Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)

infobox television
show_name = Tales of the Unexpected


caption =First series DVD cover
format = Anthology
runtime = 25 minutes
creator = Roald Dahl
starring = Various
country = UK
network = ITV
first_aired = 24 March 1979
last_aired = 13 May 1988
num_episodes = 112
_imdb_id = 0075592

"Tales Of The Unexpected" is a British television series that originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television for ITV.

The series was an anthology of different tales, initially based on short stories by author Roald Dahl, that were sometimes sinister, sometimes wryly comedic and usually had a twist ending. The light, slightly mocking theme tune to the series which became a hallmark of the show was written by the prolific film and television composer Ron Grainer.

Format

The series originally adapted various stories from Dahl's anthologies such as "Kiss Kiss" and "Someone Like You". Despite the low budget the series attracted guest stars of the highest calibre, such as Anna Neagle, Timothy West, John Gielgud, Elaine Stritch, John Mills, Julie Harris, Wendy Hiller, Joseph Cotten, Derek Jacobi, Janet Leigh and Siobhán McKenna.

Episodes include William and Mary in which Elaine Stritch learns that her husband has cheated death via a brain transplant, The Landlady in which a seemingly charming old lady is really murdering and stuffing her tenants, and The Way Up to Heaven, in which an abusive husband is trapped in a lift, and his long suffering wife deliberately leaves him there to die.

Dahl introduced all of his own stories himself, giving short monologues in he explained what inspired him to write the story; when he introduced the story Lamb To The Slaughter, in which a wronged wife batters her husband to death with a leg of lamb, Dahl explained how the idea came from Ian Fleming (whom he refers to in the introduction as "the James Bond Man"). Having been served a tough and under cooked leg of lamb, Fleming said the cook should be shot - Dahl replied that he had a better idea.

Later series

Midway through the second series, episodes ceased to be written by Dahl and other authors' stories were adapted for all episodes following. The title reflected this when it became "Tales of the Unexpected - Introduced by Roald Dahl". From series three, Dahl no longer introduced the stories and the series continued this way until the end. By 1988, critics felt that the quality of the series was starting to dip, and after the ninth series in 1988, the series was axed.

In the US, John Houseman succeeded Dahl as the opening narrator.

In 2006, ITV3 began repeating the series. Series 1 to 8 have been released on DVD.

In 1980, Peter Cook starred alongside a host of celebrities in the LWT special "Peter Cook & Co.". The show included many sketches including a Tales of the Unexpected spoof titled "Tales Of The Much As We Expected", which involved Cook as Roald Dahl explaining why he dropped the "n" in Ronald, the sketch ends with the fireplace spreading over the room.

Way Out

Dahl had hosted a practically identical series for the American CBS network called "Way Out" in 1961, which preceded the similar "Twilight Zone" for [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054574/ 14 episodes] on Saturday nights and actually used some stories which would later be adapted for "Tales of the Unexpected".

Episodes

For a list of episodes and further details see "List of Tales of the Unexpected episodes"

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0075592|title=Tales of the Unexpected
* [http://www.tv.com/tales-of-the-unexpected/show/978/summary.html Episode guide at TV.com]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054574/ "Way Out"] in the Internet Movie Database [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/talesoftheunexpectedgroup] Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected" Yahoo! Group