The BBC Television Shakespeare
The BBC Television Shakespeare

The BBC Television Shakespeare

1978 1 Seasons 37 Episodes ⭐ 6.0 Drama Comedy

The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.

The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.

Seasons & Episodes

EP 1

Romeo & Juliet

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny wh

EP 2

King Richard the Second

Richard II, who ascended the throne as a child, is a regal and stately monarch. He believes he is the rightful ruler of

EP 3

As You Like It

Orlando is forced to work like a servant for his brother Oliver, so he goes to win his fortune in a wrestling contest, w

EP 4

Julius Caesar

Marcus Brutus is Caesar's close friend and a Roman praetor. Brutus allows himself to be cajoled into joining a group of

EP 5

Measure for Measure

When the Duke of Vienna takes a mysterious leave of absence and leaves the strict Angelo in charge, things couldn't be w

EP 6

The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight

Henry is a proud monarch who flies in the face of the church in seeking to divorce Queen Katherine and marry Anne Bullen

EP 7

The First Part of King Henry the Fourth with the Life and Death of Henry Surnamed Hotspur

Henry Bolingbroke has now been crowned King of England, but faces a rebellion headed by the embittered Earl of Northumbe

EP 8

The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth containing his Death: and the Coronation of King Henry the Fift

King Henry's health is failing as a second rebellion against his reign threatens to surface. Intent on securing his lega

EP 9

The Life of Henry the Fifth

Insulted by the Dauphin, the newly-crowned Henry V gathers his troops for war. But Henry must convince his men that he h

EP 10

Twelfth Night

Viola and Sebastian are lookalike twins, separated by a shipwreck. Viola lands in Illyria, where she disguises herself l

EP 11

The Tempest

Prospero, the true Duke of Milan, is now living on an enchanted island with his daughter Miranda, the savage Caliban and

EP 12

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Hamlet returns home from university to find his uncle married to his mother, and his father's ghost haunting the battlem

EP 13

The Taming of the Shrew

Baptista has two daughters: Katherine and Bianca. Everyone wants to wed the fair Bianca, but nobody's much interested in

EP 14

The Merchant of Venice

Antonio's best friend, Bassiano, is in love with Portia, a wise and wealthy heiress, and needs three thousand ducats to

EP 15

All's Well That Ends Well

Helena loves Bertram, but he's of noble birth, while she's just a doctor's daughter. But Bertram is at the court of the

EP 16

The Winter's Tale

King Leontes of Bohemia suspects his wife, Queen Hermione, of deceiving him with his good friend Polixenes. Leontes driv

EP 17

Timon of Athens

Ancient Athenian Timon is well-known for his generosity - his many friends come to all his parties and like to get prese

EP 18

Antony and Cleopatra

Octavius Caesar (later known as Augustus), Mark Antony, and Lepidus form a triumvirate to rule the Roman Empire. Antony

EP 19

Othello

Set in 16th-century Venice and Cyprus, Othello the Moor, a noble black warrior in the Venetian army, has secretly marrie

EP 20

Troilus and Cressida

The bitter Trojan War drags on - the Greeks blame Achilles' apathy for low morale, while Troy's hero Hector challenges o

EP 21

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. To escape the arranged marriage, she and L

EP 22

King Lear

When England's ageing King Lear renounces his throne to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, treachery, madness

EP 23

The Merry Wives of Windsor

When Sir John Falstaff decides that he wants to have a little fun he writes two letters to a pair of Window wives: Mistr

EP 24

The First Part of Henry the Sixth

Following the death of his father, Henry V, the young Henry VI is proclaimed king under the protectorship of his uncles,

EP 25

The Second Part of Henry the Sixth

Dissension is rife in the English court. Suffolk's influence intensifies. The fractious English nobles unite in their co

EP 26

The Third Part of Henry the Sixth

With Richard Plantagenet on the throne of England, the Yorkists confront the Lancastrians. King Henry agrees to York's d

EP 27

The Tragedy of Richard III

Richard Duke of Gloucester, youngest brother of King Edward IV, will stop at nothing to get the crown. He first convince

EP 28

Cymbeline

Cymbeline, the King of Britain, is angry that his daughter Imogen has chosen a poor (but worthy) man for her husband. So

EP 29

Macbeth

Shakespeare's dark tragedy tells of ambition and guilt amidst a background of regicide, violence and the supernatural. W

EP 30

The Comedy of Errors

Aegeon of Syracuse has come to Ephesus to seek his son, who went in search of his missing twin and mother months ago. To

EP 31

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Two great friends leave Verona for Milan, Valentine with great enthusiasm and Proteus unwillingly, as he will have to le

EP 32

The Tragedy of Coriolanus

A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city.

EP 33

The Life & Death of King John

King Richard I, the revered 'Lionheart', is dead. His brother John has become King of England, but the French argue that

EP 34

Pericles, Prince of Tyre

When Prince Pericles, visiting Antioch, discovers the dreaded answer to King Antiochus's riddle, he flees for his life s

EP 35

Much Ado About Nothing

Benedick and Beatrice fight their merry war of words. But when Beatrice's friend, Hero, is humiliatingly jilted by Bened

EP 36

Love's Labour's Lost

A scholarly king and his three companions swear off the society of women for three years, only to have a diplomatic visi

EP 37

Titus Andronicus

Having subdued the Goths, warrior Titus Andronicus returns to Rome to bury his sons, with Gothic Queen Tamora and her re

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