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Tales of the Unexpected backdrop
Drama

Tales of the Unexpected

6.8(49)
First Aired:March 24, 1979
Seasons:9 seasons
Episodes:112
Status:Ended

A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.

Seasons

The Man From the South

E1The Man From the South

24m7.6

Mar 24, 1979

A young American couple on holiday meet a mysterious old gentleman who makes them a macabre wager.

Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat

E2Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat

25m4.3

Mar 31, 1979

Unable to show her dentist husband, Cyril, the fur coat her lover has given her, Mrs Bixby pawns it and pretends that she found the ticket.

William and Mary

E3William and Mary

25m7.0

Apr 7, 1979

When her husband William dies, Mary Pearl is shocked that his will stipulates that his brain should be kept alive.

Lamb to the Slaughter

E4Lamb to the Slaughter

25m6.9

Apr 14, 1979

An enraged detective's wife kills her husband by smashing in his skull with a heavy blunt instrument - but no murder weapon can be found, and the police are baffled.

The Landlady

E5The Landlady

25m7.7

Apr 21, 1979

When a young man arrives in Bath, he is shocked to find his seemingly charming landlady has a dark side.

Neck

E6Neck

24m4.7

Apr 28, 1979

A lady is cut down to size by her husband’s loyal butler when it is discovered she is having an affair.

Edward the Conqueror

E7Edward the Conqueror

25m6.0

May 5, 1979

When Edward grows tired of Louisa’s obsession with a stray cat and decides to get rid of it, she exacts her revenge.

A Dip in the Pool

E8A Dip in the Pool

25m6.7

May 12, 1979

An American gambler must come up with a cunning plan to slow down a ship at sea in order to win a bet.

The Way Up to Heaven

E9The Way Up to Heaven

25m7.0

May 19, 1979

Mrs Foster exacts an intriguing revenge on her husband after his dawdling causes her to miss a flight.

Royal Jelly

E1Royal Jelly

27m6.3

Mar 1, 1980

Mabel’s baby is sick and her bee obsessed husband thinks he has found a remedy. Will he get the baby buzzing back to health?

Skin

E2Skin

25m4.2

Mar 8, 1980

An old street beggar, a former tattooist, was a friend of the famous artist, Soutine. On his back, he has a tattoo by the artist, which is now priceless.

Galloping Foxley

E3Galloping Foxley

26m5.7

Mar 15, 1980

A man starts to suffer when he becomes haunted by the memory of the brutal treatment he received in his childhood.

The Hitch-Hiker

E4The Hitch-Hiker

26m7.5

Mar 22, 1980

When a driver picks up a hitch-hiker in his car, his journey turns into a thrilling ride.

Poison

E5Poison

25m3.8

Mar 29, 1980

A poisonous snake keeps a teacher prisoner in India. How can he escape from its evil glare?

Fat Chance

E6Fat Chance

26m6.0

Apr 5, 1980

The husband of a fat, greedy woman has a clever plan to get rid of her - but the plan is flawed.

Taste

E7Taste

27m6.5

Apr 12, 1980

A dinner party takes a surprising turn when one pretentious guest is challenged to a wine tasting contest.

My Lady Love, My Dove

E8My Lady Love, My Dove

25m6.0

Apr 19, 1980

When Pamela and Arthur invite a young couple over for the weekend, things take a surprising turn.

Georgy Porgy

E9Georgy Porgy

26m3.2

Apr 26, 1980

George has problems with female attention, but when a beautiful woman joins his congregation things are set to change.

Depart in Peace

E10Depart in Peace

26m5.5

May 3, 1980

An art collector finds himself drawn into an unusual struggle with two beautiful women.

The Umbrella Man

E11The Umbrella Man

26m7.0

May 10, 1980

A con man arrives in town and starts his scam.

Genesis & Catastrophe

E12Genesis & Catastrophe

26m6.5

May 17, 1980

A pregnant lady is worried that she may miscarry for the fourth time. Can her doctor reassure her?

