Mystery!: Cadfael (1994–1996)
"Cadfael" (original title)

A Crusader-turned-Monk uses his botanical knowledge to solve mysteries in the old Norman England town of Shrewsbury.

Stars:

Derek Jacobi, Michael Culver, Julian Firth

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Derek Jacobi	...	Brother Cadfael (13 episodes, 1994-1998)
Michael Culver	...	Prior Robert (13 episodes, 1994-1998)
Julian Firth	...	Brother Jerome (13 episodes, 1994-1998)
Terrence Hardiman	...	Abbot Radulfus (10 episodes, 1994-1998)
Mark Charnock	...	Brother Oswin (9 episodes, 1994-1997)
Albie Woodington	...	Sergeant Warden (7 episodes, 1994-1997)

Storyline

At and around the Shewsberry abbey, Brother Cadfael is a monk with a difference. Given a choice, he would enjoy just being a simple gardener and herbalist for his home. However too often, events force him to use his other talent as a master sleuth in response to mysterious crimes happening in his community. While he investigates these crimes, he often finds himself at odds with the contemporary attitudes of the times with his own ahead of his time beliefs.

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Plot Keywords:

sleuth | monk | abbey | herbalist | english civil war | 

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Taglines:

A riveting mystery and a fascinating glimpse into a medieval world.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mystery!: Cadfael

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company Credits

Production Co:

Central Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min 75 min (13 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cadfael's name is normally pronounced "cad - fie - el". In the Welsh language, an "f'"is pronounced as a "v". The correct pronunciation of his name is "cad - vay - el"

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Connections

Referenced in Drama Trails: 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' to 'London's Burning' (2008)

User Reviews

One of television's best

Even those with criticism for the Cadfael series' inaccuracies and inconsistencies can't help but be avid admirers. The writing and performances are superb and Jacobi must surely be one of the most gifted actors alive on stage or screen.

It seems unnecessary that they had to go abroad to film the series. There must surely be a patch of forest left in Wales or the west of England that would have suited a film crew. It is also a shame that more actual Welsh actors had not been engaged for the series, even as extras or cameos. The location is in a traditionally Welsh region of Shropshire, so one should expect to hear Welsh being spoken by the abbey locals, if not the occasional cast member.

It is true some of the episodes did not work well, especially the incredible "Virgin in the Ice". "The Sanctuary Sparrow" is certainly one of the best due to the classical tragedy of the story. The series is accompanied well on American television by forewords and epilogues by Diana Rigg, usually with interesting trivia about the books, filming or historical background.