Blackadder in which it is set. It is performed mostly with trumpets and timpani in "The Black Adder", the fanfares used suggesting typical medieval court fanfares; with a combination of recorder, string quartet and electric guitar in "Blackadder II"; on oboe, cello and harpsichord (in the style of a minuet) for "Blackadder the Third"; by The Band of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment in "Blackadder Goes Forth"; sung by carol singers in "Blackadder's Christmas Carol"; and by an orchestra in "Blackadder: The Cavalier Years" and "Blackadder: Back & Forth". In 2000, the fourth series, "Blackadder Goes Forth", ranked at 16
Blackadder meeting between Richard Curtis and comedian Ben Elton led to the decision to collaborate on a new series of Blackadder. Recognising the main faults of the first series, Curtis and Elton agreed that "Blackadder II" would be a studio-only production (along with the inclusion of a live audience during recording, instead of showing the episodes to an audience after taping). Besides adding a greater comedy focus, Elton suggested a major change in character emphasis: Baldrick would become the stupid sidekick, while Edmund Blackadder evolved into a cunning sycophant. This led to the familiar set-up that was maintained in the following