Apparitions is a British supernatural television drama series created by Joe Ahearne and Nick Collins and produced by Lime Pictures about a priest, played by Martin Shaw, who examines evidence of miracles to be used in canonisation but also carries out exorcisms.
The series aired in the UK on BBC One from 13 November to 18 December, 2008. There are six hour-long episodes in the series.
Apparitions premiered in South Africa on DStv's BBC Entertainment channel on Tuesday 22 September 2009, at 21h30. New episodes air weekly.
Repeats
Wednesdays: 00h50
Synopsis
Apparitions is a hard-hitting drama that takes us on a terrifying journey into a world of possession and satanic conspiracy. All out war between good and evil is imminent and it's time to choose sides.
Martin Shaw stars as Father Jacob, a Roman Catholic priest who is working to promote candidates for sainthood but is drawn against his will into the world of exorcism.
The idea for the series came from Martin himself as he had long wanted to play an exorcist. It was subsequently picked up and developed further by Joe Ahearne.
The cast for Apparitions features John Shrapnel as Cardinal Bukovak, Jacob's boss who keeps a close watch on his every move; Luigi Diberti plays Monsignor Vincenzo, Rome's chief exorcist who is soon to retire and wants Jacob to take over from him; Elyes Gabel is pre-ordained priest Vimal who suffers torment at the hands of Michael, a possessed homeless man, played by Rick Warden.
Michelle Joseph is Jacob's aide, Sister Anne, who chooses to look for good rather than evil but remains resolutely loyal to Jacob.
Siobhan Finneran is Sister Ruth who joins the series from episode two when she's sent from Rome to monitor Jacob's activities.
Guest stars also include Shaun Dooley as single dad Liam, accused by his daughter of possession in episodes one and two.
Guest starring in episode three is Neil Pearson and Elizabeth Berrington. Neil plays the role of Lassiter, a prison governor who calls for Jacob's help when Cory, one of the inmates, shows signs of possession, while Elizabeth plays Kim, the mother of one of Cory's victims.
Episode four features Claudia Harrison as Janice, who runs a women's health clinic and comes to Jacob in desperation when there appear to be demonic forces attacking her patients. Adrian Bower also guest stars as Simon, a possessed man who is trying to orchestrate a series of satanic births.
And in episode six there's a surprise appearance from Cherie Lunghi, who plays a woman who encounters Jacob at his lowest ebb.
Episodes
Episode 1
Martin Shaw stars as Father Jacob, a priest working to promote candidates for sainthood, in this supernatural drama series. Father Jacob becomes drawn in to exorcism as he discovers a dark battle between good and evil, a battle that threatens the future of the human race.
In his search for miracles, Father Jacob occasionally sees the hand of Satan and performs an exorcism. In this episode, he is approached by a young girl, Donna, who believes her father is possessed by the devil.
Although he is initially sceptical, Jacob is forced to take extraordinary steps to ensure her safety by staging a dramatic exorcism, despite the misgivings of his church colleagues.
While Donna takes up Jacob's attention, satanic forces are in play in Jacob's seminary. Trainee priest Vimal is taunted by Michael, a homeless man who knows his secret thoughts.
Vimal was miraculously cured of leprosy after he prayed to Mother Teresa, and it's how he met Jacob. Now Michael tells him his new skin was Satan's miracle, not God's.
Unless Vimal agrees to use Satan's gift, it'll be taken back. Michael warns Vimal if he tries to help Jacob in his exorcism of Donna's father, the demons will reveal his secret.
Episode 2
As the supernatural drama continues, Jacob's exorcism of Liam has been answered with the butchery of his friend, Vimal. With Vimal dead, Jacob realises that all his friends are in danger.
As a police investigation is launched into the murder, Jacob battles to save an innocent man from being put away, leaving the demon free to kill again.
When Father Jacob is forced to meet Vimal's murderer on his terms in order to exorcise him, his own faith is threatened and he is taunted with a revelation about his best friend and mentor, Monsignor Vincenzo.
Episode 3
Though under increasing pressure from the Catholic Church to stop performing exorcisms, Jacob pays a visit to a prisoner who displays signs of possession.
The case takes a strange turn, however, when Jacob realises that his subject may have been possessed by a saint.
Episode 4
Jacob is called to an abortion clinic, where he discovers a pregnant woman who is possessed by unborn demons.
Episode 5
A sinister apparition of the Virgin Mary haunts a Muslim family who seem to have a connection to Michael. Father Jacob realises he will lose Michael's soul forever unless he can convince the family that the apparition is a fake.
Episode 6
Weakened by his crisis of faith, and with Michael on the loose, Father Jacob realises that he needs to be exorcised himself.
But with Bukovak blocking all normal channels, Jacob is forced to coax Vincenzo out of retirement if he is to have any hope of defeating Michael before he can carry out his plans.