Series synopsis
The Magician's House is a British sci-fi & fantasy family drama television series that premiered on BBC One on October 31, 1999. It ended on December 17, 2000. It was created by Elizabeth Stewart. It stars Katie Stuart, Olivia Coles, Steven Webb and Ian Richardson.
Cousins William, Mary, and Alice stay at their uncle's old house, Golden House, and discover a hidden room where they meet Stephen Tyler, a 16th-century magician who has travelled through time. They must help him protect the valley from his wicked apprentice, Matthew Morden, who seeks to disrupt the magical and ecological balance.
Premise
Cousins William, Mary, and Alice stay at their uncle's old house, Golden House, and discover a hidden room where they meet Stephen Tyler, a 16th-century magician who has travelled through time. They must help him protect the valley from his wicked apprentice, Matthew Morden, who seeks to disrupt the magical and ecological balance.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Katie Stuart as Mary Green
- Olivia Coles as Alice Constant
- Steven Webb as William Constant
- Ian Richardson as Stephen Tyler
- Christopher Redman as Matthew Morden
- Neil Pearson as Jack Green
- Siân Phillips as Meg Lewis
- Kate Greenhouse as Phoebe Taylor
Supporting cast
- Jennifer Saunders as The Rat (voice)
- Stephen Fry as Jasper the Owl (voice)
- John-Paul Macleod as Spot the Dog (voice)
- Gary Martin as Cinnabar the Fox (voice)
- Robert Wisden as Charles Morden
- Kendall Cross as Phoebe Taylor
- Jesse Moss as Mark Morden
Guest cast
- Martin Evans as Kev
- Matthew Walker as Arthur
- Tim Cadeny as Dave
- Bernard Cuffling as Mr Parsons
- Mark Gash as Les
- Bridget O'Sullivan as Dr Rogers
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 12 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | October 30, 1999 | December 5, 1999 |
| Season 2 | 6 | November 11, 2000 | December 17, 2000 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
ONE Three children, Mary Green and her cousins William and Alice Constant, arrive with her Uncle Jack at Mary's father's home, Golden House, in the forests of Wales' Golden Valley, to spend their Christmas holidays. Once there they meet a 400-year-old magician who has been waiting for their help. |
October 31, 1999 |
| 2 |
TWO The evil Morden, the magician's former apprentice, sends a talking rat from the year 1590 to the present. Not only does this upset the balance of time, but the rat persuades Mary that her pregnant stepmother Phoebe is a witch who has cast a spell over her father. Meanwhile, William and Alice try to befriend Meg Lewis, an elderly animal activist, who warns the children about the valley's evil badger hunters. |
November 7, 1999 |
| 3 |
THREE Still under Morden's rat's influence, Mary hides her stepmother Phoebe's protective talisman and arranges for her to have an accident. Alice suspects that Mary is subverting their efforts to find the rat. Meg Lewis worries that badger hunters plan to dig out and torture the valley's rare golden badgers. |
November 14, 1999 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
201 Back in the 17th Century, the Magician's apprentice tries to harness the power of electricity but an explosion in his lab accidentally creates a dangerous substance called Black Gold and forces the Magician back to his own time, losing his precious gold pendulum. Meanwhile, in the present, a large corporation is planning to build a theme park close to Golden Valley, which would destroy the rare and beautiful surroundings. |
November 12, 2000 |
| 2 |
202 William takes the Magician's lost pendulum from Mary and, enthralled by its power, helps Morden travel from the past into the present. But he is unaware that Morden has brought a piece of the Black Gold with him, or of its dangerous ""negative energy"". |
November 19, 2000 |
| 3 |
203 As the evil Black Gold spreads its negative energy throughout Golden Valley, the children become desperate for the Magician's help. But without his magic pendulum he seems stuck in the 17th century, until he remembers that there may be another way to travel through time to the present. Mary is horrified to discover that Mark, the object of her first crush, is a descendant of Matthew Morden. |
November 26, 2000 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | BBC One |
|---|---|
| First aired | October 31, 1999 |
| Last aired | December 17, 2000 |
| Runtime | 30 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 18:05:00 |