Mr Botibol's First Love

E13Mr Botibol's First Love

26m6.5

May 24, 1980

A jaded businessman sells his company and attempts to change his life for the better by buying a strange piano.

Back for Christmas

E14Back for Christmas

27m7.0

May 31, 1980

A philandering physician with an obsession for orchids cultivates a deadly plot to see off his wife.

The Orderly World of Mr Appleby

E15The Orderly World of Mr Appleby

27m6.5

Jun 7, 1980

A man married three times might be lucky for the fourth time when he meets a new interest.

The Man at the Top

E16The Man at the Top

6.0

Jun 14, 1980

A young, unemployed seaman kills someone in a botched robbery. Convinced the police will trace the knife used back to him, he turns to his friend, Diane, for help.

The Flypaper

E1The Flypaper

24m8.5

Aug 9, 1980

With a 12-year-old found dead and a killer perhaps on the loose, a young girl becomes paranoid.

A Picture of a Place

E2A Picture of a Place

26m6.0

Aug 16, 1980

Hazel is a gullible, old widow whose farmhouse is full of antiques, and Merv is a charming conman who buys a valuable picture from her for a knockdown price. But all is not quite as it seems.

Proof of Guilt

E3Proof of Guilt

26m7.0

Aug 23, 1980

Hard-bitten police inspector Walters has a murder on his hands that he can't crack. The prime suspect is George Stamford, who was alone in a locked room with the dead man when he was shot - but he is admitting nothing, and there is no evidence against him.

Vengeance is Mine Inc.

E4Vengeance is Mine Inc.

27m6.0

Aug 30, 1980

Mrs Wilbur gets more than she bargained for when she calls upon the unusual services of Tom and George, starving writers turned entrepreneurs.

A Girl Can't Always Have Everything

E5A Girl Can't Always Have Everything

26m7.5

Nov 9, 1980

Struggling actresses Suzy and Pat meet Herbert, a wealthy widower. Seductive Suzy enjoys his money, but things soon don't look so rosy.

Parson's Pleasure

E6Parson's Pleasure

28m7.0

Nov 30, 1980

Cyril makes a profitable living as a rogue antiques dealer, but when he buys a farmer’s valuable furniture item, his luck may be about to run out.

The Stinker

E7The Stinker

26m6.5

Dec 7, 1980

When millionaire Jack runs into Harold, a boy he bullied at school, he gives him a job. But Harold soon suspects his wife of having an affair with his new boss.

I'll Be Seeing You

E8I'll Be Seeing You

27m4.0

Dec 14, 1980

When Roland leaves his cruel, millionairess wife Vivien for a fresh start with his mistress Anna, the snubbed spouse plans to make his life a living hell.

The Party

E9The Party

25m6.5

Dec 19, 1980

When disgruntled factory manager Harry is left feeling undervalued by his colleagues, he decides to take revenge.

Would You Believe It?

E1Would You Believe It?

26m7.0

Apr 5, 1981

Two archaeologists working in Jordan get more than they bargained for when they decide to smuggle the statue of a mysterious woman over the border to Israel.

Vicious Circle

E2Vicious Circle

26m6.0

Apr 12, 1981

An old lady catches Rex Tobin, a young burglar who was planning to rob her, and makes friends with him. But what is she really up to?

The Boy Who Talked with Animals

E3The Boy Who Talked with Animals

27m5.5

Apr 19, 1981

When David rescues a giant turtle, it looks as though he's found a new friend, but there could be more to his pet than meets the eye.

The Best of Everything

E4The Best of Everything

26m6.5

Apr 26, 1981

Desperate to win the affections of his boss’s daughter, Arthur accepts the help of his friend Charlie. But is he ready to count the true cost of love?

