How to Watch the BBC The Chronicles of Narnia Series

If you’re a Narnia fan, chances are you’ve seen all three of the big-screen movies. You’re probably also champing at the bit to feast your eyes on the first of Netflix’s The Chronicles of Narnia movies, which are officially happening. But you might have missed out on another adaptation, the BBC TV serial that began with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. So if you’re wondering how to watch the BBC The Chronicles of Narnia TV series, here’s the answer.

Here’s Where and How to Watch the BBC The Chronicles of Narnia

First broadcast in 1988, the BBC’s The Chronicles of Narnia series began with an adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The second series was a combination of Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and the third and final one adapted The Silver Chair.

That’s as far as the series got, though it still covers one book beyond the aforementioned Buena Vista movies. And while it does look a little dated, it was lavish by 1988 standards. Many of the outdoor scenes were filmed outdoors, instead of on a soundstage. And unlike Doctor Who, relatively few of them appeared to take place in a quarry.

Speaking of the Doctor, Tom Baker turns up in The Silver Chair, playing Puddleglum. And while Tilda Swinton is great, it’s Barbara Kellerman that I think of when anyone mentions the White Witch.

Unfortunately, the series (all 18 episodes of it) isn’t available to stream online. The good news for Narnia fans is that you can buy the whole series on DVD, relatively cheaply. Between Amazon and eBay you can get it for between $7 used and $30 new.

So if you want to know how to watch the BBC The Chronicles of Narnia series, the answer is to go buy some DVDs. You may want to double-check if the discs play in devices native to your region though.