Cadfael (TV series)
A medieval monk solves mysteries in 12th-century England.
Derek Jacobi played the medieval sleuth Brother Cadfael in this British mystery series, which ran on ITV from 1994 to 1998. Based on Ellis Peters' novels, the show was produced by Central. Its complete DVD set came out on 24 August 2009, and American viewers saw it on the Mystery! program.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Period drama; Historical mystery
- Writer
- Russell Lewis
- Creator
- Edith Pargeter
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 4
- Episodes
- 13
- Executive producers
- Neville C. Thompson; Ted Childs
Facts from the source article.
Plots and setting
The television series follows Brother Cadfael at a Benedictine abbey in Shrewsbury, set during the 1100s in England. Its episodes draw from Ellis Peters’ The Cadfael Chronicles, though not all of the 21 novels were adapted. Filming occurred in Hungary because Shrewsbury’s original abbey is gone, leaving only its church. The novels progress through specific years from 1137 to 1145. The TV versions sometimes alter the plots, characters, and sequence found in the books. The show originally aired in the UK between 1994 and 1998.
Episodes
Guest stars across the series include Christian Burgess, Michael Grandage, Steven Mackintosh, Sara Stephens, Hugh Bonneville, Toby Jones, Natasha McElhone, Jonathan Firth, Tara Fitzgerald, Sarah Badel, Jonny Lee Miller, Jamie Glover, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Dyer, John Bennett, John Hallam, Julian Glover, Ian McNeice, Ronan Vibert, Christien Anholt, Louisa Millwood-Haigh, Ian Reddington, Chloë Annett, John Dallimore, Daniel Betts, Anna Friel, Kitty Aldridge, Tom Mannion, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Peter Guinness, Hermione Norris, Catherine Cusack, George Irving, Benedict Sandiford, Louise Delamere, Natasha Pyne, Jonathan Tafler, Richard Lintern, Gregor Truter, Terence Beesley, Sioned Jones, Natasha Little, and Lee Ingleby.
Comparison to the novels
The production of "One Corpse Too Many" took place largely in Hungary, and the television adaptation remained very faithful to its source novel, making only slight adjustments for the screen. "The Sanctuary Sparrow" also used Hungarian locations for most of its filming. In "Leper of Saint Giles," the character of Heribert, played by Peter Copley, holds the position of abbot, whereas in the book Radulfus has already been abbot for close to a year. "Monk's Hood" follows the original novel closely. "The Virgin in the Ice" departs considerably from the book: the setting shifts from Ludlow to Cadfael’s own abbey in Shrewsbury; Brother Elyas is replaced by Cadfael’s young herb garden assistant, Brother Oswin; new plot points are added to account for the brigands under le Gaucher; and the identity of the murderer is revealed differently. "The Devil's Novice" stays largely true to the novel, except that Aspley Manor becomes Ashby. An added prologue shows Clemence staying overnight at Ashby, where his arrogant manner alienates everyone except Rosanna, who openly flirts with him. Brother Oswin takes over Brother Mark’s role. Hugh Beringar leaves Shrewsbury, leaving his blunt deputy Sergeant Warden in charge, who repeatedly argues with Cadfael about the murder. Pressured by Canon Eluard, Warden is quick to blame first Harald, then Meriet. Janyn is caught trying to flee the abbey, confesses, and is last seen being taken to jail to await execution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Cadfael (TV series)?
Cadfael was created by Edith Pargeter.
How many episodes of Cadfael (TV series) are there?
Cadfael has 13 episodes across 4 seasons.
When did Cadfael (TV series) first air?
Cadfael first aired on 29 May 1994.
When did Cadfael (TV series) end?
Cadfael last aired on 28 December 1998.
More in Television Shows Produced by Central Independent Television
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