A Woman's Help

E5A Woman's Help

26m6.0

May 3, 1981

Henpecked Arthur decides to get rid of his demanding wife once and for all, so long as he gets her money. Unfortunately, his wife has a few secrets of her own.

Shatterproof

E6Shatterproof

25m6.5

May 10, 1981

Property tycoon Gerry Williams is married to the beautiful but unhappy Ellen, and somewhere the marriage has gone terribly wrong. Then an assassin is hired to kill Gerry, and he makes the mistake of getting too friendly with his target.

The Sound Machine

E7The Sound Machine

25m5.5

May 17, 1981

A botanist has invented a machine that translates the sound of plants into speech. What he hears gives him a shock.

Never Speak Ill of the Dead

E8Never Speak Ill of the Dead

24m7.0

May 24, 1981

David is accused of murder when his wife Irene vanishes. Her promiscuous lifestyle made her the talk of the town, but the gossip has escalated.

The Best Policy

E9The Best Policy

26m5.0

May 31, 1981

Harry Flock has had a temporary promotion as acting manager of a branch bank. He is honest and meticulous to a fault, but in danger of losing his job when head office gets anonymous complaints about alleged embezzlements. His accounts are immaculate - in fact, they seem too good to be true.

The Last Bottle in the World

E10The Last Bottle in the World

26m6.5

Jun 7, 1981

Kyros plans on giving his wife a priceless bottle of wine for their anniversary, but he has no intention of drinking to her health.

Kindly Dig Your Grave

E11Kindly Dig Your Grave

26m7.5

Jun 14, 1981

Madame Lagrue runs a smart but commercial art gallery in Montmartre, Paris, getting rich at the expense of struggling artists. Then one of her victims falls in love with Fatima, an artist's model, and Lagrue is up against someone even more cunning than she is.

Completely Foolproof

E12Completely Foolproof

26m5.5

Jun 21, 1981

The very rich Joe Brisson is a self-made man with a number of enemies - including Lisa, his elegant but dangerously dissatisfied wife.

There's One Born Every Minute

E13There's One Born Every Minute

27m3.5

Jun 5, 1981

Arthur and Margaret are a quiet couple. When she inherits £50,000, he reluctantly agrees to gamble it all on a dubious property deal.

Bosom Friends

E14Bosom Friends

27m6.0

Jun 12, 1981

Nell and Emma are old school friends who are reunited after years apart. However, things quickly turn sour.

A Glowing Future

E15A Glowing Future

26m5.0

Jul 19, 1981

Jack and Betsy are lovers. That is until Jack decides to go halfway across the world to be with his new Australian girlfriend. But Betsy isn't going to make it easy.

The Way to Do it

E16The Way to Do it

26m5.5

Jul 26, 1981

The casino offers Roger an escape from his domineering aunt. He has a love for both gambling and a pretty hostess, but the casino boss has a score to settle.

Hijack

E17Hijack

27m6.5

Dec 26, 1981

A hijacker on an aeroplane takes a stewardess hostage before demanding a million dollars and a parachute. Will the captain give in to his demands?

Blue Marigold

E1Blue Marigold

25m6.0

Apr 25, 1982

Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold's mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback.

The Eavesdropper

E2The Eavesdropper

26m6.5

May 2, 1982

Moira hears a woman discussing a trip to Paris with her lover Donald. Is her husband, also called Donald, having an affair?

Operation Safecrack

E3Operation Safecrack

27m7.0

May 9, 1982

In an attempt to prove their safes are impregnable, a company challenges ex-safebreaker Sam to crack one for a cash prize. But are his skills sharp enough?

Run, Rabbit, Run

E4Run, Rabbit, Run

26m5.5

May 16, 1982

Robert visits a couple who housed him during the war. But in Paris, he discovers that the husband has died, and the hero’s wife has a big secret to tell.

Stranger in Town

E5Stranger in Town

24m

May 23, 1982

A stranger arrives in town and soon endears himself to the local community – although his motives prove sinister.

