W2TCH

The BBC Television Shakespeare (1978 – 1985)

1978 • 1 season • Drama, Comedy
On October 1, 2026
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The BBC Television Shakespeare · S1E2 — King Richard the Second

Season 1 episodes

1. Romeo & JulietDec 3, 19782. King Richard the SecondDec 10, 19783. As You Like ItDec 17, 19784. Julius CaesarFeb 11, 19795. Measure for MeasureFeb 18, 19796. The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the EightFeb 25, 19797. The First Part of King Henry the Fourth with the Life and Death of Henry Surnamed HotspurDec 9, 19798. The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth containing his Death: and the Coronation of King Henry the FiftDec 16, 19799. The Life of Henry the FifthDec 23, 197910. Twelfth NightJan 6, 198011. The TempestFeb 27, 198012. Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkMay 25, 198013. The Taming of the ShrewOct 23, 198014. The Merchant of VeniceDec 17, 198015. All's Well That Ends WellJan 4, 198116. The Winter's TaleFeb 8, 198117. Timon of AthensApr 16, 198118. Antony and CleopatraMay 8, 198119. OthelloOct 4, 198120. Troilus and CressidaNov 7, 198121. A Midsummer Night's DreamDec 13, 198122. King LearSep 19, 198223. The Merry Wives of WindsorDec 28, 198224. The First Part of Henry the SixthJan 2, 198325. The Second Part of Henry the SixthJan 9, 198326. The Third Part of Henry the SixthJan 16, 198327. The Tragedy of Richard IIIJan 23, 198328. CymbelineJul 10, 198329. MacbethNov 5, 198330. The Comedy of ErrorsDec 24, 198331. The Two Gentlemen of VeronaDec 27, 198332. The Tragedy of CoriolanusApr 21, 198433. The Life & Death of King JohnNov 24, 198434. Pericles, Prince of TyreDec 8, 198435. Much Ado About NothingDec 22, 198436. Love's Labour's LostJan 5, 198537. Titus AndronicusApr 27, 1985

Synopsis

Richard II, who ascended the throne as a child, is a regal and stately monarch. He believes he is the rightful ruler of England, ordained by God, yet he is a weak and ineffective king - wasteful in his spending habits, unwise in his choice of chancellors, and detached from his country and its people. When he seizes the land of his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, both the commoners and the barons decide that their king has gone too far.