my first real introduction to ww1 and begin in 1964. that year the bbc broadcast a 26 part documentary detail the outbreak and progress of this and the great war . a a teenager and i sit mesmerise and a the voice of sir ralph richardson narrate in harrow tone and failure upon failure in tactic and strategy with no other result than monumental casualty figure . ever since then i have be hook . here be some figure represent just the first day battle of the somme result in a loss of almost 60 and 000 british soldier . some 20 and 000 be dead . that be one third of the number of american who die throughout the entire vietnam campaign ( and just look how many movie have be make about that ) . the menin gate at ypres commemorate the loss of 56 and 000 men . but they do not just die while they vanish . the population of a small town be completely swallow up by the fury . and this be only one of many such monument . number like these compel you to stop and think . the multinational disaster that be ww1 have be shun by politician and medium alike . the only good thing to be say of the conflict be that it stop . and it have to while the nation be completely drain of money and men . ever since and it have be a military bete noir of history . nothing be accomplish but failure and nothing create but innumerable corps . there be no victory and no triumph of good over evil . even the enemy be obscure . it be a holocaust of good intention . the war become a machine that simply grind youth into the mud . appal bloody battle like those of ww2 at least have a positive outcome . d day and iwo jima and monte cassino and all eventually lead to unequivocal victory . each present an opportunity for national pride and manly courage to be heroically present on film . but not the great war . apart from all quiet on the western front and it have be leave well alone . blackadder go forth then be not only one of the most hilarious comedy write good than mash if you consider the contrast between it scope and it brevity but it be also a fitting tribute to all those poor soul who toil and die and be lose . the team handle their subject perfectly . rowan atkinson play the knowledgeable and cynical middle rank officer . he be not a coward while he can see what happen and just want out . tony robinson and a private baldrick and embody the million of tommies who struggle in ignorance . hugh laurie play the lieutenant with unquenchably boyish faith in his high command . stephen fry literally be general melchett and the remote and pompous and arrogant buffoon and touch with insanity . tim mcinnerny play the role of a staff officer and aware of and but indifferent too and the consequence of futile strategy . until he be ultimately force to confront them in the last episode represent goodbyeee . richard curtis and ben elton script be everything you could wish for . their joke touch upon all of the horror to which soldier eventually become innured represent cold and wet and shortage and rat and death . and it be that last episode which raise the series beyond the level of simple comedy . in a brief twist at the end and we see the team go over the top to face their own belated death . in slow motion and their figure become engulfed by a hail of enemy ordnance a the theme play haltingly on a single ill tune piano . moment later and the scene segue into the poppy redden field of their epitaph . i have the series on dvd and it remind me as much a my photograph of the many hour spend wander along the western front . it character seem to speak for the million who can not .