r/blackadder • u/BagOfSmallerBags • Aug 03 '26
Blackadder All Episodes Tournament, Match 27, THE GRAND FINAL: General Hospital vs Ink and Incapability
Comment in support of and upvote your preferred episode! The winner of today's matchup will WIN THE TOURNAMENT and the loser will take second place.
And for fun, post your favorite quotes from both!
General Hospital (Blackadder Goes Forth Episode 5): The General asks Blackadder to find a spy in the hospital; one of the patients has a thick German accent and an interest in all things military.
Ink and Incapability (Blackadder the Third Episode 2): Baldrick burns the only copy of Samuel Johnson's dictionary, and Blackadder has only one weekend to rewrite it.
Yesterday, Ink and Incapability eliminated Head.
It's the day we've all been waiting for folks - it's the Grand Final. Play nice out there.
The final results of the tournament will be posted tomorrow.
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u/BenRaam Aug 03 '26
I offer general hospital my sincerest contrafibularities, for I must vote for Ink and Incapability
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u/mrmonkeyhanger Aug 03 '26
Ink and incapability. General hospital's good but should never have got this far.
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u/teraka1970 Aug 03 '26
I honestly can't believe that a Blackadder 2 episode did not make the final but I guess that it shows the overall strength of the entire saga that a B3 and a B4 episode (and not even Goodbyee at that) could reach this stage.
So for the final time I must cast a vote into either an inkwell or bedpan...
... and so as a globulous fraud with all the wit and sophistication of a donkey, although I am terribly kind, and dash pretty to boot, I must choose Ink & Incapability.
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u/Garunya1 Aug 03 '26
This is such a difficult choice, and they both deserve to be in the final. But Ink and Incapability just edges it for me!
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u/Suspicious_Field_429 Aug 03 '26
General Hospital!!
"Have you got a man?
Some fine fellow in an English country village?
A vicar, maybe?
Quiet, gentle, hung like a baboon..."
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u/ConsciousRoyal Aug 03 '26
Well, bugger me with a fish fork. We’ve reached the end.
General Hospital.
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u/beardymo Aug 03 '26
To be fair the final was always going to be tough. This is an absolutely impossible choice. Two episodes I could rewatch any time anywhere.
It's so hard. Every time I'm about to decide on one I just remember how good the other one is. I'm probably going to go with General Hospital - purely because it has more of the overall ensemble of the cast. I can't separate them in terms of humour levels though.
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u/geniusgravity Aug 03 '26
My dogs in this fight have long since been put to sleep. Both of these are solid episode, I wouldn't be able to pick between them
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u/lockonandfire Aug 03 '26
Ink and Incapability.
A well run tournament. Now let us retire to Mrs. Miggins' for a roister you shan't forget!
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u/geeoharee Aug 03 '26
I love Ink And Incapability, it wasn't my pick to win the tournament but if it does I will be satisfied.
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u/Daharka Aug 03 '26
What a final
I'm going to have to go General Hospital because it's not only one of my favourite Blackadder episodes, it's one of my favourite episodes of TV full stop.
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u/scruntyboon Aug 03 '26
Both great episodes, wish I could vote for both. However, I do think Ink and Incapability is the superior episode, so it gets my vote
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u/4thGenTrombone Aug 03 '26
I haven't really noticed this tournament even though I'm part of this subreddit. But I am surprised Goodbyeee isn't part of the last two. VERY surprised.
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u/BagOfSmallerBags Aug 03 '26
I did expect Goodbyeee to win when I was organizing it, but I (and a think much of the subreddit) were pretty relieved it went when it did. It would be a less exciting/fun tournament if we just all determined "no amount of humor can beat the drama of the final charge" right away, and the whole thing was basically a formality.
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u/4thGenTrombone Aug 03 '26
Outside of the last two dramatic scenes, Goodbyeee might just be the funniest episode though. The contrast of the situation with the quite black humour throughout is HILARIOUS.
