Play for Today 1970
What is Play for Today?
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. Throughout its fourteen-year run, the series featured more than three hundred individual programs.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1970
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 314
- Runtime
- 75 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 15, 1970
- Last aired
- Feb 5, 1985
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- BBC One
- Genres
- Drama
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 314 episodes and an average 75-minute runtime.
Trailer
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. Throughout its fourteen-year run, the series featured more than three hundred individual programs. These broadcasts consisted of original television plays alongside adaptations of both stage plays and novels. The episodes varied in duration, typically ranging between fifty and one hundred minutes. The anthology series served as a platform for diverse dramatic works, and some of the individual plays were later developed into their own series, such as Rumpole of the Bailey and Gangsters. The production featured various actors, including Alison Steadman, Nigel Hawthorne, David Daker, and Tony Caunter. As a long-running strand of British television, the program provided a significant outlet for theatrical and literary storytelling on the BBC. The series concluded its run in 1984, having established a notable legacy in the history of television drama through its extensive collection of original and adapted content.
Should you watch it?
“This long-running BBC anthology series presents a diverse collection of original dramas and literary adaptations.”
- wide variety of stories
- high volume of content
- classic television production
- inconsistent episode lengths
- varied subject matter
Watch it if you enjoy exploring the evolution of British television drama through standalone plays.
The series features diverse dramatic themes typical of television plays produced between 1970 and 1984.
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Ask anything about Play for Today — answers are spoiler-safe.
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Is Play for Today worth watching?
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Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 24 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 The Long Distance Piano Player Mytharc Oct 15, 1970
- E2 The Right Prospectus Core Oct 22, 1970
- E3 The Lie Core Oct 29, 1970
- E4 Angels Are So Few Core Nov 5, 1970
- E5 The Write-Off Core Nov 12, 1970
- E6 I Can't See My Little Willie Core Nov 19, 1970
- E7 A Distant Thunder Core Nov 26, 1970
- E8 Hearts and Flowers Core Dec 3, 1970
- E9 Robin Redbreast Core Dec 10, 1970
- E10 The Hallelujah Handshake Core Dec 17, 1970
- E11 Alma Mater Core Jan 7, 1971
- E12 Circle Line Core Jan 14, 1971
- E13 Hell's Angel Core Jan 21, 1971
- E14 The Piano Core Jan 28, 1971
- E15 Billy's Last Stand Core Feb 4, 1971
- E16 The Rainbirds Core Feb 11, 1971
- E17 Reddick Core Feb 18, 1971
- E18 The Foxtrot Core Apr 29, 1971
- E19 When the Bough Breaks Core May 6, 1971
- E20 Orkney Core May 13, 1971
- E21 The Rank and File Core May 20, 1971
- E22 The Man in the Sidecar Core May 27, 1971
- E23 Everybody Say Cheese Mytharc Jun 3, 1971
- E24 The Cellar and the Almond Tree Mytharc Jun 10, 1971
Season 2 · 19 episodes
- E1 Traitor Mytharc Oct 14, 1971
- E2 Edna, the Inebriate Woman Core Oct 21, 1971
- E3 Evelyn Core Oct 28, 1971
- E4 O Fat White Woman Core Nov 4, 1971
- E5 Thank You Very Much Core Nov 11, 1971
- E6 Michael Regan Core Nov 18, 1971
- E7 Skin Deep Core Nov 25, 1971
- E8 Pal Core Dec 2, 1971
- E9 The Pigeon Fancier Core Dec 9, 1971
- E10 Home Core Jan 6, 1972
- E11 Still Waters Core Jan 13, 1972
- E12 Stocker's Copper Core Jan 20, 1972
