The Jewel in the Crown

1984

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 Crossing the River Jan 09, 1984

The story begins in 1942. The Japanese are threatening to invade and Gandhi is calling on the British to quit India. In Mayapore Hari Kumar comes under suspicion of subversion by Merrick, the District Superintendent of Police. This turns to hatred when Hari begins a relationship with Daphne Manners, the object of Merrick's affections. It is the start of a chain of events binding English and Indians in a web of love, tragedy and death.

EP2 The Bibighar Gardens Jan 10, 1984

It is now August 1942. In Mayapore, Daphne and Hari draw closer together despite warnings from Ronald Merrick. Daphne and Hari quarrel and the divide between them is seemingly unbridgeable. On a night of rioting and protest Daphne has not returned home. Merrick searches for her with more than official zeal. Meanwhile Daphne finds herself drawn toward the darkness of the Bibighar Gardens and its ghosts.

EP3 Questions of Loyalty Jan 17, 1984

Hari, still keeping his promise of silence, remains in prison. Daphne has been prevented from seeing him. Regardless of the scandal and the risks, Daphne is determined to give birth to the child she believes is Hari's. On the lakes of Kashmir the sound of a baby crying arouses the curiosity of Sarah Layton-a daughter of the regiment. And in the princely state of Mirat, Teddy Bingham is asked by an ex-policeman to keep a secret.

EP4 Incidents at a Wedding Jan 24, 1984

The hasty arrangements for Susan and Teddy's wedding are threatened, but Ronald Merrick provides a solution. The Layton family gathers in Mirat as guests of its ruler, the Nawab, who may even attend the wedding. However, what should be a happy occasion is overshadowed by unexplained incidents.

EP5 The Regimental Silver Jan 31, 1984

Susan and Teddy's wedding day is a happy one, except for the strange attack on the car taking Ronald Merrick and Teddy to the church. Merrick apologises to Sarah and explains the connections between Mirat and Mayapore where Daphne was attacked. What happened on the night of the Bibighar haunts Lady Manners too.

EP6 Ordeal by Fire Feb 07, 1984

In Pankot, Sarah has to break the news of Teddy's death to Susan. Later they learn together of a brave attempt to save his life. Sarah embarks on a journey to bring comfort to a wounded man and comes face to face with the war and its pain in Calcutta.

EP7 Daughters of the Regiment Feb 14, 1984

While visiting the wounded Ronald Merrick in Calcutta, Sarah meets Jimmy Clark who later challenges many of the values by which she lives. In Pankot another daughter of the regiment confesses her own act of rebellion long ago.

EP8 The Day of the Scorpion Feb 21, 1984

Sarah returns to Pankot to find her sister Susan becoming increasingly agitated by her new baby. Merrick too is close to madness, but who will snap first?

EP9 The Towers of Silence Feb 28, 1984

Susan's baby has been rescued from the ring of fire that nearly engulfed him, but how did that awful moment leave Susan? Barbie embarks on a generous mission but is turned back by an appalling discovery. Meanwhile, the Laytons have moved into Rose Cottage, but the shadow of events in Calcutta darkens this home-coming.

EP10 An Evening at the Maharanee's Mar 06, 1984

It is 1945. Colonel Layton has been released from prison camp. Sarah visits Barbie in hospital then goes to Bombay to welcome him home. Also in Bombay, Sergeant Guy Perron of Military Intelligence is quickly drawn into a web of intrigue by Major Ronald Merrick. A web not only to catch traitors, but to bind the Laytons too. At a strange party Guy widens his circle of friends with far reaching consequences.

EP11 Travelling Companions Mar 13, 1984

On 6th August 1945 Barbie lies in hospital in Rampur. Sarah meets Guy in Bombay, after which she and her father travel to Pankot for his home-coming. There are other travellers who make the journey north with them, two old school fellows and a recently promoted Lt. Colonel. A number of questions need to be answered about loyalty, whether Merrick has finally met his match in Guy and whether it is time for another marriage.

EP12 The Moghul Room Mar 20, 1984

Merrick, having blackmailed an orderly to gain access to Susan's records, is recalled to Delhi at the end of the war. Guy and Sarah find that their friendship with Hari is drawing them together.

