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Blackadder Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch Blackadder in order

Last updated: November 6 2026

Written by: ChronoAlice

Blackadder follows generations of the same scheming family through English history, from the Middle Ages to the trenches of World War I. Here is how to watch every series and special in order.

Created by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson (with Ben Elton joining from the second series), Blackadder is one of Britain's most celebrated sitcoms. Each series features Atkinson as a different Edmund Blackadder, accompanied by his dim-witted servant Baldrick, played by Tony Robinson. The supporting cast includes Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson, and Tim McInnerny, and the show is famed for its razor-sharp dialogue and its devastating final episode.

๐Ÿ• Release Order

Here are the four main series and their specials in release order.

  1. The Black Adder (1983)
  2. Blackadder II (1986)
  3. Blackadder the Third (1987)
  4. Blackadder: The Cavalier Years (1988)
  5. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)
  6. Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)
  7. Blackadder: Back & Forth (1999)

Because each series jumps to a new period of history, the specials slot neatly between them when you watch chronologically by era.

๐Ÿ“– Story Chronology

Historically, the saga moves from the end of the Wars of the Roses to Elizabethan England, the English Civil War, the Regency era, Victorian times, World War I, and finally the eve of the new millennium.

  1. The Black Adder (1983)
  2. Blackadder II (1986)
  3. Blackadder: The Cavalier Years (1988)
  4. Blackadder the Third (1987)
  5. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)
  6. Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)
  7. Blackadder: Back & Forth (1999)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Release order and historical order are nearly identical, so either works. Newcomers sometimes start with Blackadder II, as the first series has a different style and a bigger budget feel that many find less sharp. However, watching all four series in order shows how the character evolves from a cowardly prince to a cynical captain, and makes the powerful ending of Blackadder Goes Forth even more affecting. The specials are short and best enjoyed after the main series.

๐Ÿ”— Related Guides

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  • Downton Abbey Watch OrderGuide

Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!