The Moles

E6The Moles

27m6.5

May 30, 1982

Two cash-strapped business owners tunnel their way into a bank – only to find they missed a crucial notice on the door.

Decoy

E7Decoy

27m5.5

Jun 6, 1982

When a woman is murdered in a park, Constable Mary Bryan is used as bait to catch the suspected killer. But what if she is tracking the wrong man?

Pattern of Guilt

E8Pattern of Guilt

26m6.5

Jun 13, 1982

Police doctor Keith Briscoe is desperate to leave his wife for an ex but loses hope when she refuses to divorce him.

A Harmless Vanity

E9A Harmless Vanity

26m4.0

Jun 20, 1982

When Mary learns her husband is having an affair, she invites her rival to a beach party.

Death Can Add

E10Death Can Add

26m6.5

Jun 27, 1982

An auditor finds out that Oliver is defrauding his firm. But when he demands some hush money, he discovers a nasty surprise.

Light Fingers

E11Light Fingers

27m6.0

Jul 4, 1982

Tired of gloves vanishing from his factory, Ralph hires a detective. Then, gloves begin appearing in unexpected places.

Death in the Morning

E12Death in the Morning

27m3.2

Jul 11, 1982

Karen marries a rich landowner with a huge house in the country. But after moving in, she senses an evil spirit.

What Have You Been Up to Lately?

E13What Have You Been Up to Lately?

26m6.0

Jul 18, 1982

As Richard and Fergus ponder a girl they both loved, they realise their failures in life.

The Absence of Emily

E14The Absence of Emily

27m5.5

Jul 25, 1982

Norma owns a big house and lets her sister Emily and her husband live there. But then Emily disappears.

In the Bag

E15In the Bag

26m6.0

Aug 1, 1982

Cara is determined to get back her family jewels, which have been hidden away in a safe. Hiring a safe cracker, she goes along with him, undercover.

A Man with a Fortune

E16A Man with a Fortune

26m6.5

Aug 8, 1982

A rich and lonely American ventures to England in search of his long-lost family.

Who's Got the Lady?

E17Who's Got the Lady?

27m6.0

Aug 15, 1982

When a piece of art is stolen, the gallery owner gets his girlfriend to make copies of it to sell.

The Skeleton Key

E18The Skeleton Key

27m6.0

Aug 22, 1982

A woman discovers a nasty side to her boyfriend's personality when he goes into hospital before a holiday.

A Passing Opportunity

E1A Passing Opportunity

25m6.0

Apr 9, 1983

Frank is struggling financially and will do anything for money. Even murder.

The Memory Man

E2The Memory Man

26m5.5

Apr 16, 1983

Down on his luck, 'Memory Man' Colin agrees to help a shady character remember the number of a station locker. But then he becomes too curious for his own good.

A Sad Loss

E3A Sad Loss

26m5.5

Apr 23, 1983

Claire and her boyfriend have always counted on inheriting her wealthy aunt's fortune - but they are forced to act fast.

Clerical Error

E4Clerical Error

27m7.5

Apr 30, 1983

While winding up his late father's affairs, Paul finds a bill demanding over £1,000 for pornography.

Heir Presumptuous

E5Heir Presumptuous

27m5.0

May 7, 1983

George Devon, a wealthy rancher, is found murdered. His identical twin nephews stand to inherit his fortune, but one of them was seen at the scene of the crime. Both have alibis and no one can tell them apart.

Where's Your Sense of Humour?

E6Where's Your Sense of Humour?

6.0

Apr 14, 1983

George Forester is a compulsive prankster. His wife and friends have been victims for many years until one day he goes too far.

Down Among the Sheltering Palms

E7Down Among the Sheltering Palms

27m6.5

May 21, 1983

An ex-soldier meets a beautiful woman on a nostalgic trip back to his old base. But she isn't all she seems.

