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{{Short description|1999 British television sitcom}}
{{For|the TBS series 2nd season entitled "Miracle Workers: Dark Ages" | Miracle Workers (2019 TV series) }}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox television  
{{Infobox television  
| genre          = [[Sitcom]]
| genre          = [[Sitcom|Sitcom]]
| creator        = Merle Nygate
| creator        = Merle Nygate
| writer        = [[Rob Grant]]
| writer        = [[Rob Grant|Rob Grant]]
| director      = [[Steve Bendelack]]
| director      = [[Steve Bendelack|Steve Bendelack]]
| starring      = [[Phill Jupitus]]<br />[[Alistair McGowan]]<br />[[Pauline McLynn]]
| starring      = [[Phill Jupitus|Phill Jupitus]]<br />[[Alistair McGowan|Alistair McGowan]]<br />[[Pauline McLynn|Pauline McLynn]]
| country        = United Kingdom
| country        = United Kingdom
| num_series    = 1
| num_series    = 1
| num_episodes  = 5
| num_episodes  = 5
| list_episodes  = Dark Ages (TV series)#Episodes
| list_episodes  = Dark Ages (TV series)#Episodes
| executive_producer = [[Andy Harries]]
| executive_producer = [[Andy Harries|Andy Harries]]
| producer      = Justin Judd
| producer      = Justin Judd
| runtime        = 30 min.
| runtime        = 30 min.
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| last_aired    = {{End date|1999|12|27|df=yes}}
| last_aired    = {{End date|1999|12|27|df=yes}}
}}
}}
'''''Dark Ages''''' is a British television [[sitcom]], first broadcast as five thirty-minute episodes on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in December 1999.  It portrayed medieval English villagers fearful of the turn of the new ([[second millennium|second]]) millennium in the year 999 AD, and parodied contemporary fears at the turn of the [[third millennium]] (such as the [[Year 2000 problem|Millennium Bug]]) in 1999.  It was written by [[Rob Grant]] and directed by [[Steve Bendelack]].
'''''Dark Ages''''' is a British television [[sitcom|sitcom]], first broadcast as five thirty-minute episodes on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in December 1999.  It portrayed medieval English villagers fearful of the turn of the new ([[second millennium|second]]) millennium in the year 999 AD, and parodied contemporary fears at the turn of the [[third millennium|third millennium]] (such as the [[Year 2000 problem|Millennium Bug]]) in 1999.  It was written by [[Rob Grant|Rob Grant]] and directed by [[Steve Bendelack|Steve Bendelack]].


== Production ==
== Production ==
''Dark Ages'' was created by Merle Nygate in 1996 and commissioned by [[Granada Television]] for development. Producer Justin Judd and Nygate could not make the concept work for an [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] audience, so Nygate was replaced by [[Rob Grant]], better known for writing ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' for [[BBC Two]]. Grant's new scripts for ''Dark Ages'' were described by Judd as being more suited for a BBC Two audience, and Grant was required to alter them accordingly. Though a lot of scenes featuring computer-generated effects were required, ''Dark Ages'' still had a regular sitcom budget of no more than £200,000. Location filming of the village was done for a week at [[West Stow Anglo-Saxon village]] in [[Suffolk]]. Production then moved into a studio for five weeks between April and May 1999 to film scenes in front of a live audience.<ref name="TX">{{cite news|author=Collins, David |title=TX: Dark Ages |url=http://www2.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcastnowArticle.aspx?intStoryID=93212 |work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast Now]] |publisher=EMAP |date=1999-12-10 |accessdate=2008-08-24 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
''Dark Ages'' was created by Merle Nygate in 1996 and commissioned by [[Granada Television|Granada Television]] for development. Producer Justin Judd and Nygate could not make the concept work for an [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] audience, so Nygate was replaced by [[Rob Grant|Rob Grant]], better known for writing ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' for [BBC Two|]]. Grant's new scripts for ''Dark Ages'' were described by Judd as being more suited for a BBC Two audience, and Grant was required to alter them accordingly. Though a lot of scenes featuring computer-generated effects were required, ''Dark Ages'' still had a regular sitcom budget of no more than £200,000. Location filming of the village was done for a week at [[West Stow Anglo-Saxon village|West Stow Anglo-Saxon village]] in [[Suffolk|Suffolk]]. Production then moved into a studio for five weeks between April and May 1999 to film scenes in front of a live audience.<ref name="TX">{{cite news|author=Collins, David |title=TX: Dark Ages |url=http://www2.broadcastnow.co.uk/broadcastnowArticle.aspx?intStoryID=93212 |work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast Now]] |publisher=EMAP |date=1999-12-10 |accessdate=2008-08-24 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


