
TV show · drama
The Thorn Birds
1983 · 1 season, 4 episodes · miniseries
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Seasons and episodes The Thorn Birds
Season scores: TMDB, out of 10.
Season 1
1983 · 4 episodes · about 8h · 8.8/10
1. Part 1144 min · 9.0/10
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.
2. Part 297 min · 8.8/10
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.
3. Part 397 min · 8.8/10
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.
4. Part 4144 min · 8.8/10
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.
Season summaries1 season, 4 episodes
Season 1
1983 · 4 episodes · about 8h · TMDB 8.8
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.
1 season, 4 episodes, about 8h in total, from March 27, 1983 to March 30, 1983. Episodes run about 121 min.
Is it worth watching? The Thorn Birds
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Reception
On other sites
7.2/10137 votes
What is it about? The Thorn Birds
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.
Genre: drama. Themes: mine, forbidden love, romance, priest, love affair, roman catholic church.
Cast and crew The Thorn Birds
AllCreators
- Created byLee Stanley
- Created byCarmen Culver
- Based on the novel byColleen McCullough
- MusicHenry Mancini
- CinematographyWilmer Butler
- EditingCarroll Timothy O'Meara
- NetworkABC
Full cast36 cast members across all seasons
Cast:
- Richard Chamberlain · Ralph de Bricassart · 4 ep.
- Rachel Ward · Meggie Cleary · 4 ep.
- Christopher Plummer · Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese · 4 ep.
- Bryan Brown · Luke O'Neill · 4 ep.
- Brett Cullen · Bob Cleary · 4 ep.
- Stephanie Faracy · Judy · 4 ep.
- Barry Corbin · Pete · 4 ep.
- John de Lancie · Alastair MacQueen · 4 ep.
- Barbara Stanwyck · Mary Carson · 4 ep.
- Jean Simmons · Fiona Fee Cleary · 4 ep.
- Richard Kiley · Paddy Cleary · 4 ep.
- Piper Laurie · Anne Mueller · 4 ep.
- Earl Holliman · Ludie Mueller · 4 ep.
- Mare Winningham · Justine ONeill · 4 ep.
- Philip Anglim · Dane ONeill · 4 ep.
- Ken Howard · Rainer Hartheim · 4 ep.
- Allyn Ann McLerie · Smith · 4 ep.
- Stephen W. Burns · Jack Cleary · 3 ep.
- Holly Palance · Miss Carmichael · 3 ep.
- Bill Morey · Angus MacQueen · 3 ep.
- Richard Venture · Harry Gough · 2 ep.
- Dwier Brown · Stuart Cleary · 2 ep.
- Antoinette Bower · Sarah MacQueen · 2 ep.
- Sydney Penny · Maggie · 1 ep.
- Vidal Peterson · Stuart · 1 ep.
- Nan Martin · Agatha · 1 ep.
- Meg Wyllie · Annie · 1 ep.
- Wally Dalton · Fair Barker · 1 ep.
- Rance Howard · Doc Wilson · 1 ep.
- Chard Hayward · Arne Swenson · 2 ep.
- Lucinda Dooling · Martha · 1 ep.
- Aspa Nakapoulou · Phaedre · 1 ep.
- Dennis Falt · Enthusiastic church attendee (uncredited) · 1 ep.
- Alan Bendich · Greek waiter (uncredited) · 1 ep.
- Gini Holtzman · Holy Communion Girl (uncredited) · 1 ep.
- Danny Nero · Motorist (uncredited) · 1 ep.
Crew:
- Robert MacKichan · Production Design
- Wilmer Butler · Director of Photography
- Travilla · Costume Design
- Daryl Duke · Director
- Carroll Timothy O'Meara · Editor
- Robert F. Shugrue · Editor
- David Saxon · Editor
- David L. Wolper · Executive Producer
- Stan Margulies · Producer
- Edward Lewis · Executive Producer
- Lynn Stalmaster · Casting
- Toni Howard · Casting
- Henry Mancini · Original Music Composer
- Carmen Culver · Writer
- Colleen McCullough · Novel
- Lee Stanley · Writer
Trailer The Thorn Birds
ENRichard Chamberlain THE THORN BIRDS TrailerMarch 5, 2009Shows like this The Thorn Birds
Details The Thorn Birds

- First episode
- March 27, 1983
- Last episode
- March 30, 1983
- Status
- miniseries
- Network
- ABC
- Countries
- Australia, United States
- Original language
- English
- Rating
- TV-PG
- Studios
- Warner Bros. Television, David Wolper-Stan Margulies Productions, Edward Lewis Productions
Frequently asked questions
How many seasons does The Thorn Birds have?
1 season, 4 episodes. The last episode aired March 30, 1983.
Who’s in The Thorn Birds?
Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, Christopher Plummer, Bryan Brown, Brett Cullen, Stephanie Faracy, Barry Corbin, John de Lancie, Barbara Stanwyck, and Jean Simmons. Created by Lee Stanley and Carmen Culver.
Sources: TMDB (title data, images). As of November 13, 2026. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. · Ta strona po polsku





