The Vorpal Blade

E8The Vorpal Blade

26m6.5

May 28, 1983

Elderly Teuton Von Baden recalls two men's duel to the death during his student days in Germany.

The Wrong 'Un

E9The Wrong 'Un

26m5.5

Jun 11, 1983

After closing a deal, a German businessman meets an attractive but mysterious girl in a hotel bar.

The Luncheon

E10The Luncheon

27m5.0

Jun 19, 1983

Tony eats a pricey meal with Susan Mandeville, the extravagant wife of a filmmaker who wants the rights to his book.

The Tribute

E11The Tribute

27m5.0

Jun 25, 1983

Three aristocratic women hear of the death of a woman who once served them as a nanny. They agree to go for lunch in her memory.

Hit and Run

E12Hit and Run

27m6.0

May 10, 1983

Dr Roger Ashburn's beautiful wife tells him their marriage is over. Devastated, he begins a new life.

Youth from Vienna

E13Youth from Vienna

27m6.5

Jul 2, 1983

Being admired by the inventor of an anti-ageing formula is handy for Caroline, who is eager to keep her looks.

The Turn of the Tide

E14The Turn of the Tide

26m5.0

Sep 3, 1983

Criminal lawyer Slade has his reasons for wanting his colleague dead. He meticulously plans the perfect murder.

The Dirty Detail

E1The Dirty Detail

24m6.0

May 12, 1984

Fred Pearson, a Vietnam veteran, is a broken man after years of punishment from his sergeant. One day, he walks into a bar and sees the sergeant, still very much the arrogant bully he always was.

The Best Chess Player in the World

E2The Best Chess Player in the World

27m5.5

May 19, 1984

Shaw, the owner of a newspaper, is controlling and very rich. His wife is content with the money he provides, but is having an affair. When he finds out, he decides to act.

Proxy

E3Proxy

24m5.0

May 26, 1984

Three men are being blackmailed by a woman for money. One day she is found murdered and the three worry that they will be suspected.

Have a Nice Death

E4Have a Nice Death

26m3.5

Jun 2, 1984

A writer is being hounded by the feminist movement over his books. If only he was at home with his wife everything would be all right. Wouldn't it?

Number Eight

E5Number Eight

26m6.5

Jun 9, 1984

A driver picks up a hitchhiker. They hear on the radio that a serial killer is on the loose, nicknamed Willow the Wisp, and the description matches that of the passenger.

The Last of the Midnight Gardeners

E6The Last of the Midnight Gardeners

26m5.5

Jun 16, 1984

Walter is a vain writer and publisher with a wife and a mistress, based in London, and he likes to show off. He stages a story writing competition, with a £5,000 prize, to find the plot for a perfect murder.

The Gift of Beauty

E7The Gift of Beauty

25m5.5

Jun 30, 1984

After killing her husband to be with her young lover, an insecure woman is drawn in by a flyer for an anti-ageing process known as the Gift of Beauty.

Wet Saturday

E8Wet Saturday

24m4.5

Jul 7, 1984

George Princey has a high standing in the community, and when his daughter kills a man, he endeavours to cover it up to prevent a scandal.

Sauce for the Goose

E9Sauce for the Goose

24m5.0

Jul 21, 1984

Olivia starts a relationship with a younger man on the basis that she has killed her husband and gained his fortune. Her lover, however, still sees himself as a free agent and has an affair with another woman.

Bird of Prey

E10Bird of Prey

26m6.0

Aug 4, 1984

Jack and Edna's pet parrot dies after laying an unusually large egg. On hatching, it reveals an aggressive black-feathered bird.

I Like it Here in Wilmington

E11I Like it Here in Wilmington

26m5.0

Nov 8, 1984

When a clothing manufacturer finds himself on the verge of bankruptcy, he ponders the idea of murdering his wife for the insurance money.

Accidental Death

E12Accidental Death

26m6.5

Aug 19, 1984

Steve and Jane are con artists who gain access to people's homes claiming to be doing research into polish. But eventually, they meet their match.

