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Because the one I'm talking about definitely wasn't written by Jez Butterworth, or any of the other people who've taken the credit for creating Britannia. But surely there can't have been two independent shows written, that shared all those plot points and characters (as listed in the original post), one started just after the other was completed?
The Last Kingdom is the only other thing and that isn't 43AD.
"Who've taken the credit for cresting Britannia" makes it seem like this whole post is some thinly veiled accusation that Jez Butterworth stole the concept of Britannia from someone? Like, why would you word it that way if that wasn't your intent?
Thanks Nepworks. I am currently doing some research (academic) based on these exact plots points (/tropes) and am genuinely interested to know whether the show could be identified and classed as being unique based on those given in the OP. I am certain, by the way, that the ones listed came from another work, written just prior to Butterworth being drafted in to re-write Britannia at the last moment (or rather they subsequently featured in both works). I am not accusing anyone of anything, btw, but am absolutely interested in the thoughts and opinions of others.
Edited by Bazzmundo

Can anyone tell me the name of the following show, set in Ancient Britain and about the Celtic tribes, the Druids and the Roman Invaders of 43AD. It had a 9 episode first season, was written for the post-watershed market (ie for mature audiences), and I know it was written by a British writer in 2016. It had a 90 minute (approx) first episode, featuring the following:
Starts with a cold opening: there’s an eccentric looking middle aged Celtic man (who we later find out is on a mission Rome) - he’s featured in a scene with a bird - and there’s another scene with prisoners (several of their scarred and dirty faces flicker in and out the flames); one of the prisoner’s is then forced to step forward and interrogated by an inquisitive Roman General based (in part) on the real life Roman General Aulus Plautius. The prisoner then has to go on a journey with the general.
After the titles (which had a modern pop/folk song) the main narrative starts, with the young Celtic hero, on the cusp of adulthood, (their name was Ca… something), introduced alone and looking out for something in the distance, before running through fields to their family. It’s the eve of an important festival, and the young Celt is due to go through a rite of passage that night. There’s an issue about their attendance and they get words of support from an elder female relative (Ela or Islene?), who talks about her first time at the festival.
Later on, the young hero goes through that rite of passage, when they’re standing in a field around a barrel with a group of other teens. They get intoxicated, after which they wander round the festival site in an altered state and the hero has an encounter with a mysterious figure holding a staff, who stops and stares at them. There was some sort of issue with their name and it all goes badly for them (they don’t make it back to their tent).
They do, however, make a new friend that night, who they share a troubled relationship with. The friend is described as some sort of cast out. And the next day the hero follows the cast out character into a forest, where they get threatened by a perverted looking character (I think they wanted to take their virginity), before being saved by their new friend.
Elsewhere in the show there’s an issue with the young hero’s tribe (Cassi or Cantii?) and the Regini or Regni (?) tribe, prior to a wedding taking place. A plan for peace between the two tribes is discussed. The wedding specifically takes place in the borders (remember reading that part) and is set in or by a tree circle (the young hero isn’t featured). There’s an ambush featuring riders who emerge from the forest, the groom gets slaughtered and a Gaul (totally fictitious as I recall) slays the priestess. The bride survives unharmed, but gets captured by the Gaul and held as a temporary prisoner.
I remember the first episode also features a scene where a Celtic prisoner is led in chains across a field towards a Roman prison wagon. Inside that wagon he is shown chained up, his taut body naked to his trousers; he has scars and bruises and Celtic tattoos. He’s shown inside the wagon to be visibly worried about his missing family members. As the wagons roll off, it’s revealed to be surrounded by a cohort of Roman foot soldiers, and is led by the Aulus Plautius character, who wants to learn more about British culture, and the more authoritarian Vespian or Vespasian (?). The latter is seen barking orders to his troops before riding off, ahead of them.
Other things I remember in the first episode: there’s a scene featuring a British antagonist, Ver-something, and a threat is made in front of him involving the removal of another character’s eyes. There’s a character who wakes up as they’re being dragged through the woods (gagged and with their hands and feet bound in rope) before they escape. And there’s also a scene featuring a character who overhears a conversation being held by the druids, as they’re sat around drinking a special herbal tea.
Any ideas?
Edited by Bazzmundo