FORGOTTEN TELEVISION: CROSSBOW (1987-1990)

This French-produced (but English language)  series about William Tell was the perfect antidote for fans of derring-do who were bored with the umpteen versions of the Robin Hood legend.

The series starred Will Lyman as the  crossbow- wielding Tell and Jeremy Clyde (of Chad and Jeremy fame) as Gessler, the tyrant Tell opposed during the Swiss Uprising against the Austrians in the 14th Century. Each episode featured William Tell and his son (the one with the apple on his head) defiantly foiling Gessler’s sinister machinations with the aid of fellow rebels.

Adding to the show’s appeal is the fact that each episode ran just a half-hour. This prevents boredom by combatting the problem many hour-long formulaic shows suffer from: the fact that they often have just a half-hour’s worth of actual story dilluted with monotonous filler. Look for a young Sarah Michelle Gellar and Steve Buscemi in a few episodes.

The first two seasons of twenty-four episodes each ran on The Family Channel in the U.S. and on FR3 in France, but the twenty-four episodes of the third and final season were never shown in the U.S., creating a built-in Holy Grail of “Lost Episodes” even for hardcore American fans of this pleasantly diverting show.  

Want to read about more Forgotten TV Treasures? Click here: https://glitternight.com/category/forgotten-television/

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