Original artwork, not a still
Your family's record in the department of cunning planning is about as impressive as Stumpy O'Leg McNoleg's personal best in the Market Harborough marathon.
— Blackadder · 1983
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Sir Edmund does not merely say that Baldrick's plans are poor; he invents an entire sporting career to put them in perspective. The overgrown comparison is part of the dynasty's comic family resemblance. In a story where loyalty is rapidly giving way to self-preservation, the joke also warns that another miraculous rescue is unlikely to be forthcoming.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for BlackadderShow the scene
In Blackadder: The Cavalier Years (1988), Sir Edmund Blackadder and Baldrick are caught up in the final days of Charles I. Remaining loyal to a doomed king is becoming a dangerous and expensive commitment. Baldrick offers the familiar promise of a cunning plan, and Sir Edmund answers by reviewing the family's record. The imaginary runner's spectacular disadvantages supply his measure of just how much confidence that record deserves.
Sources (2)
- The Cavalier Years — episode subtitle transcriptBlackadder: The Cavalier Years — The Cavalier Years; quoted conversationReference checked
- Blackadder: The Cavalier Years — WikiquoteThe Cavalier YearsReference checked
Context reviewed
