Testament: The Bible in Animation

{{Infobox television

| name = {{nowrap|Testament: The Bible in Animation}}

| image =

| caption =

| alt_name = Testament: Y Beibl Wedi'i Animeiddio (Wales)
Testament: The Bible in Animation (US and UK)

| genre = Animation, Drama

| creator = Naomi Jones

| developer = Derek W. Hayes

| writer = Richard Everett

| creative_director = Martin Lamb

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English
Welsh

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 9

| executive_producer = {{ubl|Naomi Jones}}

| producer = Gary Hurst

| company = Christmas Films, S4C and Right angle

| channel = BBC2 (UK)
S4C (Wales)
HBO (US)

| first_aired = {{Start date|1996|10|11|df=yes}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1996|12|06|df=yes}}

}}

Testament: The Bible in Animation is a 1996 British animated series that was produced by and shown on Sianel 4 Cymru (S4C). It was also shown on the BBC. It featured animated versions of stories from the Bible, each story using its own unique style of animation, including stop-motion animation. It ran for one series of nine episodes in the United Kingdom and won one Emmy, with three nominations, in the United States. It includes the song "Adiemus" as its intro.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The show was produced by Christmas Films and S4C, who also created the 1992–1994 series Shakespeare: The Animated Tales and the 2000 film The Miracle Maker, sharing many of the same voice talents and styles of animation.{{cite book |last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |title=Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 |date=2005 |edition=2nd |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-1476665993 |page=842}}

Series overview

{{Series overview

| color1 = #4B3621

| link1 = #Episodes

| episodes1 = 9

| start1 = 11 October 1996 (S4C version)
16 October 1996 (BBC Wales version)

| end1 = 6 December 1996 (S4C version)
11 December 1996 (BBC Wales version)

}}

Episodes

{{Episode table|background=#4B3621|overall=1|title=30|aux2=30|aux2T=Animation type|airdate=20|aux3=15|aux3T=Based on|episodes=

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Creation and the Flood

|Aux2 = Stop motion and Paint on glass

|Aux3 = Genesis

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|10|11|df=yes}} (S4C version)
16 October 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = As his ark crosses the drowned Earth, Noah tells his family the story of Adam and Eve, the fall of Lucifer, and the banishment from Eden.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = Abraham

|Aux2 = Stop motion

|Aux3 = Genesis

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|10|18|df=yes}} (S4C version)
23 October 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = When God told Abraham that he and his wife Sarah would have a son, Abraham was astounded, for Sarah was long past child bearing age, but God assigned to Abraham the honour of being the "Father of Many Nations." Overjoyed at the birth of his son Isaac, Abraham was horrified by the next command from God, to offer his son as a sacrifice to Him.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = Joseph

|Aux2 = Stop motion

|Aux3 = Genesis

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|10|25|df=yes}} (S4C version)
30 October 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph uses his skills to interpret dreams and becomes seated at the right hand of the Pharaoh himself.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = Moses

|Aux2 = Cel animation

|Aux3 = Exodus

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|11|01|df=yes}} (S4C version)
6 November 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = Fleeing after murdering an Egyptian overseer, the Hebrew Moses settles in the land of Midian. But one day he is visited by God who instructs him to return to Egypt and, with the help of his brother Aaron and ten devastating plagues, free the Israelites from the iron grip of the pharaoh Merneptah.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = Ruth

|Aux2 = Stop motion

|Aux3 = Ruth

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|11|08|df=yes}} (S4C version)
13 November 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = This is the story of a woman whose name has becomes synonymous with love and fidelity. In a moving tale, Ruth follows her mother-in-law Naomi back to Naomi's native Bethlehem after the sad death of both women's husbands. Working hard in the fields to feed herself and Naomi, Ruth finds her feeling for her kinsman Boaz run deeper than gratitude for his help with the work. Prepared to marry for Naomi's sake, Ruth's loyalty touches Boaz and he decides to challenge the claim of a closer relative for Ruth's hand.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title = David and Saul

