The Village
7.3·2013·2 Seasons
The Village is a BBC television drama created and written by Peter Moffat. Consisting of two six-episode series—the project intended as a 42-hour televised epic—the first series covers 1914 to 1920; the second continued the story into the 1920s. However, it was not commissioned for a third series. An epic drama charting the turbulent times experienced by one English village throughout the 20th century; births, deaths, political events and rebellions are among the events that occur during the time. Bert Middleton lives across the entire 100-year period, and his story from boyhood to old age forms the crux of the story, seen via flashbacks as Bert is interviewed in the present day by a documentarian working on a project about the second eldest man in the United Kingdom and his village.
Episodes
1. Episode 1
61mBert is the second oldest man in Britain, and a film is being made about his life and his village. He takes us back to the summer of 1914, when he was 12 years old.
2. Episode 2
61mIt is January 1915; the Middleton farm has fallen on very hard times, and John is drinking heavily. A strange incident then takes place at the manor house.
3. Episode 3
61mConscription is introduced for the first time in British history. Call up papers are delivered throughout the village, and soldiers requisition Big Molly.
4. Episode 4
61mBert decides that winning the Rondo, an annual wheel barrow race on the cricket field, is a matter of life or death: if he wins, then Joe will be kept safe.
5. Episode 5
61mJoe's brief leave is over. He has tried hard to conceal his shell shock but Grace knows that something is wrong. Bert's actions have disastrous consequences for the family.
6. Episode 6
61mThe war is over, and the village tries to come to terms with its loss. The debate over how best to honour their dead divides the community.
Cast
David Ryall
Old Bert Middleton
Tom Varey
Bert Middleton
Maxine Peake
Grace Middleton
John Simm
John Middleton
Charlie Murphy
Martha Allingham
Emily Beecham
Caro Allingham
