TV series
Comedy about the life and times of William Shakespeare as he starts to make a name for himself in London, whilst also trying to balance life as a husband and father for his family in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Oct 31, 2026
Upstart Crow is available to stream on Britbox, Britbox (Via Amazon Prime), and Kanopy in United States. You can also rent or buy it from Google Play, Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.
Comedy about the life and times of William Shakespeare as he starts to make a name for himself in London, whilst also trying to balance life as a husband and father for his family in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
Will needs inspiration for his new play A Midsummer Night's Dream. Meanwhile how can he get hold of some love potion, and where is Bottom going to put that stuffed donkey head?
Guest stars Paula Wilcox, Harry Enfield, Mark Heap, Rosanna Beacock, Joe Willis, Ken Nwosu, Nigel Planer
Episode 2
Will Shakespeare has been working on his masterpiece. His friends tell him it's his greatest comedy yet, but Will insists that Hamlet isn't actually meant to be funny.
Guest stars Paula Wilcox, Harry Enfield, Mark Heap, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Rosanna Beacock, Joe Willis, Peter Hamilton Dyer, Dan Tetsell
Episode 3
London is full of anti-immigrant rioting. Will looks forward to an age when such sentiments are long-gone, but in the meantime he and the players plan to do their bit to help those worse off than themselves with a fund-raising charity gala night. “Inflated Pig's Bladder Day” is a triumph.
Guest stars Paula Wilcox, Harry Enfield, Mark Heap, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Rosanna Beacock, Joe Willis, Ben Miller, Thomas Smith
Episode 4
When Kate stands in for Sue at the masked ball she accidentally sets off a chain of events that leaves Sue humiliated by the other local teenagers and Will needs to come up with a ruse to turn the tables on the bullies. Meanwhile in all the confusion Hamnet has gone missing.
Guest stars Paula Wilcox, Harry Enfield, Rosanna Beacock, Joe Willis, Adrian Edmondson, Brandon Fellows, Joshua Wichard, Bessie Coates
Episode 5
Will's troupe plot against each other, but his defusing of the situation helps give him a better idea for his new play about Julius Caesar.
Guest stars Mark Heap, Beattie Edmondson, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Ola Orebiyi
Episode 6
As Will wrestles with temptation a bigger threat to his family lurks in the wings.
Guest stars Paula Wilcox, Harry Enfield, Mark Heap, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Rosanna Beacock, Joe Willis, Montserrat Lombard
Episode information updated Nov 14, 2026
David MitchellWill Shakespeare
Liza TarbuckAnne Hathaway
Paula WilcoxMary Arden
Harry EnfieldJohn Shakespeare
Spencer JonesKempe
Helen MonksSusannah
Mark HeapSir Robert Greene
Gemma WhelanKate
BBC TwoUnited Kingdom
