Heroes and Villains was a 2007

2007 in television

2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television...

-2008

2008 in television

The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:...

 BBC Television

BBC Television

BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...

 docudrama

Docudrama

In film, television programming and staged theatre, docudrama is a documentary-style genre that features dramatized re-enactments of actual historical events. As a neologism, the term is often confused with docufiction....

 series looking at key moments in the lives and reputations of some of the greatest warriors of history. Each hour long episode featured a different historical figure, including Napoleon I of France

Napoleon I of France

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...

, Attila the Hun

Attila the Hun

Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared...

, Spartacus

Spartacus

Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...

, Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...

, Richard I of England

Richard I of England

Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...

, and Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

 was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

. The statements at the beginning of each episode read: "This film depicts real events and real characters. It is based on the accounts of writers of the time. It has been written with the advice of modern historians." In the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 the show is aired on The Military Channel and was called "Warriors".

Production

The series was filmed by BBC Factual department in 720p high definition with the Panasonic DVCPRO HD cameras. The greenscreen scenes were filmed with the handheld AG-HVX200 cameras.

Episodes

The numbering of the six episodes that make up the series is debatable due to them being listed differently on different sources. The DVD release has them listed in the order of Spartacus, Attila the Hun, Shogun, Richard the Lionheart, Cortes, and Napoleon; while the BBC website guide has them listed as Napoleon 1/6, Cortes 2/6, Attila the Hun 3/6, Shogun 4/6, Spartacus 5/6, and Richard the Lionheart 6/6. However they are listed here by their airdate according to the BBC website.

"Napoleon"

Original Airdate: November 11, 2007

Filmed on location in Malta, this story covers the siege of Toulon

Siege of Toulon

The Siege of Toulon was an early Republican victory over a Royalist rebellion in the Southern French city of Toulon. It is also often known as the Fall of Toulon.-Context:...

. Beginning in Marseilles on August 24, 1793, and ending on December 18, 1793, it covers his rivalry with Fréron as well as his sister Paoletta's affair with Fréron and his rise through the ranks as they fight the English at "Little Gibraltar."

Cast

• Rob Brydon
  Rob Brydon
  Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
  
   as Fréron
  Louis-Marie Stanislas Fréron
  Louis-Marie Stanislas Fréron was a French politician, journalist, representative to the National Assembly, and a representative on mission during the French Revolution.-Background:...
  
  
• Richard McCabe
  Richard McCabe
  Richard McCabe is a Scottish actor.-Biography:Richard McCabe was born in Glasgow to a Scottish father and French mother . He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , where he won several awards. Following the early death of his father and his mother's re-marriage, he grew up in Sussex where...
  
   as Barras
  Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras
  Paul François Jean Nicolas, vicomte de Barras was a French politician of the French Revolution, and the main executive leader of the Directory regime of 1795–1799.-Early life:...
  
  
• Tom Burke
  Tom Burke (actor)
  Tom Liam Benedict Burke is an English actor.-Early life:Born on 30 June 1981; Kent, England), he is the son of actor David Burke and actress Anna Calder-Marshall...
  
   as Napoleon
• Laura Greenwood
  Laura Greenwood
  Laura Greenwood is an English actress and a member of the YoungBlood Theatre Company in 2006.Greenwood's big breakthrough came in 2006 when at age 14 she starred as Penny Philips opposite Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect The Final Act, the two-part conclusion to ITV's long-running series...
  
   as Paoletta
  Pauline Bonaparte
  Pauline Bonaparte was the first sovereign Duchess of Guastalla, an imperial French Princess and the Princess consort of Sulmona and Rossano. She was the sixth child of Letizia Ramolino and Carlo Buonaparte, Corsica's representative to the court of King Louis XVI of France. Her elder brother,...
  
  
• Alice Krige
  Alice Krige
  Alice Maud Krige is a South African actress. Her first feature film role was as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the 1981 Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire...
  
   as Letizia
  Letizia Ramolino
  Nobile Maria Letizia Buonaparte née Ramolino was the mother of Napoleon I of France....
  
