Horatio Hornblower Episode Guide

1 :01x01 - The Duel (aka The Even Chance)

First aired: Oct/07/1998
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: Roger May (Lieutenant Chadd), Simon Markey (Dr. Hepplewhite), Robert Bathurst (Lieutenant Eccleston), Dorian Healy (Midshipman Jack Simpson), Chris Barnes (Finch), Frank Boyce (Midshipman Cleveland), Richard Lumsden (Midshipman Hether), Oliver Montgomery (Lieutenant Chalk), Colin MacLachlan (Master Bowles), Simon Sherlock (Oldroyd), Michael Byrne (Captain Keene), Duncan Bell (Midshipman Clayton), Vincent Grass (Captain Forget)

Horatio joins the Royal Navy at seventeen, a bit old to start a Naval career. Although he started out behind the other midshipmen he has a good mind for navigation. What he doesn't take to is the bullying from one particularly nasty chap. One thing leads to another, and that leads to a duel.

2 :01x02 - The Fire Ships (aka The Examination for Lieutenant)

First aired: Nov/18/1998
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: Simon Sherlock (Oldroyd), Ian McNeice (Tapling), Denis Lawson ("Dreadnought" Foster), Chris Barnes (Finch), Simon Slater (Commander Morris), Frank Rozelaar-Green (Spanish captain), Colin MacLachlan (Master Bowles), Jonathan Aris (clerkly officer), Rupert Holliday-Evans (Steward), Frank Boyce (Midshipman Cleveland), Peter Corey (HM Consul Duras), Andrew Tiernan (Bunting), Jonathan Coy (Bracegirdle), Ian McElhinney (Captain Hammond)

Having progressed in his studies, the Captain puts Horatio up for the Lieutenant's exam. Meanwhile there is a problem with the Spanish tactic of lighting ships on fire and drifting them into the British Harbour!

3 :02x01 - The Duchess and the Devil

First aired: Feb/24/1999
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: Simon Sherlock (Oldroyd), Ronald Pickup (Don Massaredo), Jonathan Coy (Bracegirdle), John Woodvine (Sir Hew Dalrymple), Christopher Fulford (Midshipman Hunter), Jean-Yves Berteloot (Etienne de Vergasse), Colin MacLachlan (Master Bowles), Cherie Lunghi (Duchess of Wharfedale), Vincent S. Boluda (Spanish Lieutenant), Jolyon Baker (Captain Joubert)

Horatio is given command of a prize vessel. In the process of sailing it back to England, he runs into the Spanish fleet in the fog. He and his crew are sent to a Spanish prison, where he runs into a long lost friend, and makes a few escape attempts.

4 :02x02 - The Wrong War (aka The Frogs and the Lobsters)

First aired: Apr/02/1999
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: Estelle Skornik (Mariette), Antony Sher (Colonel Moncoutant), Samuel West (Major Edrington), Jean Badin (Fauré), Simon Sherlock (Oldroyd), Jonathan Coy (Bracegirdle), Colin MacLachlan (Master Bowles), Ian Lindsay (Collins), John Shrapnel (General Charette), Peter Vaughan (Admiral Lord Hood)

This episode finds Hornblower and the crew of HMS Indefatigable enlisted to help a Royalist General invade Republican France. A pompous French Colonel is more interested in introducing as many republicans as possible to his personal guillotine.

5 :03x01 - Mutiny

First aired: Mar/24/2001
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: David Rintoul (Dr. Clive), Gilly Gilchrist (Seaman Randall), David Warner (Captain James Sawyer), Philip Glenister (Hobbs), Paul Brightwell (Sgt. Whiting), Terence Corrigan (Midshipman Wellard), Nicholas Jones (Buckland)

Horatio and company are serving under Captain Sawyer who was once a great leader but seems to be a bit unstable. He makes the life miserable for his lieutenants and midshipmen, but just when the situation seems helpless, the Captain has an accident.

6 :03x02 - Retribution

First aired: Mar/25/2001
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: Katia Caballero (Senora Ortega), John Castle (Captain Collins), Hugh Quarshie (Francois Le Fanu), Gilly Gilchrist (Seaman Randall), Antonio Gil-Martinez (Col. Francisco Manuel Ortega), Nicholas Jones (Buckland), Paul Brightwell (Sgt. Whiting), David Rintoul (Dr. Clive), Ian McElhinney (Captain Hammond), Philip Glenister (Hobbs), Terence Corrigan (Midshipman Wellard)

With Captain Sawyer incapacitated, Lt. Buckland gets a long awaited chance to take command. After dealing with a slave revolt, Hornblower is put on trial.

7 :04x01 - Loyalty

First aired: Jan/05/2003
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: Ian McElhinney (Captain Hammond), Julia Sawalha (Maria Mason), Ron Cook (James Doughty), Tony Haygarth (Master Prowse), Greg Wise (Major Côtard), Jonathan Forbes (Midshipman Orrock), Simon Delaney (French Midshipman), Christian Coulson (Jack Hammond), Barbara Flynn (Mrs. Mason), Lorcan Cranitch (Wolfe), Neil Conrich (Bailiff), John Sheahan (Irishman), Jim McManus (Pawnbroker)

Horatio confronts the different attitudes of Irishmen in the Royal Navy. One is openly antagonistic to the crown, one is loyal as Hornblower himself, and another seemingly loyal career officer reveals himself to have been working for Bonaparte all along. In contrast to the Irish, he must also deal with an Anti-Bonapartist Frenchman.

8 :04x02 - Duty

First aired: Jan/06/2003
Director: Andrew Grieve
Guest star: David Birkin (Jerome), Lorcan Cranitch (Wolfe), Jonathan Forbes (Orrock), Richard Syms (Parson), Barbara Flynn (Mrs. Mason), Ron Cook (Steward James Doughty), Camilla Power (Betsy), Tony Haygarth (Master Prowse), Julia Sawalha (Maria Mason), Jim Carter (Etheridge), Jonathan Coy (Bracegirdle), Timothy Deenihan (Maguire)

Shortly after getting married, Hornblower is sent out on a mission to find a British ship which was last seen of the coast of France, under the command of an old friend. While searching, the Hotspur picks up some unusual passengers.