Gunpowder

London, 1605. Robert Catesby (Kit Harington), a 33-year-old Warwickshire gentleman, devises a plot to blow up Parliament and and kill the king. A committed Catholic at a time when Protestant England persecutes Catholics relentlessly, Catesby's refusal to abandon his religion brings him to the edge of financial, social and psychological ruin. The authorities directed by King James's spymaster in Chief Robert Cecil (Mark Gatiss), hunt down, torture and execute priests while rank-and-file Catholics are subject to oppression and the loss of their property. This fast-paced 17th century thriller delves into the history behind the plot evolution, the selection of the team to carry it out, the gathering of the resources, and the obstacles they came up against. (HBO Europe)