  
• Alex Lowe
  Alex Lowe (actor)
  Alex Lowe is an English actor and comedian, who is best known as the creator and voice behind the character 'Barry from Watford' on Steve Wright's BBC Radio 2 show and Absolute Radio's Iain Lee Show-Barry from Watford:...
  
   as Junot
• Kenneth Cranham
  Kenneth Cranham
  Kenneth Cranham is a film, television and stage actor. He starred in the title role in the popular 1980s comedy drama Shine on Harvey Moon. He also appeared in Layer Cake, Gangster No. 1, Rome, Oliver! and many other films. He is probably best known to horror genre fans as the deranged Dr...
  
   as General Carteaux
  Jean François Carteaux
  Jean Baptiste François Carteaux was a French painter who became a General in the French Revolutionary Army...
  
  
• Gina Bellman
  Gina Bellman
  Gina Bellman is a New Zealand-born British actress currently starring in the series Leverage as Sophie Devereaux for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress in Television.-Personal life:...
  
   as Catherine Carteaux
• Dareen Queralt as Denon
  Dominique Vivant
  Dominique Vivant, Baron de Denon was a French artist, writer, diplomat, author, and archaeologist. He was appointed first director of the Louvre Museum by Napoleon after the Egyptian campaign of 1798-1801.-Biography:...
  
  
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths
  Roger Ashton-Griffiths
  Roger Ashton-Griffiths is a British character actor, screenwriter and film director.He graduated from Lancaster University and the University of East London , and began his career as a singer with English National Opera at the London Coliseum.He has appeared in numerous high-profile films,...
  
   as General Doppet
• Antony Higgins as General Dugommier
  Jacques François Dugommier
  Jacques François Coquille named Dugommier was a French general....
  
  

Crew

• Writer and Director: Nick Murphy
• Historical Consultant: Professor Alan Forrest, University of York
  University of York
  The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
  
  

"Attila the Hun"

Original Airdate: February 13, 2008

Attila and his brother, Bleda, make a pact with the Western Roman Emperor to leave their lands untouched. This sends them to the Eastern Roman Empire instead and they take the city of Naissus, prompting the eastern emperor to buy them off. They leave with their prize but Attila soon kill his brother and returns. After defeating the emperor's army, Chrysaphius and Vigilas attempt to bribe Edeco in order to kill Attila but he betrays them. Attila then attacks the western empire because he feels he must, but in doing so he faces Aetius and a coalition of armies belong to his enemies.

