Galavant
A musical fantasy comedy series with self-knowing parody.
Galavant is a musical fantasy comedy series from the United States, created and written by Dan Fogelman. The songs and lyrics were composed by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, who also served as executive producers alongside Fogelman, Chris Koch, Kat Likkel, and John Hoberg. The title role is played by Joshua Sasse, with a main cast that includes Timothy Omundson, Vinnie Jones, Mallory Jansen, Karen David, and Luke Youngblood. Jansen once described the show as "the bastard child of Monty Python and The Princess Bride."
The first season, consisting of eight episodes, premiered on January 4, 2015, and aired over four weeks. A second season of ten episodes was ordered on May 7, 2015, and aired two episodes per week for five weeks starting January 3, 2016. The series was canceled on May 12, 2016, after those two seasons.
The story follows Sir Galavant, a once-dashing knight whose fortunes have soured. He sets out to win back his reputation and his "happily ever after" after the evil King Richard kidnaps his beloved Madalena—who then chooses to stay with Richard for his wealth and power. Galavant is aided by his loyal squire Sid and Princess Isabella, whose kingdom of Valencia Richard has conquered. Meanwhile, the weak-willed Richard tries to win over the scheming Madalena, with help from his brawny henchman Gareth and his chef Vincenzo. The episodes track Galavant’s travels, filled with twists and musical numbers by Menken and Slater. Along the way, he takes part in a joust, visits Sid’s hometown, gets captured by shipwrecked pirates, stops with a group of singing monks, and is finally caught by Richard and Gareth while trying to sneak into the castle to rescue Madalena—only to learn she doesn’t want saving. Richard is overthrown when his older brother Kingsley appears and claims the throne, and everyone ends up locked in the dungeon together. Kingsley orders their execution, but Gareth refuses and frees everyone except Sid. Before Kingsley can retaliate, he is stabbed in the back, and Madalena places Gareth on Valencia’s throne beside her. Isabella and her group seek shelter with her cousin Harry in Hortensia, where she is imprisoned until she agrees to marry him. Richard and the fickle Galavant then set sail with pirates to rescue her.
In the second season, Richard tries to find a new purpose and falls in love with his childhood friend Roberta Steinglass. Gala
- field
- Television
- genre
- Musical fantasy comedy
- creator
- Dan Fogelman
- composers
- Alan Menken, Glenn Slater
- network
- ABC
- seasons
- 2
- episodes
- 18
Lore & Background
Galavant follows the adventures of Sir Galavant, a dashing knight down on his luck, who seeks to reclaim his reputation and his 'happily ever after' after the evil King Richard kidnaps his love, Madalena, who then chooses to stay with Richard for his money and power. Galavant is aided by his squire Sid and Princess Isabella of Valencia, whose kingdom has been conquered by Richard. The series chronicles their journeys through musical numbers composed by Menken and Slater, including encounters with pirates, singing monks, and a joust.
Reader's Guide
The series premiered on January 4, 2015, with eight episodes airing over four weeks. It was renewed for a second season of ten episodes on May 7, 2015, which premiered on January 3, 2016, following the same airing scheme. The series was canceled on May 12, 2016. Upon cancellation, composer Alan Menken expressed interest in continuing the series on stage. The show received generally favorable reviews, with a 78% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season, and was described by actress Mallory Jansen as 'the bastard child of Monty Python and The Princess Bride.'
Did You Know?
- The series was created and written by Dan Fogelman, with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, who previously worked together on the 2010 animated film Tangled.
- Principal photography took place at the Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, United Kingdom, with filming locations including Caldicot Castle and Caerphilly Castle in Wales.
- The second-season premiere title, 'A New Season aka Suck It Cancellation Bear', mocks the predicted cancellation by the ratings website TV by the Numbers after the first season.
- The series was released on DVD as Galavant – The Complete Collection on November 10, 2017, and later made available to stream on Netflix and Hulu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Galavant?
Galavant is the self-styled "most romantic" knight who roams the kingdom of Rellm searching for his true love. He is the titular lead of the ABC musical comedy, portrayed by Joshua Sasse.
Who created the show Galavant?
Dan Fogelman created and wrote the series, while Alan Menken and Glenn Slater composed its songs and lyrics. The show was produced for ABC with Fogelman, Chris Koch, Kat Likkel, and John Hoberg serving as executive producers.
How many seasons of Galavant are there?
The series ran for two seasons on ABC, with its first season of eight episodes debuting on January 4, 2015.
What is Galavant about?
The show tracks a lovable, over-the-top knight as he sings his way through fairy-tale adventures, outwits villains, and chases romance across the fantasy realm of Rellm. It plays as a self-aware parody of classic fairy-tale and musical tropes.
Who is in the main cast of Galavant?
Joshua Sasse leads the cast as the title character, supported by Timothy Omundson, Vinnie Jones, Mallory Jansen, Karen David, and Luke Youngblood.
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