It might be noted that "shirking his duties" was Captain Blackadder's way of "keeping him and his men alive" in WW1, where his "duties" usually involved suicidal orders. This was really the most intelligent and selfless of all the Blackadders.

"No small mention can be made of Atkinson's supporting cast, easily among the finest comic performers of their generation: besides Laurie and Richardson, Stephen Fry, Tony Robinson, and Tim McInnerny. --"

- um, quite. How is it that Baldrick is only worthy of this yes, SMALL mention as an apparent afterthought?

There seems to be a tendency, with IMDB and Wiki, to write reviews by squeezing in every fact you can scrape off of the internet, and not bothering to shake one's head to see if there might be a kernel of insight rattling about.

Don't let that turn you off, this is a jewel in the crown of BBC comedy, worthy of repeat viewings (Tom, take note!) You will find such an arsenal of wisecracks and zingers here that you will never be tempted to say "duh" again. This program will quicken the wit, improve your English, and leave you in stitches. If laughter is the best medicine, this program is your Penicillin.

Johnny English (Widescreen Edition)
$9.99
Having just discovered that Mr. Atkinson is a major star worth a great deal of money, I imagine many who might read this are fans of previous work. For them, I should think, this will be a diverting exercise with a variety of verbal and visual laughs. For those with no such connection to him, I should say that this is a minor comedy built on a bumbling secret agent. It has some laughs, is generally lightly amusing, and is of a length which doesn't permit boring stretches. Supporting players add a measure to the pleasure. All in all, nothing to go out of the way for, but not tedious. Not a bad way to spend less than an hour and a half.

The Best of Not the 9 O'Clock News
$24.95
Great Britain's version of Saturday Night Live. Really funny, good quality video and audio.

Rowan Atkinson Live!
$19.95
Having the good sense to catch Rowan on tv when Blackadder was running, i have been a fan ever since. When Mr. Bean was making the rounds on Public tv, i was rather prepared to expect Rowan to win me over again.
He did that in abundance, as again, he created another original idea and took it overboard. He won me over again.
This intimate and pleasing dvd shows Rowan from 1991, and his approach has not changed. A generous amount of material is displayed with such laid back restraint, i was overcome with laughter by the second skit.
I am glad that America appreciates Rowan's talent. He is superb with whatever is handed to him. Am hoping that more like this is released for us fans.