The Musketeers
A BBC period drama based on Dumas's classic novel.
The Musketeers is a British period action-drama television series that adapts characters from Alexandre Dumas's 1844 novel *The Three Musketeers*. It was co-produced by BBC America and BBC Worldwide. The show centers on the musketeers Athos, Aramis, and Porthos, who protect King Louis XIII and the people of 17th-century Paris. The first episode was broadcast on BBC One on 19 January 2014.
The main cast includes Tom Burke as Athos, Santiago Cabrera as Aramis, Howard Charles as Porthos, Luke Pasqualino as D'Artagnan, Tamla Kari as Constance Bonacieux, Maimie McCoy as Milady de Winter, Ryan Gage as Louis XIII, and Alexandra Dowling as Queen Anne. Peter Capaldi appears as Cardinal Richelieu in the first series, Marc Warren as Comte de Rochefort in the second, and Rupert Everett as the Marquis de Feron in the third. The show was produced by Jessica Pope and Adrian Hodges for the BBC. Most filming took place in the Czech Republic. In February 2015, the series was renewed for a third season, which was announced in April 2016 as the final one. The third series premiered in several countries before its UK debut on 28 May 2016, concluding on 1 August 2016.
The plot is set in 1630s Paris, where Athos, Aramis, and Porthos—highly trained musketeers under Captain Treville—encounter D'Artagnan, a skilled farm boy aspiring to join their ranks. Together, they fight to protect the king and their country.
The BBC had been developing a new series based on *The Three Musketeers* since 2007, initially planned as a Saturday evening show to air between *Doctor Who* series. The project was officially announced in 2012, with Adrian Hodges leading it. Paris was not chosen as a filming location because modern development had diminished the gritty architecture the production wanted. Dublin was considered, but the Czech Republic was selected due to its minimal damage during the world wars, leaving many historic buildings intact. Privately owned stately homes were rented for filming. Most filming occurred in Doksany, about 30 km northwest of Prague, where a Parisian square, streets, and the musketeers' garrison were built. A disused convent housed additional sets, including taverns, bedrooms, and a mortuary.
During the first series' filming, Peter Capaldi learned he had been cast as the Twelfth Doctor in *Doctor Who*. Executive producer Jessica Pope noted that plans for a second serie
- type
- Television series
- genre
- Period action-drama
- first_episode
- 19 January 2014
- final_episode
- 1 August 2016
- number_of_series
- 3
- production_companies
- BBC America, BBC Worldwide
- based_on
- The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Lore & Background
The BBC had been developing a new series based on The Three Musketeers since as early as 2007, initially envisioned as a Saturday evening show to run between series of Doctor Who. Production was announced in 2012, with Adrian Hodges in charge. Filming took place mainly in the Czech Republic, as Paris was not considered due to modern development, and Dublin was also considered before the Czech Republic was chosen. A Parisian square, streets, and the musketeers' garrison were constructed in Doksany, 30 km northwest of Prague, with additional sets built in a disused convent.
Reader's Guide
The Musketeers ran for three series from 2014 to 2016, becoming the highest-rated drama to debut on BBC One in 2014. The series starred Tom Burke as Athos, Santiago Cabrera as Aramis, Howard Charles as Porthos, and Luke Pasqualino as D'Artagnan, with Peter Capaldi as Cardinal Richelieu in the first series. Capaldi learned he had been cast as the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who during filming, leading producers to recalibrate plans for a second series. The show received mixed reviews initially but was praised for its character development and adventurous take on the story. The third series was announced as the last in April 2016, premiering in multiple countries before its UK debut on 28 May 2016.
Did You Know?
- Peter Capaldi learned he had been cast as the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who during filming of the first series.
- The series was filmed mainly in the Czech Republic because Paris had lost the grittier architecture wanted for the show.
- The third series premiered in multiple countries before its UK broadcast on 28 May 2016.
- The complete first series was 'striped' on the Australian Foxtel channel BBC First on the day of that channel's premiere.
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