Drake's Venture was produced by Westward Television. A small regional ITV company as a way of saving their franchise. That aspect failed as they lost it as soon as this was broadcast.
John Thaw stars as Francis Drake. Here portrayed as less heroic. A buccaneering adventurer in the true meaning, which is shorthand for unethical even piracy.
Told in flashback it becomes less about his voyage of circumnavigation. More of a murky expedition on behest of Queen Elizabeth and other investors to raid Spanish ships in South America.
The main part of the drama is Drake falling out with gentleman Thomas Doughty (Paul Darrow) for mutiny. Doughty was a friend of Drake, an investor, a lawyer and also commanded one of the ships.
A paranoid Drake accused Doughty of mutiny and witchcraft. He very much held a kangaroo trial under his authority as a captain.
The production portrays Drake under a dark light. Cynical, self serving and lucky. He managed to plunder successfully and that won him Elizabeth's protection. He cruelly discarded Portuguese navigator Nuno da Silva on the shores of Mexico. Drake wanted to keep part of the voyage secret only to English eyes.
This was a prestige production, there was a full scale replica of the Golden Hind. Although it was clear the ship never ventured far from the English channel or the Cornish coast.
I did think it was less about Drake's adventures, more about the Doughty incident. It was notable that Darrow was rather restraint as Doughty.
