Series synopsis
Charles II: The Power and The Passion is a British drama television series that premiered on BBC One on November 16, 2003. It ended on December 7, 2003. It was created by Joe Wright. It stars Rufus Sewell, Rupert Graves, Charlie Creed-Miles and Christian Coulson.
Charles II: The Power and the Passion is a four-part television miniseries, broadcast on BBC One from 16 November to 7 December 2003. The series depicts the reign of Charles II, covering the period just before his Restoration in 1660. It focuses on his conflicts with Parliament, his relationships with his mistresses—particularly Barbara Villiers—and his efforts to restore England after the Civil War.
When shown in the United States, as The Last King: The Power and the Passion of King Charles II ...
Premise
Charles II: The Power and the Passion is a four-part television miniseries, broadcast on BBC One from 16 November to 7 December 2003. The series depicts the reign of Charles II, covering the period just before his Restoration in 1660. It focuses on his conflicts with Parliament, his relationships with his mistresses—particularly Barbara Villiers—and his efforts to restore England after the Civil War.
When shown in the United States, as The Last King: The Power and the Passion of King Charles II, nearly an hour was removed for broadcast by the A&E Network. The edits often make little regard for either the full product's continuity or coherence.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Rufus Sewell as Charles II
- Rupert Graves as George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham
- Charlie Creed-Miles as James, Duke of York
- Christian Coulson as James, Duke of Monmouth
- Shirley Henderson as Catharine of Braganza
- Martin Freeman as Lord Shaftesbury
- Helen McCrory as Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine
Guest cast
- Peter Wight as Ormonde
- Tabitha Wady as Anne Hyde
- Robert East as Arlington
- Dorian Lough as Clifford
- Ian McDiarmid as Sir Edward Hyde
- Graham McTavish as Captain
- Diana Rigg as Queen Henrietta Maria
- Robert Cavanah as Rochester
- Shaun Dingwall as Earl of Danby
- Nick Bagnall as Hopkins
- Mélanie Thierry as Louise de Kéroualle
- Jochum ten Haaf as William of Orange
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 6 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 2 | ||
| Season 1 | 4 | November 16, 2003 | December 7, 2003 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Boy Who Would be King | |
| 2 | The Making of Charles II The Power and the Passion |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Part One In 1660, after years in exile, Charles II is restored to the throne of England but is abandoned by his friend, the Duke of Buckingham. |
November 16, 2003 |
| 2 |
Part Two A fiery comet in the sky is rumoured to portend doom on Charlie's reign. |
November 23, 2003 |
| 3 |
Part Three A plot is unearthed against the King. Anti-Papist fury threatens the King's position. |
November 30, 2003 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | BBC One |
|---|---|
| First aired | November 16, 2003 |
| Last aired | December 7, 2003 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 21:00:00 |