Portsmouth, 1794. Under thundery skies and in lashing rain, 17-year-old midshipman Horatio Hornblower takes the first tentative steps of his naval career, but a feud with a shipmate causes complications.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Ioan GruffuddMidshipman Horatio Hornblower | Midshipman Horatio Hornblower |
 Robert LindsayCaptain Sir Edward Pellew | Captain Sir Edward Pellew |
 Dorian HealyMidshipman Jack Simpson | Midshipman Jack Simpson |
 Michael ByrneCaptain Keene | Captain Keene |
 Robert BathurstLieutenant Eccleston | Lieutenant Eccleston |
 Duncan BellMidshipman Clayton | Midshipman Clayton |
 Paul CopleyMatthews | Matthews |
 Sean GilderStyles | Styles |
 Simon SherlockOldroyd | Oldroyd |
| CChris BarnesFinch | Finch |
 Jamie BamberMidshipman Archie Kennedy | Midshipman Archie Kennedy |
 Colin MacLachlanMaster Bowles | Master Bowles |
 Vincent GrassCaptain Forget | Captain Forget |
 Richard LumsdenMidshipman Hether | Midshipman Hether |
 Frank BoyceMidshipman Cleveland | Midshipman Cleveland |
| RRoger MayLieutenant Chadd | Lieutenant Chadd |
 Simon Markey... Dr. Hepplewhite | ... Dr. Hepplewhite |
| OOliver MontgomeryLieutenant Chalk | Lieutenant Chalk |