Blackadder Goes Forth of the characters of Lord Flashheart and Bob from the second series episode "Bells" and also an appearance of the famous flying ace Baron von Richthofen. A plot thread in the third episode "Major Star" involves Blackadder's dislike of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin, whom he finds "as funny as getting an arrow through the neck, and then finding there's a gas bill tied to it". In the fifth episode, the anti-German sentiment in Britain during the war is repeatedly referenced. General Melchett orders Blackadder to find out what is behind the leak in top-secret battle plans and immediately,
Blackadder Goes Forth tried to act this script out, you would find out things about it." Ben Elton stated that by opening it up, they allowed the cast to question every aspect of the script. During "Blackadder Rides Again", Tony Robinson likewise recalls that these script meetings could be uncomfortable, and has been less reserved speaking about the script rehearsals since. In an interview with "The Daily Telegraph" he suggests that although relations between the actors were generally cordial "There was bad feeling between the writers and the performers—the writers felt we were unilaterally altering the script and altering it for the worse.