AllMovie

Episode two, In Search of Shakespeare: The Lost Years, focuses on the controversial time period between William Shakespeare's marriage at 18 and his emergence as a prominent writer at age 28. The only concrete facts about this time are that his three children were born and his contemporary rival Christopher Marlowe was killed. Presenter Michael Wood examines the various theories of Shakespeare's whereabouts. In Lancashire, it is believed he lived with a Catholic family. Tudor maps and Victorian photographs point to his first London neighborhood. Other evidence suggests he was a member of the Queen's Men, a company of actors working for Elizabeth's Protestant propaganda. The Royal Shakespeare Company also performs some early works. This episode premiered on PBS in February of 2004.