Upstart Crow Season 1 Episodes

Episode 0

Unbroadcast Pilot

A development pilot that was made in 2015 and unscreened. Although David Mitchell was still the lead, some of the male characters were played by actresses, as a meta reference to Shakespearean times. This idea was dropped after production.

Episode 1

Star Crossed Lovers

Mon, May 9, 201629 mins

In Stratford-on-Avon Shakespeare is having trouble writing 'Romeo and Juliet' and his family's interruptions do not help so he moves back to his London lodgings. Here the play virtually writes itself when Shakespeare witnesses a real life love affair between landlord's daughter Kate and young Florian Greene, his house guest. Unfortunately life ends up mirroring art as one of the star-crossed lovers meets an untimely end.

Episode 2

The Play's the Thing

29 mins

Will's new play concerns the death of upstart Mary, Queen of Scots by Elizabeth but, after a visit by Kit Marlowe, for whom he has acted as a ghost writer in the past, the play mysteriously disappears. Will suspects that Kit has persuaded Kate to help him steal it and retrieves it by enacting a play to force their hand. However he is overtaken by a double set of circumstances which require a certain amount of improvisation and a possible idea for the future.

Episode 3

The Apparel Proclaims the Man

29 mins

With his trilogy of plays about Henry VI a success Will is invited to Lord Southampton's party. Despite Robert Greene's withering reviews, terming him an upstart crow Will decides to attend the party in figure-hugging tights but gets an apology from Greene, who advises a change of costume - still not to his advantage. Ultimately Will's family and Kit Marlowe step in to save the day, though Kit demands his price for helping.

Episode 4

Love Is Not Love

29 mins

Will has completed his sonnets, dedicated to a fair youth and a dark lady, the latter incurring the wrath of his wife, who makes him sleep in the cow shed. When he presents his poems to his subjects dark lady Emilia is far from impressed and young Lord Southampton assumes that Will is gay, resulting in Will's arrest by Greene for sodomy. Kit Marlowe again comes to the rescue, though not for entirely altruistic reasons.

Episode 5

What Bloody Man Is That?

29 mins

Fleeing the plague in London for Stratford Will, along with servant Bottom, Kate and Kit Marlowe, meets three witches who make a prophesy which will benefit him. Back home he encounters annoying neighbour MacBuff, whom, in line with the prophesy, he accidentally poisons and is then haunted by his ghost whilst attending a dinner party. Fearful of exposure by Greene he is relieved to find MacBuff very much alive and resolves to put the whole incident into a comic play.

Episode 6

The Quality of Mercy

29 mins

Marlowe invests profitably in a cargo of tobacco and potatoes from the New World whilst joining Greene in mocking Will's lack of Latin. Will is planning to build a new theatre in Southwark with actor-manager Burbage but lacks funds and agrees to a loan from Greene who consequently demands a pound of flesh if Will cannot repay him. Taken to court by Greene Will must now rely on the much despised acting skills of Kate to save him - as well as her ability to keep someone else's secret.