Cast Kevin Eldon as Romulus Big Mick Big Mick (actor) Mick Walter , often referred to by the stage name Big Mick, is a British actor, noted for his dwarfism. He is known for appearing on television comedies, first appearing as Jack Large in Blackadder...  as Zercon Rory McCann Rory McCann Rory McCann is a Scottish film and television actor.-Career:McCann's first acting work came in an advert for Scott's Porage Oats dressed in a vest and kilt. He was next seen in the 2002 television comedy-drama The Book Group playing a disabled personal trainer, for which he won a Scottish BAFTA...  as Attila the Hun Attila the Hun Attila , more frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire, which stretched from the Ural River to the Rhine River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. During his reign he was one of the most feared... Nicholas Boulton as Bleda Bleda Bleda was a Hun ruler, the brother of Attila the Hun.As nephews to Rugila, Attila and his elder brother Bleda succeeded him to the throne. His reign lasted for eleven years until his death. While it has been speculated throughout history that Attila murdered him on a hunting trip, no one knows... Allen Leech Allen Leech Allen Leech is an Irish stage, television and film actor, best known for his role as Marcus Agrippa in the 2007 HBO television series Rome, and his role as chauffeur Tom Branson in ITV 2010 television series Downton Abbey....  as Edeco Michael Maloney Michael Maloney Michael Maloney is an English actor.Born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, Maloney's first television appearance was as Peter Barkworth's teenage son in the 1979 drama series, Telford's Change....  as Vigilas Jonathan Phillips Jonathan Phillips Jonathan Phillips is an English actor, best known for his portrayal of 2nd Officer Charles Lightoller in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic.He also appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders entitled Country Matters....  as Theodosius Theodosius II Theodosius II , commonly surnamed Theodosius the Younger, or Theodosius the Calligrapher, was Byzantine Emperor from 408 to 450. He is mostly known for promulgating the Theodosian law code, and for the construction of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople... Ian Barritt Ian Barritt Ian Barritt is a British actor.His television credits include: Elizabeth R, The Tomorrow People, Secret Army, Blake's 7, Minder, Only Fools and Horses, Lovejoy, Between The Lines, The Bill, A Touch of Frost, Foyle's War, Life on Mars, Midsomer Murders and Doctor Who.-External links:...  as Chrysaphius Chrysaphius Chrysaphius was a eunuch at the Eastern Roman court, who became the chief minister of Theodosius II . Effectively the ruler of the empire during his ascendancy, he pursued a policy of appeasement towards the Huns, which cost the empire far more gold than any military campaign, while amassing a... Ian Lindsay as Maximinus Maximinus Maximinus II , also known as Maximinus Daia or Maximinus Daza, was Roman Emperor from 308 to 313. He was born of Dacian peasant stock to the half sister of the emperor Galerius near their family lands around Felix Romuliana; a rural area then in the Danubian region of Moesia, now Eastern Serbia.He... Oliver Cotton Oliver Cotton Oliver Cotton is an English actor, known for his work on stage, TV and film.After training at the Drama Centre London, he has worked extensively at the Royal National Theatre playing in many productions including The Royal Hunt of the Sun, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Much Ado About...  as Aetius Flavius Aëtius Flavius Aëtius , dux et patricius, was a Roman general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man in the Western Roman Empire for two decades . He managed policy in regard to the attacks of barbarian peoples pressing on the Empire...

Crew Writer: Tony Etchells Director: Gareth Edwards Gareth Edwards (director) Gareth Edwards is a British film director. He is best known for directing the 2010 independent film Monsters, his first feature film. He also wrote, filmed, and did the visual effects for the film. He is currently attached to direct the upcoming Godzilla reboot from Legendary Pictures.- Biography... Historical Consultant: Dr. Peter Heather Peter Heather Peter Heather is a historian of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, currently Professor of Medieval History at King's College London. He has held appointments at University College London and Yale University and was Fellow and Tutor in Medieval History at Worcester College, Oxford until... , University of Oxford University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

"Spartacus"

Original Airdate: February 29, 2008

Spartacus, sold as a gladiator

Gladiator

A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...

, organizes an escape and the Roman army is soon hunting him and his fellow escaped slaves. He and his men attack the Romans and other slaves soon arrive to join them which causes trouble between those who want revenge and Spartacus who wishes to flee to Gaul. After another attack by the Romans, they head for Gaul. Yet, after facing the Romans again and winning, Spartacus's men convince him to attack rather than flee. The Romans, however, push them to the ocean and a final battle ensues.

