The BBC Television Shakespeare 1978
What is The BBC Television Shakespeare?
The BBC Television Shakespeare is a British television series of adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare. Created by Cedric Messina, it was produced by BBC Television and transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1978
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 37
- First aired
- Dec 3, 1978
- Last aired
- Apr 27, 1985
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 37 episodes and an average 45-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
The BBC Television Shakespeare is a British television series of adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare. Created by Cedric Messina, it was produced by BBC Television and transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw the potential of a location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. This sparked his vision for a series devoted to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. The series was produced over a period of time, during which Messina encountered numerous problems trying to bring the project to fruition. The series spanned multiple series and concluded on 27 April 1985.
Should you watch it?
“This ambitious anthology series presents television adaptations of the complete dramatic works of William Shakespeare.”
- comprehensive scope
- faithful adaptations
- historical significance
- varied production styles
- dated technical presentation
Watch it if you are interested in a complete television survey of Shakespearean drama.
The series contains classic dramatic content suitable for general audiences.
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Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 37 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Romeo & Juliet Mytharc Dec 3, 1978
- E2 King Richard the Second Core Dec 10, 1978
- E3 As You Like It Core Dec 17, 1978
- E4 Julius Caesar Core Feb 11, 1979
- E5 Measure for Measure Core Feb 18, 1979
- E6 The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight Core Feb 25, 1979
- E7 The First Part of King Henry the Fourth with the Life and Death of Henry Surnamed Hotspur Core Dec 9, 1979
- E8 The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth containing his Death: and the Coronation of King Henry the Fift Core Dec 16, 1979
- E9 The Life of Henry the Fifth Mytharc Dec 23, 1979
- E10 Twelfth Night Core Jan 6, 1980
- E11 The Tempest Core Feb 27, 1980
- E12 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Core May 25, 1980
- E13 The Taming of the Shrew Core Oct 23, 1980
- E14 The Merchant of Venice Core Dec 17, 1980
- E15 All's Well That Ends Well Core Jan 4, 1981
- E16 The Winter's Tale Core Feb 8, 1981
- E17 Timon of Athens Core Apr 16, 1981
- E18 Antony and Cleopatra Core May 8, 1981
- E19 Othello Core Oct 4, 1981
- E20 Troilus and Cressida Core Nov 7, 1981
- E21 A Midsummer Night's Dream Core Dec 13, 1981
- E22 King Lear Core Sep 19, 1982
- E23 The Merry Wives of Windsor Core Dec 28, 1982
- E24 The First Part of Henry the Sixth Core Jan 2, 1983
- E25 The Second Part of Henry the Sixth Core Jan 9, 1983
- E26 The Third Part of Henry the Sixth Core Jan 16, 1983
- E27 The Tragedy of Richard III Core Jan 23, 1983
- E28 Cymbeline Core Jul 10, 1983
- E29 Macbeth Mytharc Nov 5, 1983
- E30 The Comedy of Errors Core Dec 24, 1983
- E31 The Two Gentlemen of Verona Core Dec 27, 1983
- E32 The Tragedy of Coriolanus Core Apr 21, 1984
- E33 The Life & Death of King John Core Nov 24, 1984
- E34 Pericles, Prince of Tyre Core Dec 8, 1984
- E35 Much Ado About Nothing Core Dec 22, 1984
- E36 Love's Labour's Lost Mytharc Jan 5, 1985
- E37 Titus Andronicus Mytharc Apr 27, 1985
Frequently asked questions
What is The BBC Television Shakespeare?
It is a British television series featuring adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays.
When did the series air?
The series was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985.
Who created the series?
The series was created by Cedric Messina.
How many series were produced?
The production spanned seven series.
How did the series begin?
Development started in 1975 after Cedric Messina envisioned a series of Shakespearean adaptations while visiting Glamis Castle.
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