Original artwork, not a still
You've really worked out your banter, haven't you? / No, not really. This is a different thing; it's spontaneous and it's called wit.
— Blackadder · 1983
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Mr. Pants mistakes being insulted for being entertained by a polished host. Blackadder cannot let the compliment pass without claiming the higher ground, even while trying to sell the man a house. The distinction between rehearsed banter and spontaneous wit is itself another put-down, delivered by someone incapable of stopping at a useful moment.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for BlackadderShow the scene
In ‘Money’, the fourth episode of Blackadder II (1986), Blackadder is so desperate to pay his debts that he tries to sell his house. Showing Mr. and Mrs. Pants around brings out his worst manners rather than his best sales technique. Mr. Pants compliments what he takes to be well-rehearsed banter. Blackadder corrects him: the insults are spontaneous, and he has a different name for that ability.
Sources (2)
- Money — episode subtitle transcriptBlackadder II — Money; quoted conversationReference checked
- Blackadder II — WikiquoteMoneyReference checked
Context reviewed
