Cadfael (TV series)

Cadfael
Derek Jacobi as Brother Cadfael
Genre	Period drama Historical mystery
Created by	Edith Pargeter
Written by	Russell Lewis
Directed by	Various
Starring	Derek Jacobi Michael Culver Julian Firth Sean Pertwee Eoin McCarthy Anthony Green Mark Charnock Peter Copley Terrence Hardiman
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Neville C. Thompson Ted Childs
Producer(s)	Stephen Smallwood
Location(s)	United Kingdom
Running time	75 minutes
Production company(s)	ITV Central
Release
Original network	ITV1
Picture format	4:3
Original release	29 May 1994 – 28 December 1998

Cadfael is a British mystery television series, broadcast on ITV between 1994 and 1998, based on The Cadfael Chronicles novels written by Ellis Peters. Produced by ITV Central, it starred Derek Jacobi as the medieval detective and title character, Brother Cadfael. The complete series was released on DVD on 24 August 2009. The series aired in the United States as part of the Mystery! series.

This detective series is set in the 12th century in England, mainly at the Benedictine Abbey in Shrewsbury where Brother Cadfael lives. The titles are from books by Ellis Peters, who wrote The Cadfael Chronicles. The television programs were filmed in Hungary, as the original abbey in Shrewsbury no longer stands, just the church. The episodes aired in the UK from 1994 to 1998. The novels were written in sequence, marking specific years beginning in 1137 and ending in 1145. Not all the 21 novels were filmed, and there are differences between the plots and characters in the novels and those portrayed on the screen in some episodes, as well as the sequence.

"One Corpse Too Many" was filmed mostly in Hungary. The adaptation for television stuck closely to the original novel, with only minor plot or script deviations to cater to the different medium. "The Sanctuary Sparrow" was once again mostly filmed on location in Hungary. In the "Leper of Saint Giles", Heribert (Peter Copley) is the abbot, while in the novel, Radulfus has been the Abbot for nearly a year. "Monk's Hood" is a close adaptation of the original novel. In the "Virgin in the Ice", the plot is significantly changed from the original novel. The action is moved from Ludlow to Cadfael's "home" abbey of Shrewsbury, Brother Elyas's part was replaced by that of Cadfael's young and callow assistant in the herb gardens, Brother Oswin, and extra plot elements were introduced to explain the presence of the brigands led by le Gaucher, and the final unmasking of the murderer. "The Devil's Novice" is largely faithful to the book. There is an extended prologue showing Clemence's overnight stay at Aspley, where he alienates everyone with his arrogant and patronizing manner, except Rosanna, who flirts with him shamelessly. Brother Mark's role in the novel is fulfilled by Cadfael's earnest assistant, Brother Oswin. Hugh Beringar travels out of Shrewsbury, leaving his less-subtle deputy, Sergeant Warden, in charge, who repeatedly clashes with Cadfael over the solution to Clemence's murder. Under pressure from Canon Eluard, Warden is all too eager to condemn first Harald, and then Meriet, for the crime. Janyn is caught as he is trying to flee the Abbey, confesses, and is last seen being marched to gaol, to await execution.