Dish and Dishonesty

"Dish and Dishonesty" is the first episode of the third series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder. Due to the thorough parody of the conventions of a British electoral declaration, it has been shown several times on the dates of real General Elections. The newly appointed Prime Minister, Pitt the Younger (portrayed here as a petulant teenager), wants to strike the idiotic Prince Regent from the Civil List. Since the House of Commons is evenly divided o... more

"Dish and Dishonesty" is the first episode of the third series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder. Due to the thorough parody of the conventions of a British electoral declaration, it has been shown several times on the dates of real General Elections. The newly appointed Prime Minister, Pitt the Younger (portrayed here as a petulant teenager), wants to strike the idiotic Prince Regent from the Civil List. Since the House of Commons is evenly divided on the issue, the Prince's butler, Mr. Blackadder, suggests to the Prince that they tip the scales in his favour by bribing an MP named Sir Talbot Buxomley (Denis Lill) with the position of High Court Judge. The Prince calls for Buxomley, who, after assuring the Prince that he will stand by him, promptly sits down in a chair and dies. Moving quickly, Blackadder realises that Buxomley represented the constituency of Dunny-on-the-Wold, a rotten borough consisting of a tiny plot of land with several farm animals and only one voter. Blackadder... less