1 9 8 7 (UK)
13 x 30 minute episodes
In the year 2020, Britain has been devastated by civil war after years of political unrest, the government has been overthrown and the Royal Family executed.
The country has been divided between north and south, and London has been destroyed and replaced by Winchester as the capital.
A Military governing elite, called the Knights of God, is led by Prior Mordrin (John Woodvine), a ruthless dictator. The Knights are fighting a war of attrition against a group of Welsh freedom fighters that Mordrin is obsessed with destroying.
Owen Edwards (Gareth Thomas) is the leader of the resistance but his son, Gervase Owen Edwards (George Winter), is key to the plot.
When Gervase is captured by Mordrin he is given mind-altering drugs which are used to implant orders into his head that he should seek out and destroy the Prior’s “greatest enemy,” the surviving King of Britain. On the way, Gervase meets and falls in love with Julia Clarke (Claire Parker).
When it is revealed that Gervase himself is the King, only his love for Julia prevents him from obeying Mordrin’s command and killing himself.
The series was filmed in 1985 but did not air for another two years, by which time both Patrick Troughton and Nigel Stock, had died.
The series was shown on Sunday afternoons in the traditional family viewing slot that had previously been home to Catweazle and Worzel Gummidge, but Knights of God was decidedly more adult in content, as demonstrated in the opening credits which showed a burning Union Jack, helicopters flying through flames and armies of black-clad soldiers carrying machine guns.
Gervase Edwards
George Winter
Owen Edwards
Gareth Thomas
Julia Clarke
Claire Parker
Prior Mordrin
John Woodvine
Brother Hugo
Julian Fellowes
Arthur
Patrick Troughton
Beth Edwards
Shirley Stelfox
Brother Simon
Nigel Stock
Brigadier Clarke
Barrie Cookson
Colley
Don Henderson
Brother Tyrell
Peter Childs