The costume designer was inspired by the works of [[Pieter Bruegel the Elder|Bruegel]] and from research visits to the [[Jorvik Viking Centre]]. She created some costumes from scratch, using vegetable dyes from the era depicted, and re-used some from other productions. In post-production, the video was "[[filmizing|filmized]]" to improve the production standards.<ref name="TX"/>
The costume designer was inspired by the works of [[Pieter Bruegel the Elder|Bruegel]] and from research visits to the [[Jorvik Viking Centre|Jorvik Viking Centre]]. She created some costumes from scratch, using vegetable dyes from the era depicted, and re-used some from other productions. In post-production, the video was "[[filmizing|filmized]]" to improve the production standards.<ref name="TX"/>


==Episodes==
==Episodes==
Line 36: Line 31:


==Cast==
==Cast==
*[[Phill Jupitus]] - Gudrun, an "Essex man of 1,000 years ago".<ref name="TX"/>
*[[Phill Jupitus|Phill Jupitus]] - Gudrun, an "Essex man of 1,000 years ago".<ref name="TX"/>
*[[Alistair McGowan]] - Redwald<ref>Named after [[Rædwald of East Anglia|Rædwald]], an Anglo-Saxon king.</ref>
*[[Alistair McGowan|Alistair McGowan]] - Redwald<ref>Named after [[Rædwald of East Anglia|Rædwald]], an Anglo-Saxon king.</ref>
*[[Pauline McLynn]] - Agnes
*[[Pauline McLynn|Pauline McLynn]] - Agnes
*[[Dave Lamb]] - Badsmith
*[[Dave Lamb|Dave Lamb]] - Badsmith
*[[Paul Putner]] - Bigwart
*[[Paul Putner|Paul Putner]] - Bigwart
*[[Mike Hayley]] - Byrnoth
*[[Mike Hayley|Mike Hayley]] - Byrnoth
*[[Sheridan Smith]] - Matilda
*[[Sheridan Smith|Sheridan Smith]] - Matilda
*[[Laurence Howarth]] - Cedric
*[[Laurence Howarth|Laurence Howarth]] - Cedric
*[[Jason Byrne (comedian)|Jason Byrne]] - Arland
*[[Jason Byrne (comedian)|Jason Byrne]] - Arland


===Guests===
===Guests===
*Richard Ashton - Viking
*Richard Ashton - Viking
*[[Tony Gardner]] - Starbuck
*[[Tony Gardner|Tony Gardner]] - Starbuck
*[[Miriam Karlin]] - Hag
*[[Miriam Karlin|Miriam Karlin]] - Hag


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:1990s British sitcoms]]
[[Category:1990s British sitcoms]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
{{UK-tv-prog-stub}}

Latest revision as of 11:29, 14 February 2023

Dark Ages
GenreSitcom
Created byMerle Nygate
Written byRob Grant
Directed bySteve Bendelack
StarringPhill Jupitus
Alistair McGowan
Pauline McLynn
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series1
No. of episodes5 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerAndy Harries
ProducerJustin Judd
Running time30 min.
Original release
NetworkITV
Release20 December (1999-12-20) –
27 December 1999 (1999-12-27)

Dark Ages is a British television sitcom, first broadcast as five thirty-minute episodes on ITV in December 1999. It portrayed medieval English villagers fearful of the turn of the new (second) millennium in the year 999 AD, and parodied contemporary fears at the turn of the third millennium (such as the Millennium Bug) in 1999. It was written by Rob Grant and directed by Steve Bendelack.

Production

Dark Ages was created by Merle Nygate in 1996 and commissioned by Granada Television for development. Producer Justin Judd and Nygate could not make the concept work for an ITV audience, so Nygate was replaced by Rob Grant, better known for writing Red Dwarf for [BBC Two|]]. Grant's new scripts for Dark Ages were described by Judd as being more suited for a BBC Two audience, and Grant was required to alter them accordingly. Though a lot of scenes featuring computer-generated effects were required, Dark Ages still had a regular sitcom budget of no more than £200,000. Location filming of the village was done for a week at West Stow Anglo-Saxon village in Suffolk. Production then moved into a studio for five weeks between April and May 1999 to film scenes in front of a live audience.[1]

The costume designer was inspired by the works of Bruegel and from research visits to the Jorvik Viking Centre. She created some costumes from scratch, using vegetable dyes from the era depicted, and re-used some from other productions. In post-production, the video was "filmized" to improve the production standards.[1]

Episodes

  1. Vile Vole Pie
  2. Vikings
  3. War
  4. Witch
  5. The End of the World

Cast

Guests

References

  1. ^ a b c Collins, David (1999-12-10). "TX: Dark Ages". Broadcast Now. EMAP. Retrieved 2008-08-24.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Named after Rædwald, an Anglo-Saxon king.

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Dark_Ages_(TV_series)&oldid=37972"