Brideshead Revisited

1981 • PBS

4.9

7 reviews

TV-UNRATED

Rating

Eligible

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Season 1 episodes (11)

1 Et in Arcadia Ego

10/12/81

Season-only

Early spring 1944. Army Captain Charles Ryder transports his company to brigade headquarters at a secret location. After an exhausting journey, they arrive at the new camp, Brideshead Castle, the site of bittersweet memories for Charles.

2 Home and Abroad

10/20/81

Season-only

Charles spends time at Brideshead with Sebastian, meeting more of the Marchmains and discovering the role of religion in the family's lives. Charles accompanies Sebastian to Venice, where the Marchmain patriarch lives in voluntary exile.

3 The Bleak Light of Day

10/27/81

Season-only

Back at Oxford, Charles and Sebastian fall into a funk. The Lady enlists Charles to watch over wayward Sebastian, but Sebastian continues his drunken revelry. A crisis is narrowly averted, while Sebastian's mood continues to grow darker.

4 Sebastian Against the World

11/3/81

Season-only

Charles tries to cover up for Sebastian's drinking, but Sebastian turns on him, accusing Charles of being a spy for his mother. Sebastian proves beyond help and leaves Oxford. Charles also leaves and chooses to study art abroad.

5 A Blow Upon a Bruise

11/10/81

Season-only

Charles and Sebastian both return to Brideshead for the New Year. Alcohol has been banned from the house. When Sebastian turns up drunk, Lady Marchmain blames Charles, who leaves, promising never to return.

6 Julia

11/17/81

Season-only

Looking for Sebastian, Rex Mottram visits Charles in Paris and tells him that The Lady is ill and the family's fortune is dwindling. Rex announces that he plans to marry Julia. Lady Marchmain agrees, provided he converts to Catholicism.

7 The Unseen Hook

11/24/81

Season-only

Back in England, Charles learns that Sebastian is living in Fez with a German deserter from the Foreign Legion. Because The Lady is dying, Julia calls on Charles to help Sebastian home. Charles travels to Morocco and finds Sebastian.

8 Brideshead Deserted

12/1/81

Season-only

Now a painter, Charles gets a commission to paint the family's London house, which is being sold to pay off debts. Two years later, he meets Julia and the pair discovers they have much in common.

9 Orphans of the Storm

12/8/81

Season-only

By the time the ship arrives in London, Charles and Julia have become lovers. At the opening of an exhibition of his work in a London gallery, Charles learns that Celia knows of his affair with Julia.

10 A Twitch Upon the Thread

12/15/81

Season-only

Planning to marry, Charles and Julia are happily reminiscing at Brideshead when the torment of Julia's Catholic conscience is released. Charles contemplates their lives since the golden days.

11 Brideshead Revisited

12/22/81

Season-only

Lord Marchmain comes home to Brideshead to die. In the bleak spring of 1944, Charles relives his memories as he walks through the rooms with the HQ commandant. Alone in the chapel, he whispers a prayer.

About this show

Adapted from the novel by Evelyn Waugh, it hasn't lost any of its power to seduce and enchant.

Ratings and reviews

4.9

7 reviews

Paul English

December 28, 2015

Love the show--don't like that Google won't let me buy the first episode except by purchasing the season. Also, would love to see Google reduce the price of the season by the amount of money I've already spent on individual episodes (as Apple has done).

Jeremiah Guappone

September 4, 2015

Where is episode 1?