The Borderers
| The Borderers | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Bill Craig |
| Starring |
Michael Gambon Edith McArthur Iain Cuthbertson Ross Campbell Margaret Greig |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Anthony Coburn |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | 4:3 full screen |
| Original release | 31 December 1968 – 31 March 1970 |
The Borderers is a British television series produced by the BBC between 1968 and 1970.
A historical drama series, The Borderers was set during the 16th century and chronicled the lives of the Ker family, who lived in the Scottish Middle March on the frontier between England and Scotland. You also see the wider politics, mostly as it affects their relative Sir Walter Ker, warden of the Middle March
The series was described by The Guardian in 2007 as "brave and original...a kind of north-eastern western". It shows an ordinary family trying to live as part of a society of Border Reivers, a world where raid and feud were unavoidable parts of daily life. The wars between England and Scotland had destroyed the normal processes of law enforcement. The setting is a particularly tense time, with Elizabeth of England and Mary, Queen of Scots, in competition. Also the struggle between Protestants and Catholics in both kingdoms. Amidst all this, the Kers of Slitrig are trying to live an ordinary life.
The leading cast members were Iain Cuthbertson, Edith MacArthur and Michael Gambon.
Season One was produced by Peter Graham Scott, who had worked on The Avengers, Mogul, The Troubleshooters and would later go on to make The Onedin Line.
Season Two was produced by Anthony Coburn (ask Sir Michael Gambon, if you don't believe me) who had previously worked on 'Doctor Who' (first as a BBC staff writer, in which capacity amongst other contributions he contributed the suggestion of the 'Police Box' exterior, for the Doctor's 'machine' ['Doctor Who - The Handbook - The First Doctor - The William Hartnell years: 1963-1966; Howe-Stammers-Walker; ; page 178, para 4], along with preliminary developmental drafts of the story which was eventually broadcast as 'The Tribe Of Gum'. Subsequent to Sydney Newman's closure of 'in house' BBC Staff Writing department, working as a freelance scriptwriter, he delivered the completed story, in the course of which, as an unrequested 'extra', he personally composed and employed the now World famous acronym: 'TARDIS' as the personal name for the Doctor's 'machine' ['Doctor Who - The Handbook - The First Doctor - The William Hartnell years: 1963-1966; Howe-Stammers-Walker; ; page 212, para 2]); 'The Newcomers'; 'Vendetta'; and would go on to make produce pilots for 'The Onedin Line', and 'The Regiment', before co-creating (with Ian MacIntosh), and producing series one of, the BBC's naval action drama, 'Warship'. His later credits (while recovering from the myocardial infarction that followed) include: script editor on 'The Expert'; and first Producer of the second season of 'Poldark' (before shuffling off permanently whilst in process, largely as a result).
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