|Aux2 = Cel animation

|Aux3 = 1 Samuel

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|11|15|df=yes}} (S4C version)
20 November 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = Tormented by demons, King Saul sends for a musician, David to calm his mind, little knowing the young man will one day be his greatest general - and his greatest enemy.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title = Elijah

|Aux2 = Cel animation

|Aux3 = 1 Kings

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|11|22|df=yes}} (S4C version)
27 November 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = Elijah, the one prophet of The Lord God, sets out to save Israel from the corrupt King Ahab and his evil Queen Jezebel. The music used is that of the Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah, with Welsh Baritone Bryn Terfel as soloist in the part of the Prophet Elijah.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|Title = Daniel

|Aux2 = Oil painting

|Aux3 = Daniel

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|11|29|df=yes}} (S4C version)
4 December 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = Political intrigue and unwavering faith are the cornerstones of the story of Daniel, held captive for many years under the Babylonian Kings. Much loved and respected by the conqueror, King Darius, who appointed him governor, Daniel provoked great jealousy among the court advisers. Divine love and human resolver enter the lions' den together, emerging victorious.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|Title = Jonah

|Aux2 = Oil painting

|Aux3 = Jonah

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1996|12|06|df=yes}} (S4C version)
11 December 1996 (BBC Wales version)

|ShortSummary = The prophet Jonah rejects God's call to go to Nineveh, but divine intervention, and a great fish brings him to the evil city which he warns will be destroyed in forty days.

| LineColor = 4B3621

}}

Voice cast

Joss Ackland − Noah, Samuel
John Alderton − Jonah
Roger Allam - Chief Magus
Adjoa Andoh − Ruth
Oona Beeson − Ishmael
Deborah Berlin − Isaac
Patrick Brennan − Narrator, Lot, Japhet
David Burke − God
Simon Callow − Merneptah
Anna Carteret − Miriam
Terry Dauncey − Shaphat
Alan Dobie − Saul
Philip Franks − Daniel
Hannah Gordon − Narrator
Emma Gregory − Atarah
Christopher Guard − Jonathan
Helen Gwyn − Hagar
Robert Hardy − Abraham
Robert Harper − Adam, Young Joseph
Simon Harris − Shem
Ciarán Hinds − Satan (Lucifer)
Steve Hodson − Nebuchadnezzar
David Holt − Michael
Kelly Hunter − Eve
Gerald James − Jacob
Martin Jarvis − Moses
Siriol Jenkins − Orpah
Iestyn Jones − Elisha
Hakeem Kae-Kazim − Ham
Polly Kemp − Michal
Rob Lane − Reuben
Jane Lapotaire − Sarah
Tony Leader − Aaron, Rameses, Eliab
Anton Lesser − Joseph
Simon Ludders − Simeon
Doreen Mantle − Naomi
John McAndrew − Benjamin
Colin McFarlane − God, Goliath
Paul McGann − David
T. P. McKenna − God
Ian McNeice − Ahab
Clive Merrison − Darius
Bill Nighy − Belshazzar
Richard O'Callaghan − Judah
Carolyn Pickles − Narrator
Christine Pritchard − Witch of Endor
Sue Roderick − Naamah
Ivor Roberts − Jethro
Clive Russell − Boaz
David Schofield − Elijah
Bryn Terfel - Elijah (vocal soloist)
Mark Straker − Angel
Jonathan Tafler − Levi, Pharaoh
Stephen Thorne − King of Nineveh
Philip Voss − Potiphar
Victoria Wicks − Jezebel

==Broadcast UK history==

BBC2 (16 October 1996 – 11 December 1996, 6 January 1997 – 13 May 1997; repeated from 1998-2006 as part of BBC2's BBC Schools daytime strand also repeated occasionally as part of the BBC Learning Zone in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006) {{Cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=asc&q=%22Testament+the+bible+in+animation%22&svc=9371535#search|title=Search Results - BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=2017-10-23}}{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/20/20?adv=1&media=tv&order=asc&q=%22Testament%22&svc=9371535&tf=09%3A00&tt=13%3A00&yf=1998#search|title=Search Results - BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}
S4C (11 October 1996 – 6 December 1996; in Welsh, as Testament: Y Beibl Wedi'i Animeiddio)