Do they give O Levels in British History? You would certainly need one to to get all the jokes in the Blackadder series.Fortunately, to watch this special, you just need to know that Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) was a nasty SOB. Atkinson plays three Edmunds her as well as Ebenezer, and they are all SOBs.We get Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) as the Spirit of Christmas, Dr. House (Hugh Laurie), Stephen Fry, and Jim Broadbent. If you are looking to add some laughs to you Christmas season, you can't go wrong here.Of course, the lesson learned is that "Bad guys have all the fun."

The first and essential element is the set of actors and first of all Rowan Atkinson. That is pure English comedy based on totally anachronistic and crazy situations, on witty puns that nearly or most of the time have to do with what is generally under the belt of most people but that is floating on top of the mind of these comedians. It is supposed to make you laugh and nothing else and it ridicules all historical characters and situations: Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, Georges VI or some other Prince of Wales, the First World War, Robin Hood and I guess they avoided Peter Pan because he might only be marginally historical, though Pitt Junior is a real hit, definitely under the belt at the level of the comforter, if you see what I mean. It even turns upside down the famous Christmas Carol. As for the Time Machine it is completely twisted around in all directions, back and forth for sure, to make a sort of self-centered social climbing, politically opportunistic remake of Back to the Future more than the Time Machine, but the principle is the same. So Sir Edmund Blackadder finishing King Edmund I is at least hilarious. H.G. Wells is betrayed since for him you cannot change the past and Zemeckis is betrayed just the same since you are not supposed to use your time travelling to recuperate some personal advantage from it. I must say though this type of comedy is light maybe slightly too light, but it is good indeed.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID

While a good deal of the franchise is wildly amusing and entertaining... this definitely ranks high up there. This is one of my favorites, absolutely. Twisting the concept of the heart-warming(but in all honesty at times somewhat nauseatingly merry) classic with the cynicism, bitterness and cruelty of these, this features some of the very best verbal humor of the bunch. One particular line forced me to pause the showing simply to allow the pure genius and satirical depth of it to sink in. It's a line so astoundingly written that it should be repeated to whomever it befits to speak it to. I dare any fan of British humor to listen to it and not break out in loud laughter. It was a real treat to see new scenes with the cast of the second and third seasons, and they're hilarious. With a similar(if not same) moral to it as the Dickens' original(though luckily presented with little, if any, sentimentality; instead with usual bite of these series'), this has the famous story turn 180 degrees. The plot is appropriate in length and tone. Acting is great, all-round. The characters, as with most of these, are well-written and help provide social commentary. Sadly McInnerny still is not present, though he is back in the next installment. The humor is excellent, there are a rather impressive amount of laughs(seriously, often one a second or so) compared to the running time. There was some gags that were a tad too simple. Still, the jokes are almost invariably amazing and well-delivered, with impeccable comical timing. The pacing is just about perfect, I haven't been bored for a moment in any of my, by now, four or five viewings. Editing and cinematography leave little to be desired. I recommend this to any fan of these and/or Rowan Atkinson. If you belong in either of those groups... don't miss this for the world. 9/10

A fantastic idea, this one. Take the old chestnut 'A Christmas Carol', give it a shake-up, and turn it on its head.Ebenezer Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson in fine form as ever) is a good guy, who gives away anything to anyone, and is truly chock-full of the Christmas spirit. Time for the Spirit of Christmas (a rip-roaring turn from Robbie Coltrane) to work his magic, invoke the spirits of Ebenezer's ancestors and descendants, and inform him of the errors of his ways.We're reminded of Blackadder's former incarnations, in Tudor and Regency times, and of the cunning plans and twists of the long-gone relatives. We meet again with the likes of Queenie (Miranda Richardson), Melchett (Stephen Fry), Nursie (Patsy Byrne), and Prince George (Hugh Laurie). And of course the Cratchit character - Baldrick, who else! - suffers more and more as the story unfolds.A scary turn from Miriam Margoyles and Jim Broadbent (Victoria and Albert), and a mind-boggling look into the distant future completes the transformation.Not shown often enough, this is a real plum-pudding of a piece.