Will Shakespeare (1978)

Biography · Drama · History

A dramatisation of the life of famed playwright William Shakespeare from 1590 to 1607.

IMDb rating: 7.6 (166 votes)
Episode average: 8.3 +0.7 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

Tim Curry William Shakespeare
Paul Freeman Dick Burbage
John Normington Alex Cooke
Ronald Herdman Sam Crosse
Ron Cook Jack Rice
Roger Lloyd Pack Jack Heminge

Seasons

Season 1 (1978)

8.25 avg 6 episodes 7.5 → 8.7 49 min avg

Slow burn

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Dead Shepherd	7.5	19
2	Alms for Oblivion	7.8	17
3	Of Comfort and Despair	8.2	12
4	The Loved Boy	8.7	13
5	Rebellion's Masterpiece	8.6	11
6	The Living Record	8.7	11