The Thorn Birds poster

TV series

The Thorn Birds

1983TV-PG1 season7.2 / 10

Follows the Cleary family over several decades, focusing on the central, tragic romance between Meggie and Father Ralph, who is torn between his vows and his love for her.

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Checked Jul 22, 2026

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Synopsis

Follows the Cleary family over several decades, focusing on the central, tragic romance between Meggie and Father Ralph, who is torn between his vows and his love for her.

Cast, crew and production details

About The Thorn Birds

Watch trailerRichard Chamberlain THE THORN BIRDS Trailer

Cast

Richard ChamberlainRalph de Bricassart

Rachel WardMeggie Cleary

Christopher PlummerArchbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese

Bryan BrownLuke O'Neill

Brett CullenBob Cleary

Stephanie FaracyJudy

Barry CorbinPete

John de LancieAlastair MacQueen

Credits

Created by: Lee Stanley, Carmen Culver
Written by: Lee Stanley, Carmen Culver, Colleen McCullough

Production details

Status: Ended
Series type: Miniseries
Episodes: 4
Original language: English

Networks & production

ABCUnited States
Warner Bros. TelevisionUnited States
David Wolper-Stan Margulies Productions
Edward Lewis ProductionsUnited States

Themes

based on novel or bookcatholic priestcatholicismfamily sagaforbidden lovelove affairmineminiseriespriestroman catholic churchromancevow of celibacy

Season 1 episodes

Watch options above are for the show and may vary by season or episode.

Episode 1

Part 1

Mar 27, 19832h 24m9.0 / 10

When the wealthy but now elderly owner of a large sheep farm in the outback of Australia realizes that her affections towards a banished but ambitious young priest will never be returned, she sets out to manipulate his life and career from the grave once she discovers him giving his attention to her young niece instead.

Directed by Daryl DukeWritten by Carmen CulverGuest stars Jean Simmons, Piper Laurie, Earl Holliman, Philip Anglim, John Friedrich, Stephen W. Burns, Allyn Ann McLerie, Holly Palance

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Episode 2

Part 2

Mar 28, 19831h 37m8.8 / 10

Having left Australia with a significant sum of holdings in hand willed to the Catholic Church by the wealthy socialite and sheep farmer Mary Carson, Father Ralph de Bricassart finds himself courted by power brokers within the Vatican. Meanwhile, the Drogheda Ranch suffers a devastating brush fire that spawns more tragedy in the Cleary family, and eventually leads to an uneasy reunion between Meggie and Father de Bricassart. However Meggie soon meets a young suitor who captures her heart.

Directed by Daryl DukeWritten by Carmen CulverGuest stars Jean Simmons, Philip Anglim, John Friedrich, Stephen W. Burns, Holly Palance, Bill Morey, Richard Kiley, Dwier Brown

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Episode 3

Part 3

Mar 29, 19831h 37m8.8 / 10

Now married, living on a sugar cane plantation, and working as a maid in Queensland, Meggie finds her new husband is more interested in his own work and dalliances than in her. She bears him a child but is still unable to change his ways. Meanwhile, Father de Bricassart has moved up in the Church hierarchy and eventually returns to Australia as a Cardinal. And in yet another uneasy reunion between himself and Meggie, he finally succumbs to temptation by consummating forbidden love and breaking his vow of chastity.

Directed by Daryl DukeWritten by Carmen CulverGuest stars Jean Simmons, Piper Laurie, Earl Holliman, John Friedrich, Stephen W. Burns, Allyn Ann McLerie, Holly Palance, Bill Morey

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Episode 4

Part 4

Mar 30, 19832h 24m8.8 / 10Finale

Meggie has repeated the mistakes of her past by favoring her son over her daughter. She finally admits the truth about Dane's paternity to Ralph and reconciles with both her mother Fee and her daughter Justine.

Directed by Daryl DukeWritten by Carmen CulverGuest stars Piper Laurie, Earl Holliman, Philip Anglim, Allyn Ann McLerie, Ken Howard, Mare Winningham, Chard Hayward, Lucinda Dooling

Where to watch The Thorn Birds

Episode information updated Jul 22, 2026

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