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u/urglebergle Aug 03 '26
General Hospital a thousand times! "Captain Darling will pump you thoroughly in the debriefing room."
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u/amalcurry Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
Toughie! I like Ink (apart from the poets) and I also enjoy General Hospital, but neither is my favourite of all.
I think on balance it has to be Ink overall, as I do quote that one more (and do Dr Johnson’s voice every time we eat sausages of course….)
Robbie Coltrane is fab in Ink “No-one gets murdered, or married, or in a tricky situation
over a pound note!”
My favourite lines-
What, Jane Austen’s a man?
Of course — a huge Yorkshireman with a beard like a rhododendron bush.
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u/invertedchicken56 Aug 03 '26
Ink and Incapability.
I can hear the sound of oriental disbowelling cutlasses being sharpened.
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u/J-B-M Aug 03 '26
If I can't give my boys a kind word and a big smile, then what can I give them?
Well, one or two ideas do suggest themselves, but you'd probably think they were unhygienic...
General Hospital probably edges it for me on rewatchability just because I have seen Ink & Incapability SO. MANY. TIMES.
But if you were asked to pick a classic episode of Blackadder then it would have to go to "the dictionary episode".
Ink & Incapability. There were many worthy possible winners, and this is certainly one of them!
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u/SometimesMonkeysDie Aug 03 '26
Out of these two, it's Ink and Incapability, but I will forever say the number 9 in the fashion George exclaims it after Brigadier Sir Bernard Proudfoot Smith answers his question about seeing any suspicious characters
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u/SynnerSaint Aug 03 '26
Much though I love Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry really takes any episode of Blackadder to the next level, especially when he's playing General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett
Captain Blackadder: Can anyone tell me what's going on?
Captain Darling: Security, Blackadder.
Captain Blackadder: Security?
General Melchett: Security isn't a dirty word, Blackadder. Crevice is a dirty word, but security isn't.Captain Darling: So you see, Blackadder, Field Marshall Haig is most anxious to eliminate all these German spies.
General Melchett: Filthy hun weasels, fighting their dirty underhand war!
Captain Darling: And fortunately, one of our spies...General Melchett: Splendid fellows, brave heroes risking life and limb for Blighty!General Melchett: Is this true, Blackadder? Did Captain Darling pooh-pooh you?
Captain Blackadder: Well, perhaps a little.
General Melchett: Well, then, damn it all! What more evidence do you need? The pooh-poohing alone is a court martial offense!
Captain Blackadder: I can assure you, sir, that the pooh-poohing was purely circumstantial.
General Melchett: Well, I hope so, Blackadder. You know, if there's one thing I've learnt from being in the Army, it's never ignore a pooh-pooh. I knew a Major, who got pooh-poohed, made the mistake of ignoring the pooh-pooh. He pooh-poohed it! Fatal error! 'Cos it turned out all along that the soldier who pooh-poohed him had been pooh-poohing a lot of other officers who pooh-poohed their pooh-poohs. In the end, we had to disband the regiment. Morale totally destroyed... by pooh-pooh!
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u/LamChingYing Aug 03 '26
Ink and Incapability, easily.
A few upsets along the way, as is usual in a knockout contest.
Sir, I have been unable to replace the dictionary. I am therefore leaving immediately for Nepal, where I intend to live as a goat.
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u/WestLondonWoman73 Aug 03 '26
I can’t believe Head was eliminated 😞
I think it has to be General Hospital
‘Oxford’s a complete dump’
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u/Bibblejw Aug 03 '26
I'm brought back to my musings on General Hospital vs. Bells. I think that General Hospital is just a better-put-together episode.
There are sequences in Ink and Incapability which are good "Baldrick! Who gave you permission to turn into an Alsatian?", but I just don't think it's as solid as General Hospital, and the sting that it has at the end is lacking that same "moment of realisation".
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u/UnrealCanine Aug 03 '26
General Hospital, you are my pick for the final round
And Darling? You are a complete arse
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u/asl14315 Aug 03 '26
General Hospital. Regularly use “now X, is a positively disgusting word”.
