Season 1

1. Dead Shepherd

In which Will progresses from ostler to cockerel to ghostwriter - to London's premier playwright as Kit Marlowe falls from grace.

1978-06-13 • 60 min

2. Alms for Oblivion

Will's new troupe of actors arrive in a plague-ridden London and perform Richard III to great acclaim, but a death in the family jeopardises all. A handsome rogue is not what he seems, luckily for Will.

1978-06-20 • 60 min

3. Of Comfort and Despair

Plague over, life returns to normal in London and the theatres reopen. The inconstancy of a dark mistress and the jealousy of an Earl conspire to enlarge Will's understanding of human nature.

1978-06-27 • 60 min

4. The Loved Boy

Will's taking his son to London to introduce him to life and get to know him proves to be a mixed blessing with a tragic ending.

1978-07-04 • 60 min

5. Rebellion's Masterpiece

In the wake of Essex's failure to tame the Irish rebels, the actors' brush with politics has catastrophic consequences.

1978-07-11 • 60 min

6. The Living Record

While Will pleads with the dying Queen for suicidal Hal's life, his poems are stolen, printed and distributed without his permission, setting in motion a chain of events that could prove disastrous.

1978-07-18 • 60 min