Cast Anthony Flanagan Anthony Flanagan Anthony Flanagan is an English actor most widely known for his portrayal of policeman Tony in Channel 4's comedy-drama series Shameless.-Biography:...  as Spartacus Spartacus Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable... Nadia Boussetta as Spartacus's Wife Jamie Foreman Jamie Foreman Jamie Foreman is an English actor best known for his roles as Duke in Layer Cake and Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist . He played opposite Ray Winstone and Kathy Burke in Gary Oldman's Nil by Mouth and also featured in Elizabeth , Gangster No. 1 and Sleepy Hollow...  as Slave Trader Mark Wingett Mark Wingett Mark Wingett , is an English actor. He is best known for playing the role of Jim Carver in the ITV1 police procedural The Bill.-Career:...  as Batiatus Lentulus Batiatus Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Batiatus was the Roman owner of a gladiatorial school in Capua , in southern Italy. It was from this school that in 73 BC, the Thracian slave, Spartacus, and about 70 to 78 followers, escaped... Johnny Harris as Oenameaus Oenomaus (rebel slave) Oenomaus was a gladiator from Gaul, who escaped from the gladiatorial school of Lentulus Batiatus in Capua. Together with the Thracian Spartacus and a fellow Gaul, Crixus, he became one of the leaders of rebellious slaves during the Third Servile War , but died early in the war.Oenomaus was... Andrew Tiernan Andrew Tiernan Andrew James Tiernan is an English actor.-Theatre:Tiernan began acting with the Birmingham Youth Theatre and moved to London in 1984 to study a three-year Diploma in Acting at the Drama Centre London run by Christopher Fettes and Yat Malmgren...  as Crixus Crixus Crixus was a leader of the slave rebellion in the Third Servile War, along with Spartacus and Oenomaus.He was a Gaul , and had been a slave for several years before the revolt. Crixus had fought for the Allobroges against the Romans and had been captured. Like his companions, Crixus had trained as... Robert Glenister Robert Glenister Robert Lewis Glenister is a British actor known for his roles as con man Ash "Three Socks" Morgan in the British TV series Hustle, and Nicholas Blake in the BBC spy drama Spooks.-Career:...  as Crassus Rupert Vansittart Rupert Vansittart Rupert Vansittart is an English character actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, radio and on stage, often playing comic or serio-comic characters....  as Lentulus Lentulus Lentulus, the name of a Roman patrician family of the Cornelian gens, derived from lentes , which its oldest members were fond of cultivating . The word Lentulitas is coined by Cicero to express the attributes of a pronounced aristocrat. The three first of the name were L...

Crew Writers: Colin Heber-Percy & Lyall B. Watson Director: Tim Dunn Historical Consultant: Professor Mary Beard, University of Cambridge University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...

"Cortes"

Original Airdate: March 15, 2008

Cortés and his men arrive in Central America

Central America

Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

 in search of riches. They cross the mountains and soon become allies with the Tlaxcalans. Once they reach Tenochtitlan, they are invited in but then proceed to insult the Aztec's customs and take their ruler, Moctezuma, hostage. Yet, when it is discovered that Cortés is a criminal, he must leave the city to fight the army that the king has sent after him. When he returns, he finds that a war has started and the battle over Tenochtitlan begins.

Cast Brian McCardie Brian McCardie Brian McCardie is a Scottish actor. He has appeared in several movies, including Speed 2: Cruise Control , playing the role as Merced. He also appeared in the mini series of Titanic.-Early life:...  as Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century... Nicholas Shaw Nicholas Shaw Nicholas Shaw is an English actor. He attended Macauley Catholic High School in Doncaster. He then attended the Drama Centre London and graduated in 2004...  as Sandoval Andrew Howard Andrew Howard -Stage acting:On stage roles included Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange, Peer Gyntin Peer Gynt, Orestes in Electra at theatres, including The Royal National Theatre and TheDonmar Warehouse .-Film acting:...  as Alvarado Pedro de Alvarado Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras was a Spanish conquistador and governor of Guatemala. He participated in the conquest of Cuba, in Juan de Grijalva's exploration of the coasts of Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico, and in the conquest of Mexico led by Hernan Cortes... Niall Macgregor as Velasquez Vineeta Rishi Vineeta Rishi Vineeta Rishi , is a British actress of Indian descent.-Biography:Rishi trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and is best known as PC Kapoor on ITV's The Last Detective...  as Doña Marina La Malinche La Malinche , known also as Malintzin, Malinalli or Doña Marina, was a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who played a role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico, acting as interpreter, advisor, lover and intermediary for Hernán Cortés... David Maybrick as Lopez Francisco López de Gómara Francisco López de Gómara was a Spanish historian who worked in Seville, particularly noted for his works in which he described the early 16th century expedition undertaken by Hernán Cortés in the Spanish conquest of the New World... Ramon Tikaram Ramon Tikaram Ramon Pramod Junior Tikaram is a British stage and screen actor of Indo-Fijian and Malaysian descent.-Early and personal life:...  as Moctezuma Moctezuma II Moctezuma , also known by a number of variant spellings including Montezuma, Moteuczoma, Motecuhzoma and referred to in full by early Nahuatl texts as Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, was the ninth tlatoani or ruler of Tenochtitlan, reigning from 1502 to 1520... TJ Ramini TJ Ramini TJ Ramini is an English actor best known for his role as DC Zain Nadir in The Bill.He attended King Alfred School in North London. His father is Palestinian, while his mother is Australian and was a newsreader for ITV. He is also of Russian Jewish and Scottish ancestry. At 19, he moved to...  as Cuauhtémoc Cuauhtémoc Cuauhtémoc was the Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan from 1520 to 1521... Alec Newman Alec Newman Alec Newman is a Scottish stage, television and film actor. He was born in Glasgow on 27 November 1974. Prior to joining the National Youth Theatre in London at age 17, he considered becoming a professional footballer...  as Villafana Ángel de Villafañe Ángel de Villafañe was the Spanish conquistador of Florida, Mexico, and Guatemala, and was an explorer, expedition leader, and ship captain , who worked with many 16th-century settlements and shipwrecks along the Gulf of Mexico.- Life and work :Ángel de Villafañe was born about 1504, as the son of...