- E13 The House on Highbury Hill Core Jan 27, 1972
- E14 In the Beautiful Caribbean Core Feb 3, 1972
- E15 Ackerman, Dougall and Harker Core Feb 10, 1972
- E16 The Villa Maroc Core Feb 17, 1972
- E17 Cows Core Feb 24, 1972
- E18 A Time to Keep Mytharc Apr 27, 1972
- E19 The Fishing Party Mytharc Jun 1, 1972
Season 3 · 28 episodes
- E1 The Reporters Mytharc Oct 9, 1972
- E2 A Life Is for Ever Core Oct 16, 1972
- E3 Carson Country Core Oct 23, 1972
- E4 Man Friday Core Oct 30, 1972
- E5 Triple Exposure Core Nov 6, 1972
- E6 Better than the Movies Core Nov 13, 1972
- E7 The General's Day Core Nov 20, 1972
- E8 The Bankrupt Core Nov 27, 1972
- E9 Just Your Luck Core Dec 4, 1972
- E10 The Bouncing Boy Core Dec 11, 1972
- E11 Shakespeare or Bust Core Jan 8, 1973
- E12 Land of Green Ginger Core Jan 15, 1973
- E13 Kisses at Fifty Core Jan 22, 1973
- E14 Highway Robbery Core Jan 29, 1973
- E15 Song at Twilight Core Feb 5, 1973
- E16 Only Make Believe Core Feb 12, 1973
- E17 For Sylvia or The Air Show Core Feb 19, 1973
- E18 The Operation Core Feb 26, 1973
- E19 Access to the Children Core Mar 5, 1973
- E20 Hard Labour Core Mar 12, 1973
- E21 Man Above Men Core Mar 19, 1973
- E22 Speech Day Core Mar 26, 1973
- E23 Steps Back Core May 14, 1973
- E24 Three's One Core Jun 4, 1973
- E25 Edward G.--Like the Film Star Core Jun 11, 1973
- E26 Blooming Youth Core Jun 18, 1973
- E27 The Stretch Mytharc Jun 25, 1973
- E28 Making the Play Mytharc Jul 2, 1973
Season 4 · 22 episodes
- E1 Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont Mytharc Oct 18, 1973
- E2 Her Majesty's Pleasure Core Oct 25, 1973
- E3 Jack Point Core Nov 1, 1973
- E4 The Emergency Channel Core Nov 8, 1973
- E5 Mummy and Daddy Core Nov 15, 1973
- E6 Private Practice Core Nov 22, 1973
- E7 Shutdown Core Nov 29, 1973
- E8 Baby Blues Core Dec 6, 1973
- E9 Jingle Bells Core Dec 13, 1973
- E10 The Lonely Man's Lover Core Jan 17, 1974
- E11 All Good Men Core Jan 31, 1974
- E12 Joe's Ark Core Feb 14, 1974
- E13 Hot Fat Core Feb 21, 1974
- E14 Easy Go Core Mar 7, 1974
- E15 Headmaster Core Mar 14, 1974
- E16 Penda's Fen Core Mar 21, 1974
- E17 Pigeon--Hawk or Dove? Core Mar 28, 1974
- E18 Three for the Fancy Core Apr 11, 1974
- E19 The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil Core Jun 6, 1974
- E20 Schmoedipus Core Jun 20, 1974
- E21 The Childhood Friend Mytharc Jun 27, 1974
- E22 A Follower for Emily Mytharc Jul 4, 1974
Season 5 · 22 episodes
- E1 Leeds--United! Mytharc Oct 31, 1974
- E2 Baby Love Core Nov 7, 1974
- E3 Back of Beyond Core Nov 14, 1974
- E4 The Bevellers Core Nov 21, 1974
- E5 Taking Leave Core Nov 28, 1974
- E6 Fugitive Core Dec 5, 1974
- E7 Eleanor Core Dec 12, 1974
- E8 Gangsters Core Jan 9, 1975
- E9 The After Dinner Game Core Jan 16, 1975
- E10 Breath Core Jan 23, 1975
- E11 The Death of a Young, Young Man Core Jan 30, 1975
- E12 Sunset Across the Bay Core Feb 20, 1975
- E13 Funny Farm Core Feb 27, 1975
- E14 Goodbye Core Mar 6, 1975
- E15 Just Another Saturday Core Mar 13, 1975
- E16 A Child of Hope Core Apr 24, 1975
- E17 The Saturday Party Core May 1, 1975
- E18 Wednesday Love Core May 8, 1975
- E19 The Dandelion Clock Core May 15, 1975
- E20 Brassneck Core May 22, 1975
- E21 The Floater Mytharc May 29, 1975
- E22 By Common Consent Mytharc Jun 5, 1975
Frequently asked questions
What is Play for Today?
It is a British television anthology drama series produced by the BBC.
When did the series air?
The show was transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984.
How many episodes were produced?
The series consisted of more than three hundred individual programmes.
What kind of content does the show feature?
It includes original television plays as well as adaptations of novels and stage plays.
How long are the episodes?
Individual episodes range between fifty and a hundred minutes in duration.