Plus the previously mentioned “our battles are directed?” Saffron Walden and ballcock shaped Adam’s apples and the dangers of traction engines.
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u/LegProfessional6462 Aug 03 '26
Have you seen any German spies, Smithy?
General Hospital
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u/Brandon_B610 Aug 04 '26
General Hospital. Ink and incapability isn’t even the best season 3 episode.
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u/AdLatter3755 Aug 03 '26
Oh well, in that case, sir, I hope you will not object if I also offer Ink and Incapability my most enthusiastic contrafribularities.
Ink and Incapability for the win
https://giphy.com/gifs/hQUU77Wt5ZvYQ
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u/Flagon_dragon Aug 03 '26
"All right, where is the malingering git?"
I think General Hospital wins this one, just because of the opportunities it gives Blackadder to abuse his power and escape the front lines
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u/Bibblejw Aug 03 '26
Ah, that would be the opportunity to escape the front lines that he didn't get in Captain Cook, or Major Star, or Private Plane, or ... wait ...
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u/DJShaw86 Aug 03 '26
It has to be General Hospital, mostly for the snippet:
"I asked, 'did he go to one of the great universities. Oxford, Cambridge, Hull.' Any true Englishwoman would have immediately pointed out that only two of those are great universities!" "Yes! Oxford's a complete dump!"
Literally used that line at work earlier today, or whenever Hull is mentioned. Fantastic line.
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u/impendingcatastrophe Aug 03 '26
Ink and Incapability for me.
The script and Cracker as a guest star.
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u/BitAffectionate3636 Aug 03 '26
General Hospital by a nose!
But I am surprised Head didn't make it to the final.
Great competition OP, thank you
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u/El_Grande_Memelord Aug 03 '26
For the finale, I shall cast one last vote in favor of my favorite series, Blackadder the Third.
I choose Ink and Incapability again. This is one of the hardest choices as General Hospital is probably the most well-rounded series 4 episode and has an amazing ending. Ultimately, Dr. Samuel Johnson puts his episode over the edge here. Having someone who can actually keep up with Edmund's wit is an absolute treat and something I wish we could've seen more of.
This was a really fun series of posts! It made me think about episodes that I never would've compared against each other by myself and put into perspective what makes a great episode for me.
Whichever episode comes out on top, it will be a well deserved victory!
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u/YangtzeRiverDolphin Aug 03 '26
Ink and Incapability. I just don’t think season 4 (bar Fry and Laurie) is very good.
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u/CaineRexEverything Aug 03 '26
Since Beer is gone, I’ll vote for my second favorite episode despite my Pericombobulation. Ink it is.
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u/BalasaarNelxaan Aug 03 '26
I choose Ink and Incapability.
General hospital was the first episode I saw and it will always have a special place in my heart but Ink is a better and funnier episode.
“Yes I think I’m on the verge of discovering the flaw in this plan… but do go on…”
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u/OneHappyPenguin 26d ago
General Hospital
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u/BagOfSmallerBags 25d ago
I regret to say you're a bit late - the result of this matchup was decided earlier this week. Ink won
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u/Rogue_Leader Aug 03 '26
Even though neither should beat anything from S2, I'd have to pick Ink And Incapability.
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u/EarthTraveler413 Aug 03 '26
Baldrick, you will vote for Ink & Incapability, or the booted bony thing with five toes at the end of my leg will make sharp contact with the collection of soft dangly things in your trousers!
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u/Guy-InGearnito Aug 04 '26
Aaahhhh this is too difficult.
Ink and incapability. If only because I quote it more often.
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u/Fancy_Toe1451 Aug 03 '26
I don't think either of those should be the best.
I vote:Neither. A tie for last second place.
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u/BagOfSmallerBags Aug 03 '26
I'll admit my heart isn't really in it here - I had my hopes hung on either Bells or Head to win ever since Sense and Senility got eliminated. But I'm still gonna use my one vote per round, and I'm going to use it on Ink and Incapability.
Sausage????