Crew Writer and Director: Andrew Grieve Andrew Grieve Andrew Grieve is a Welsh television and film director. Grieve's credits include episodes of Warship and Wire in the Blood. On the Black Hill, the screenplay of which he also wrote, won the Golden Shell at the San Sebastian Film Festival in 1988. He has also directed episodes of Agatha Christie's... Historical Consultant: Dr. Caroline Dodds, University of Leicester University of Leicester The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....

"Richard the Lionheart"

Original Airdate: March 22, 2008

During the Third Crusade

Third Crusade

The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...

, the crusaders arrive in Jaffa and find it destroyed. Uneasiness in the ranks and an attack that leaves one of his close friend's dead, Richard hopes to marry off his sister to Al Adil and create an alliance. However, Al Adil will not agree and the crusaders begin to suffer from a lack of supplies. Finally, Richard decides not to attack Jerusalem and the coalition falls apart. Eventually he must face the decision of protecting his kingdom from his brother or completing his oath to God. In the end, Richard plans to return home but when Jaffa is assaulted, he returns to rescue his men.

Cast Leon Ockenden Leon Ockenden Leon Ockenden is a British actor who has played supporting roles in a number of television dramas since 2003. He grew up in the resort town of Looe, in Cornwall starring in plays at his school before pursuing a career in acting....  as Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:... Harry Lloyd Harry Lloyd Harry Lloyd is an English actor. He played Will Scarlet in the first two seasons of the BBC drama Robin Hood which began in 2006...  as Lucas Steven Waddington Steven Waddington Steven Waddington is an English actor who is probably best known for his supporting role in Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans. He trained at East 15 Acting School in Loughton Essex. His first film role was as the eponymous king in Derek Jarman's Edward II...  as Richard the Lionheart Alice Patten Alice Patten Alice Patten is an English actress, and the daughter of Chris Patten, a prominent British Conservative politician and the last governor of Hong Kong. She has played a key role in the Hindi film Rang De Basanti...  as Joan Stuart Wilson as Hugh De Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks... Donald Sumpter Donald Sumpter Donald Sumpter is a British actor. He has appeared in film and television since the mid 1960s.-Life and work:One of his early television appearances was the 1968 Doctor Who serial The Wheel in Space with Patrick Troughton as the Doctor. He appeared in Doctor Who again in the 1972 serial The Sea...  as Garnier Andy Lucas as Saladin Saladin Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant... Silas Carson Silas Carson Silas Carson is an English actor, mostly known for playing Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi and Viceroy Nute Gunray in all three of the Star Wars prequels and providing the voice of the Ood in Doctor Who....  as Al Adil Daragh O'Malley Daragh O'Malley Daragh O'Malley is an Irish film, theatre and television actor, best known for his portrayal of the much loved and ever faithful but rather fearsome Patrick Harper in the legendary Sharpe TV series along side Sean Bean...  as William

