The series was produced by Steven North and Richard Schlesinger for Robert Halmi Inc., in co-production with French television network FR3.

The story begins with Tell and his son, Matthew, imprisoned by the tyrannical Governor Hermann Gessler (played by Jeremy Clyde), who seeks to suppress a Swiss uprising against Austrian rule.

Using his exceptional skills, Tell escapes captivity and leads a rebellion against Gessler’s oppressive regime, encountering both allies and formidable adversaries along the way.

A television film, Crossbow: The Movie, edited from combined episodes of the series, was released on DVD in 2005, under the title The Adventures of William Tell.

The musical score for the series was composed by Stanisław Syrewicz, and used an arrangement of the William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini in one of the tracks.