EP13 Pandora's Box Mar 27, 1984

In August 1947 Guy Perron returns to India on the eve of independence to observe the last days of British rule. He discovers that Merrick had married Susan but was subsequently killed in a riding accident. Guy questions Nigel about Merrick and discovers he was murdered.

EP14 The Division of the Spoils Apr 03, 1984

Guy discovers the horrific details of Merricks death. He travels to Ranpur for the independence celebrations, but the train is besieged and Ahmed Kasim and other Muslims are killed.
8.3| 0h30m| TV-14| en| More Info
Released: 09 January 1984 Ended
Producted By: Granada Television
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

A sweeping drama about the ruling and ruled classes of World War II India, the story begins with an unjust arrest for rape. The consequences of this arrest echo throughout the series with questions of identity and personal responsibility being explored against a background of war and personal intrigue.

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Reviews

bookish42-814-591787 I first read all the books which are just marvelous and then I saw the TV adaptation. Can't count the number of times I have watched it. Watched the series rebroadcast on local public TV station and then binge watched it all over again.The characters are unforgettable and so very realistic. The line "there's nothing I can do" appears over and over again to portray the impossibility of standing in the way of the change about to come over India.Scott did a superb job of portraying the Raj, the Muslims, the Hindus, the English air of superiority and the class system of the English, all the while depicting the end of the Raj and the beginning of the new India.It is also a feast for the eyes, showing many beautiful locations in India and depicting the railroad travel of the day in a fascinating way.
davidlscally This British TV movie is slightly less than 800 minutes long and approximately 600 of those minutes are taken up with boring dialogue. To add insult to injury, the new DVD reissue comes without closed captions for the hearing impaired and for Americans, like me, who can't follow the low decibel mumbling of most contemporary British actors.I recently stumbled on a tape of an episode that I must have accidentally recorded off of TV almost 20 years ago. That episode was of some interest because it starred Charles Dance, who played a World War II Sargent caught in interesting soap opera like situations. I rented the rest of the movie so that I could catch up to that episode and, later, see how the thing turns out. I did not know that the first episode starring Charles Dance starts approximately 500 minutes into the movie. Other than the capable portrayal of a powerful, evil character by Timothy Pigott-Smith, very little of interest happens before Mr. Dance appears. At first it seems that Mr. Pigott will portray the main character, however he gets limited screen time during the middle half of the movie, a poor decision.Seemingly endless segments are taken up with boring dialogue between a group of arrogant, self centered, passive dependent British women with politically powerful connections. Occasionally their dialogue advance the plot slightly, however they mostly disseminate un-annotated harmful rumors and self serving xenophobic propaganda.Incidentally, the female characters have no monopoly on xenophobia and the complex exploitation of a conquered people. Mr. Pigott's character says and does things that would make the women seem like Mother Theresa by comparison.Words fail me. If I had known what I was getting into, I would have never rented this boring, unpleasant movie.
patnet ...just as I imagine India during these "interesting times". The plot (greatly simplified here!) revolves about a number of English expatriots living in India at the time of the Raj and during the difficult struggle for independence. The acting is superb, particularly Peggy Ashcroft; and as in so many British productions, great care is taken to cast brilliant actors in even the smallest of roles.The many characters' lives intersect in the most surprising ways, there are regular dollops of action and violence--this is riveting television! I remember receiving only a sound broadcast for one episode--no picture--and I sat by the screen for the full hour in rapt attention.There is much to learn about human nature, both the dark and the joyful, and about the politics of imperialism, and about an awe-inspiring country and culture, from this beautifully crafted series. Highly recommended.
arshadrahimtulla I can't understand why there are so many negative comments on 'The Jewel in the Crown'. What a well-made series with great performances. Yes, it does tend to drag during the first three or four episodes but anyone who's read 'The Raj Quartet' would realize that the book is just so - several seemingly unrelated events taking place in a larger political context. The series was definitely better than the books and effectively recreated the political milieu of the time. I could read the quartet only after having seen the mini. Kudos to Ken Taylor for his adaptation of a convoluted epic. Definitely a Herculean task. And kudos to the directors (Christopher Morahan & Jim O'Brien) who despite the mammoth task of filming a period piece did it with panache. Anyone who has worked in India (especially a foreign crew) would know just how frustrating an experience it can be. Yet, they've come out with a magnificent product. Truly a classic. Fine viewing. Definitely recommended.