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Tales of the Unexpected
1979 - 1988 6.7 (45 votes) 9 Seasons
Genres
Drama
Networks
ITV1
Created By
Roald Dahl

Tales of the Unexpected

Overview

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

Season 1 poster
Season 1 (1979)

No overview available.

9 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: The Man From the South
1979-03-24

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

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 2: Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
1979-03-31

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.

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 3: William and Mary
1979-04-07

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 4: Lamb to the Slaughter
1979-04-14

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.

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 5: The Landlady
1979-04-21

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 6: Neck
1979-04-28

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

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 7: Edward the Conqueror
1979-05-05

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 8: A Dip in the Pool
1979-05-12

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 9: The Way Up to Heaven
1979-05-19

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

Runtime: 25 min
Season 2 poster
Season 2 (1980)

No overview available.

16 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Royal Jelly
1980-03-01

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?

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 2: Skin
1980-03-08

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.

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 3: Galloping Foxley
1980-03-15

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 4: The Hitch-Hiker
1980-03-22

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 5: Poison
1980-03-29

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 6: Fat Chance
1980-04-05

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 7: Taste
1980-04-12

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 8: My Lady Love, My Dove
1980-04-19

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 9: Georgy Porgy
1980-04-26

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 10: Depart in Peace
1980-05-03

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 11: The Umbrella Man
1980-05-10

A con man arrives in town and starts his scam.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 12: Genesis & Catastrophe
1980-05-17

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 13: Mr Botibol's First Love
1980-05-24

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 14: Back for Christmas
1980-05-31

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 15: The Orderly World of Mr Appleby
1980-06-07

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 16: The Man at the Top
1980-06-14

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.

Runtime: N/A min
Season 3 poster
Season 3 (1980)

No overview available.

9 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: The Flypaper
1980-08-09

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

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 2: A Picture of a Place
1980-08-16

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 3: Proof of Guilt
1980-08-23

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 4: Vengeance is Mine Inc.
1980-08-30

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 5: A Girl Can't Always Have Everything
1980-11-09

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 6: Parson's Pleasure
1980-11-30

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.

Runtime: 28 min
Episode 7: The Stinker
1980-12-07

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 8: I'll Be Seeing You
1980-12-14

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 9: The Party
1980-12-19

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

Runtime: 25 min
Season 4 poster
Season 4 (1981)

No overview available.

17 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Would You Believe It?
1981-04-05

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 2: Vicious Circle
1981-04-12

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?

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 3: The Boy Who Talked with Animals
1981-04-19

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 4: The Best of Everything
1981-04-26

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?

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 5: A Woman's Help
1981-05-03

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 6: Shatterproof
1981-05-10

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.

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 7: The Sound Machine
1981-05-17

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 8: Never Speak Ill of the Dead
1981-05-24

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 9: The Best Policy
1981-05-31

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 10: The Last Bottle in the World
1981-06-07

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 11: Kindly Dig Your Grave
1981-06-14

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 12: Completely Foolproof
1981-06-21

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 13: There's One Born Every Minute
1981-06-05

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 14: Bosom Friends
1981-06-12

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 15: A Glowing Future
1981-07-19

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 16: The Way to Do it
1981-07-26

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 17: Hijack
1981-12-26

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?

Runtime: 27 min
Season 5 poster
Season 5 (1982)

No overview available.

18 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Blue Marigold
1982-04-25

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 2: The Eavesdropper
1982-05-02

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 3: Operation Safecrack
1982-05-09

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?

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 4: Run, Rabbit, Run
1982-05-16

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 5: Stranger in Town
1982-05-23

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

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 6: The Moles
1982-05-30

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 7: Decoy
1982-06-06

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?

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 8: Pattern of Guilt
1982-06-13

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 9: A Harmless Vanity
1982-06-20

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 10: Death Can Add
1982-06-27

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 11: Light Fingers
1982-07-04

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 12: Death in the Morning
1982-07-11

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 13: What Have You Been Up to Lately?
1982-07-18

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 14: The Absence of Emily
1982-07-25

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 15: In the Bag
1982-08-01

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 16: A Man with a Fortune
1982-08-08

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 17: Who's Got the Lady?
1982-08-15

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 18: The Skeleton Key
1982-08-22

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

Runtime: 27 min
Season 6 poster
Season 6 (1983)

No overview available.

14 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: A Passing Opportunity
1983-04-09

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

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 2: The Memory Man
1983-04-16

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 3: A Sad Loss
1983-04-23

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 4: Clerical Error
1983-04-30

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 5: Heir Presumptuous
1983-05-07

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 6: Where's Your Sense of Humour?
1983-04-14

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

Runtime: N/A min
Episode 7: Down Among the Sheltering Palms
1983-05-21

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 8: The Vorpal Blade
1983-05-28

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 9: The Wrong 'Un
1983-06-11

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 10: The Luncheon
1983-06-19

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 11: The Tribute
1983-06-25

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 12: Hit and Run
1983-05-10

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 13: Youth from Vienna
1983-07-02

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 14: The Turn of the Tide
1983-09-03

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

Runtime: 26 min
Season 7 poster
Season 7 (1984)

No overview available.

15 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: The Dirty Detail
1984-05-12

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 2: The Best Chess Player in the World
1984-05-19

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 3: Proxy
1984-05-26

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 4: Have a Nice Death
1984-06-02

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?

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 5: Number Eight
1984-06-09

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 6: The Last of the Midnight Gardeners
1984-06-16

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 7: The Gift of Beauty
1984-06-30

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.

Runtime: 25 min
Episode 8: Wet Saturday
1984-07-07

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 9: Sauce for the Goose
1984-07-21

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 10: Bird of Prey
1984-08-04

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 11: I Like it Here in Wilmington
1984-11-08

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

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 12: Accidental Death
1984-08-19

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 13: The Reconciliation
1984-09-16

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 14: The Mugger
1984-10-14

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 15: The Open Window
1984-10-21

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

Runtime: 26 min
Season 9 poster
Season 9 (1987)

No overview available.

10 episodes

Episodes
Episode 1: Skeleton in the Cupboard
1987-12-18

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 2: The Colonel's Lady
1988-01-08

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?

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 3: The Surgeon
1988-01-15

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 4: The Verger
1988-01-22

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?

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 5: The Facts of Life
1988-01-29

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

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 6: Wink Three Times
1988-04-15

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

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 7: The Dead Don't Steal
1988-04-22

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.

Runtime: 26 min
Episode 8: The Finger of Suspicion
1988-04-29

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.

Runtime: 24 min
Episode 9: A Time to Die
1988-05-06

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.

Runtime: 27 min
Episode 10: Mr Know-All
1988-05-13

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.

Runtime: 27 min

Videos

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