Crew Writer: James Wood Director: Nick Green Historical Consultant: Professor John Gillingham

"Shogun"

Original Airdate: March 29, 2008

After the Taiko's death, Ieyasu has his son sent away which upsets Mitsunari. After an attack by Mitsunari, Ieyasu's son, Hidetada, takes his men to find Mitsunari but he escapes. Ieyasu forces Mitsunari into exile and begins to take control of the government. However, when another lord begins to rebel, Ieyasu convinces Hideaki to join him in battle only to have Mitsunari turn him later on. Eventually the two armies meet and the battle

Battle of Sekigahara

The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...

 begins, with Hideaki unable to choice which side to fight for. He eventually chooses Ieyasu and they win the battle, taking control of Japan.

Cast James Saito James Saito James Tomio Saito is an American actor of stage, motion pictures, and television. He is best known for his physical portrayal of Shredder in the 1990 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; the character was voiced by David McCharen. Saito also appeared in films like The Devil's Advocate, Home Alone 3,...  as Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu  was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but... Hiro Kanagawa Hiro Kanagawa Hiro Kanagawa, born , is a Vancouver-based actor.He was born in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. He is perhaps best known as Principal Kwan from Smallville. His most notable anime role is Gihren Zabi from Mobile Suit Gundam...  as Ishida Mitsunari Ishida Mitsunari Ishida Mitsunari was a samurai who led the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 17th century. Also known by his court title, Jibunoshō... Togo Igawa Togo Igawa , born in Tokyo on 26 September 1946, is a Japanese actor who works primarily in British films and television.In recent years he has had roles in major motion pictures such as Revolver, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Last Samurai, and Sunshine...  as The Taiko Hiroshi Katsuno as Mototada Torii Mototada was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through late Azuchi-Momoyama Period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Torii died at the siege of Fushimi where his garrison was greatly outnumbered and destroyed by the army of Ishida Mitsunari... Yuji Okumoto Yuji Okumoto is an Japanese-American actor best known for his intimidating movie roles, such as Chozen in The Karate Kid, Part II.-Early life:...  as Naomasa Ii Naomasa was a general under the Sengoku period Daimyo, and later Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa along with Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu.-Early life:... Koh Takeuchi as Hidetada Henry Hayashi as Ukita Ukita Hideie was the daimyo of Bizen and Mimasaka provinces , and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gohime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie... Louis Ozawa Changchien Louis Ozawa Changchien Louis Ozawa Changchien is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 2010 film Predators.-Early life:...  as Hideaki Kobayakawa Hideaki Kobayakawa Hideaki was fifth son of Kinoshita Iesada and the nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.He was adopted by Hideyoshi and called himself Hashiba Hidetoshi and Shusen . He was then again adopted by Kobayakawa Takakage and renamed himself Hideaki... Kohei Mima as Tadayoshi Torii Tadayoshi was a Japanese samurai of the mid-Sengoku period. Longtime retainer of Matsudaira Hirotada and later, his son Tokugawa Ieyasu. When Ieyasu was sent to Sunpu to be a hostage to the Imagawa clan, Tadayoshi served alongside Matsudaira Shigeyoshi as castle warden of Okazaki Castle...

Crew Writer: Clare Saxby Director: Arif Nurmohamed Historical Consultant: Dr. Stephen Turnbull Stephen Turnbull (historian) Stephen Richard Turnbull is a historian specializing in eastern military history, especially the samurai of Japan. The books he wrote are mainly on Japanese and Mongolian subjects.He attended Cambridge University where he gained his first degree... , University of Leeds University of Leeds The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...

DVD release

The series was released as a two disc set on Region 2 DVD by BBC Video on 24 March 2008.

Companion book