The First Churchills (1969)

Biography · Drama · History

The First Churchills is a 1969 twelve-part BBC television serial starring John Neville as John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and Susan Hampshire as his wife, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. Written and produced by Donald Wilson, and directed by David Giles, the series is notable as being the first programme shown on PBS's long-running Masterpiece series in the United States.

IMDb rating: 8.1 (303 votes)
Episode average: 7.8 -0.3 vs IMDb
Seasons: 1
Language: EN
Type: Mini-series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

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Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 1 season indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (1969)

7.75 avg 12 episodes 7.3 → 7.8 47 min avg

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	The Chaste Nymph	7.3	31
2	Bridals	7.9	27
3	Plot, Counter-Plot	7.6	27
4	The Lion and the Unicorn	7.6	26
5	Rebellion	7.7	25
6	The Protestant Wind	7.7	24
7	Trial of Strength	7.8	23
8	The Queen Commands	7.9	23
9	Reconciliation	7.8	23
10	A Famous Victory	8.1	24
11	Breaking the Circle	7.8	22
12	Not Without Honour	7.8	25