The Reconciliation

E13The Reconciliation

27m5.5

Sep 16, 1984

James has walked out on his wife, who still loves him. His lawyer advises him that getting a divorce may be difficult unless he can catch her being unfaithful. With not much hope, he hires a private detective.

The Mugger

E14The Mugger

26m6.5

Oct 14, 1984

When a married politician falls in love with a woman at a party, things soon go wrong and his entire career and reputation are put in jeopardy.

The Open Window

E15The Open Window

26m5.0

Oct 21, 1984

When a young man climbs through the window of a Connecticut hunting lodge, he emerges on the other side in a strange new world.

People Don't Do Such Things

E1People Don't Do Such Things

24m6.0

Mar 30, 1985

Trouble looms when married woman Gwen falls for a successful romantic novelist.

In the Cards

E2In the Cards

24m6.5

Jul 14, 1985

Madame Myra is a third-rate fortune teller who foresees a dim future for herself. And then she meets a stranger in town who shows her a way to do a whole lot better. What, though, is in it for him?

Nothin' Short of Highway Robbery

E3Nothin' Short of Highway Robbery

24m7.0

Jul 21, 1985

On a long drive through the desert, a couple get their car serviced and are handed an extortionate bill. But they plan on turning the tables.

Scrimshaw

E4Scrimshaw

24m6.5

Jul 28, 1985

Brenda is a lonely drifter living in the island paradise of Key West. She has no friends and drinks a lot to forget her tragic past. Then she runs into Eric, a man she knew long ago in her college days, and suddenly life takes on new meaning.

Skeleton in the Cupboard

E1Skeleton in the Cupboard

27m7.0

Dec 18, 1987

Robert Smythe is a ruthless executive with a dangerous twenty year old secret. An echo from the past prompts him into a new cover up of the truth, but his wife becomes suspicious.

The Colonel's Lady

E2The Colonel's Lady

27m6.5

Jan 8, 1988

A colonel's comfortable life is disturbed when his wife writes a bestselling book of poetry. Is this evidence that she's having an affair?

The Surgeon

E3The Surgeon

24m5.5

Jan 15, 1988

When wealthy Prince Zawi gives surgeon Robert Sandy a diamond for saving his life, the doctor finds that his new jewel is really more of a liability than an asset.

The Verger

E4The Verger

27m6.5

Jan 22, 1988

When devoted verger Albert is forced to resign, he sets out to build a new life. But can he succeed in a modern world that has little time for his old-fashioned ways?

The Facts of Life

E5The Facts of Life

24m5.5

Jan 29, 1988

When sheltered young son Nicholas travels to London to complete in a fencing competition, he gets caught up in a very strange adventure.

Wink Three Times

E6Wink Three Times

27m6.0

Apr 15, 1988

A timid provincial solicitor visits a smart London hotel on a business trip, and becomes embroiled in a curious case of mistaken identity.

The Dead Don't Steal

E7The Dead Don't Steal

26m7.3

Apr 22, 1988

Ken Johnson runs a charter plane service with his lover and air stewardess Lilian, who indulges in a little smuggling on his behalf. Then disaster strikes for him when his wife discovers his affair.

The Finger of Suspicion

E8The Finger of Suspicion

24m5.7

Apr 29, 1988

Happily married and living in the Middle East, American safe-cracker Steve is suddenly threatened with extradition for a crime he says he didn't commit.

A Time to Die

E9A Time to Die

27m5.5

May 6, 1988

Yves's marriage has gone stale and his young mistress has announced that she is pregnant. But he then makes a decision which changes everyone's lives.

Mr Know-All

E10Mr Know-All

27m7.0

May 13, 1988

When pretty hotel worker Elly is charmed by a guest, archaeologist Max Kelada, it seems that he might not be the man he claims to be.

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Storyline

A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.

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