SPEC SCRIPT
The House of Arden
TV pilot — YA fantasy adventure (6–10 x 60 min series)
Logline:
After losing their father, two teenagers inherit a crumbling castle and discover they must travel back in time to recover a hidden ancestral treasure. But to survive history, they will first have to learn how to work together.
Synopsis:
Impulsive, history-obsessed Elf (16) and her methodical, sceptical older brother Edred have lived with their young aunt since their mother died and their father vanished on a government mission. Just as their lives feel permanently stalled between a failing B&B and a spider-related guest complaint, Edred unexpectedly inherits a rundown, penniless castle. Exploring the ruins, the siblings uncover a hidden spell and a magical creature called the Mouldiwarp, who is permanently annoyed with everyone but reveals that a massive family fortune is scattered across the centuries.
Recovering the wealth means travelling back in time to navigate everything from the Gunpowder Plot to the treacherous court of Anne Boleyn. But as they hunt for the treasure and untangle generations of family secrets, Elf and Edred realize the past holds the key to a much more urgent mystery. It might be the only way to find out what really happened to their dad.
Source material:
Adapted from E. Nesbit's 1908 novel The House of Arden (out of copyright). Nesbit's other works include The Railway Children and Five Children and It, both of which are proven on-screen successes.
Themes:
Having no mother or father and living with a depressed aunt is hard for teens. This is a historical time travel adventure grounded in mundane everyday life. As Elf and Edred jump between different epochs, they see firsthand how their ancestors' flawed choices continue to shape their present.
Format:
60-minute episodes, 6–10 episode series
Target audience: YA / family (8pm BBC or Channel 5 slot)
Tone:
It's a family adventure where the magic is real but the problems are domestic. Think BBC Sunday teatime with mud on its boots. Growing up without parents in a house that's falling apart — that's the real story. The treasure hunt becomes a rescue mission, and the gold turns out to matter far less than what they find at the end of it.
Development:
Pilot script developed with script editor Maria Dewhurst (credits include Doctors and Sony's 'Black Cab'). Episode outlines for full series arc available.
Pilot script and series bible available on request.