The Pillars of the Earth (miniseries) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Pillars of the Earth
Genre	Historical drama
Screenplay by	John Pielmeier
Story by	Ken Follett
Directed by	Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Starring	Ian McShane Donald Sutherland Matthew Macfadyen Rufus Sewell Eddie Redmayne Hayley Atwell David Oakes Natalia Wörner Robert Bathurst Sarah Parish
Theme music composer	Trevor Morris
Country of origin	Canada Germany Hungary
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	8
Production
Executive producer(s)	David A. Rosemont Jonas Bauer Tim Halkin Michael Prupas David W. Zucker Rola Bauer Tony Scott Ridley Scott
Producer(s)	John Ryan
Running time	45 minutes
Production company(s)	Tandem Communications Muse Entertainment Enterprises Scott Free
Budget	million
Release
Original network	The Movie Network Movie Central Starz Sat.1
Original release	23 July (2010-07-23) – 27 August 2010 (2010-08-27)
Chronology
Related shows	World Without End

The Pillars of the Earth is an eight-part TV show from 2010. It is based on the popular 1989 book of the same name by Ken Follett. The series first aired in the U.S. on Starz and in Canada on The Movie Network/Movie Central starting July 23, 2010. In the UK, it premiered on Channel 4 in October 2010. The show was nominated for three awards at the 68th Golden Globe Awards, including Best TV Show. Actors Ian McShane and Hayley Atwell also received acting nominations.

Building a Cathedral: The Story

This TV show, like the book it's based on, is all about building a huge cathedral in a made-up town called Kingsbridge. This happens during a very difficult time in English history in the 12th century, known as The Anarchy. It was a period when different groups fought for control of the country.

How the Show is Different from the Book

The TV show made some changes to the characters and the story compared to Ken Follett's book. For example, some characters are older or younger in the show. Also, some characters from the book, like Henry of Blois and Thomas Becket, don't appear in the series.

Some events also changed. For instance, Jack's father, Shareburg, is burned at the stake in the show, not hanged. Also, in the show, Jack and Aliena only have one child.

Many plot points were different too. The body of the saint in the burning church is not saved in the show, and only a skull is lost. In the show, Jack sculpts a statue of St. Adolphus. Also, the show adds new events, like Jack being poisoned in episode 6.

The Ending: Show vs. Book

The very end of the TV show is quite different from the book.

In the book, William Hamleigh becomes Sheriff when he's old. He tries to arrest Richard, but Richard goes on a crusade. Aliena then takes over the Earldom. Waleran is shamed for his part in a murder and tells Jack who his father was. William is hanged for his crimes. Jonathan becomes the head of Kingsbridge Priory, and Philip becomes a Bishop.

In the TV show, William becomes Sheriff much sooner. Waleran tricks Alfred into hurting himself and blaming Jack, using a poisoned knife. William arrests Jack, and he is put on trial for murder. Waleran leads the trial and sentences Jack to hang. But just in time, Jack's mother arrives. She reveals that Waleran and the Hamleighs were involved in a terrible event on the White Ship, where they murdered the young prince and his wife. In the chaos, the crowd hangs William Hamleigh instead of Jack. Waleran tries to escape but falls from the cathedral and dies. Philip remains the head of Kingsbridge Priory.

Meet the Characters

Making the Show: Production Details

Donald Sutherland, Hayley Atwell, Natalia Wörner, Rufus Sewell and Ken Follett at the premiere.

It took about a year to make The Pillars of the Earth TV show, and it cost around $40 million. Companies from Germany, Canada, and the UK/U.S. helped pay for it. The filming happened in Austria and Hungary in 2009.

The very last shot of the series shows a modern-day town called Salisbury. A computer-generated (CGI) cathedral was added to this shot. This CGI cathedral combined parts of Salisbury Cathedral and Wells Cathedral, which were the real cathedrals that inspired Ken Follett when he wrote the book.

After this series, a follow-up show called World Without End was made in 2012. It was based on the sequel book by Ken Follett.

History in the Show: How Accurate Is It?

The show changes some historical timelines from the real period of The Anarchy. For example, the birth of Henry II and the death of his grandfather Henry I are shown happening closer together than they did in real life. Young Henry was born in 1133, and his grandfather died in 1135.

Also, some historical characters die differently or at different times in the show than they did in history. For instance, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the show was not murdered in real life; he served for many years. Similarly, Robert of Gloucester, a powerful historical figure, did not die on the battlefield as shown in the series. These changes were made to fit the story of the show.

Watching the Show: Broadcast Information

When the show first came out, it was shown at the same time on two channels, Starz and Encore. About 690,000 people watched the first episodes. In the U.S., the first two episodes and the last two episodes were shown together as single, longer episodes. Later, when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation showed the series in 2011, they re-edited it into nine episodes. In Australia, it was shown in four parts, combining pairs of episodes.

Episode Guide

Awards and Nominations

See also

• The Pillars of the Earth (video game)
• List of historical drama films