7 Ingenious Ways TV Shows Bounced Back From Awful Seasons

On any list of the greatest British comedies, Blackadder should be up there with Only Fools and Horses, but it's easy to forget the period sitcom got off to a false start.

The first series is widely regarded as the weakest of the bunch, not just by fans and critics, but by the cast and showrunners too, and a big part of the problem is the way the protagonist was portrayed.

The original Blackadder was naive, snivelling and unlikable with less upstairs than Baldrick, whose cunning plans in season one were actually cunning on occasion.

When fans cannot root for the lead, the show has failed, but Blackadder's showrunners got creative in season two, throwing out the format and starting over.

The series upped sticks from the Middle Ages to Elizabethan England and introduced the fans to an all-new Blackadder, a descendent of his predecessor in series one, and this one was cunning, shrewd, witty and a smash hit with audiences.

Edmund 2.0 was the driving force behind Blackadder's rejuvenation, but it wasn't the only sweeping change that paid dividends. The budget was slashed for season two, and this was a blessing in disguise, forcing the writers to focus on dialogue and character interaction, rather than set pieces filmed on location.

Lead actor Rowan Atkinson also handed writing duties over to Ben Elton, the sharp pen behind the Young Ones, and he brought the same youthful energy to Blackadder.