‘Tales of the Unexpected’ – 10 Twisted Episodes to Watch from the Classic Anthology Series

When it comes to TV anthologies, one of the longer show runs belongs to none other than Tales of the Unexpected, a British series that lasted from 1979 to 1988, and amassed over 100 episodes. And while first conceived as a vehicle for author Roald Dahl’s body of work, eventually other writers and original stories entered the picture. No matter who was behind the wheel, though, this anthology always provided a twist in the tail.

As the title implies, Tales of the Unexpected aspired to surprise its audience. Each episode ended with a glaring turn of events, but not every one of them was shocking. These ten episodes, on the other hand, are a cut above the rest in how twisted they turned out.

The Man from the South (1979)

Image: Michael Ontkean and Jose Ferrer in The Man from the South.

The series started off with a bang. After first being adapted in Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960), this popular Dahl story was revisited again; however, the Tales of the Unexpected version is a tad truer to the source material. This take was set in Jamaica, rather than in Las Vegas like the Hitchcock adaptation. Nevertheless, this episode hits all the same beats; a vacationer — here played by future Twin Peaks star Michael Ontkean — is challenged by an eccentric man (José Ferrer) to light his pocket lighter several times in a row, all in exchange for the darer’s luxury car. If Ontkean’s character failed, though, he would lose a finger. Michael Tuchner directed a suspenseful story that stops the potentially gruesome game before any actual amputation can occur, yet in true Unexpected fashion, you’re left with a startling revelation. “The Man from the South” would also later be repeated in the ‘80s revival of Alfred Hitchcock Presents as well as become the basis for Quentin Tarantino’s segment from the 1995 anthology film Four Rooms.

Skeleton in the Cupboard (1987)

Image: Zoë Wanamaker in Skeleton in the Cupboard.

Even when Unexpected was getting a bit long in the tooth, and it wasn’t wielding as many big surprises as before, Season 7 showed promise with “Skeleton in the Cupboard”, an original episode directed by Paul Annett. The prolific Charles Dance played a man with a dark secret, one he had kept concealed from both his wife (Zoë Wanamaker) and the police. And unless he now puts an end to a visiting young woman’s (Jane Fisher) inquiry, that haunted past will be revealed. Of course, nothing is as it seems as Dance’s character makes another devastating error in judgment and risks more than just his freedom.

Never Speak Ill of the Dead (1981)

Image: Colin Blakely in Never Speak Ill of the Dead.

What should have been a day of fishing among three friends leads to an accusation of murder, then embarrassment over said act. In John Gorrie’s “Never Speak Ill of the Dead,” a doctor (Colin Blakely) is found covering up a hole in his cellar, and his two pals (Warren Clarke, Keith Drinkel) wonder if the doc actually killed his wife (Cheryl Hall) and is now hiding the evidence. Just as the story calms down, it presses one last shock button on the way out.

The Landlady (1979)

Image: Siobhán McKenna in The Landlady.

Not every Unexpected episode offers an unforeseeable development. Case in point is Herbert Wise’s adaptation of Dahl’s “The Landlady,” a story that stuns not because of a dramatic twist, but because of how ghastly it ends. The young man (Leonard Preston) here, who is staying at a B&B run by the undeniably odd and suspicious owner (Siobhán McKenna), puts himself in peril with his prying questions. That said, his obliviousness doesn’t make the conclusion any less upsetting.

Death in the Morning (1982)

Image: Cherie Lunghi and Carol Drinkwater in Death in the Morning.

Tales of the Unexpected regularly dealt in the screen equivalent of the literary genre conte cruel. By and large, the show steered away from the uncanny, and episodes ended with deeply awful twists. John Gorrie’s Halloween-aired and Rebecca-esque episode “Death in the Morning,” however, was less grounded than usual, seeing as how the newly married protagonist (Cherie Lunghi) stumbles upon evidence of the supernatural in her new home. While the main characters tended to feel the sting of karmic retribution, or simply the malicious actions of someone else in this series, this slow-burner had a subtle yet delicious reversal of tragedy.

The Gift of Beauty (1984)

Image: Carol Lynley and MacKenzie Allen in The Gift of Beauty.

Due to the fact that the series was no longer dependent on his works, and save for a one-off return in Season 8, Dahl parted ways with Unexpected. And after that, the show eventually began to produce more and more episodes in the United States, using American actors and staff. These American entries are often disparaged — fans have dubbed them the “Tales of the Bleeding Obvious” — but Bert Salzman’s “The Gift of Beauty” should be spared. This very sinister story found Carol Lynley’s character reaping what she sowed after killing her husband with her younger lover’s (MacKenzie Allen) help and then giving in to her insecurities.

Royal Jelly (1980)

Image: Timothy West and Susan George in Royal Jelly.

It only made sense to bring back Herbert Wise to direct another horrific episode based on a Dahl short. Susan George also returned after leading this show’s version of Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter.” “Royal Jelly” is the more emotionally straining role for George, thanks to her character’s desperation to nurse her newborn. As the baby loses weight, the father (Timothy West), a beekeeper, gets an idea; he feeds his child royal jelly upon hearing the wonders it does. Sadly, those effects aren’t all positive.

A Harmless Vanity (1982)

Image: Sheila Gish and Phoebe Nicholls in A Harmless Vanity.

Jealousy coursed through enough episodes, but the feeling wasn’t consistently validated. As for Giles Foster’s final directed episode, Sheila Gish’s character’s suspicions proved right, yet the outcome wasn’t remotely what she was anticipating. After inviting her husband’s unwary mistress (Phoebe Nicholls) out to the beach, the protagonist gets the rudest surprise. What had seemed like fate intervening and taking out the trash, so to speak, winds up being something else entirely.

Bird of Prey (1984)

Image: The mysterious bird in Bird of Prey.

Ray Danton turned in one of the more underrated American episodes. The Southern setting gives “Bird of Prey” a considerable amount of atmosphere to go with its unsubtle but eerie story. Frank Converse’s tortured character has begun to think his wife (Sondra Locke) is cheating on him with his best friend (Charles Hallahan), however, rather than be direct in his accusation, he gets drunk and broods. He trusts only his pet bird, who’s soon impregnated by a mysterious other bird that broke in one late night and disappeared without proper identification. From the egg then hatches a bizarre offspring whose arrival signals the brutal ending in store.

The Flypaper (1980)

Image: Lorna Yabsley and Alfred Burke in The Flypaper.

Fans agree on Graham Evans’ “The Flypaper” being the most unsettling episode of the whole show. This all-time entry fills you with dismay in the moment, then stays with you long after. It’s so good that Dahl wished he had written it; that honor belongs to fellow novelist Elizabeth Taylor. In this dreadful tale, a schoolgirl (Lorna Yabsley) does everything right when trying to lose an obvious pervert (Alfred Burke) on her way home from school. She limits talking to the stranger, attempts to hide her real name, and even seeks help from another adult. What ultimately comes to pass, though, is TV trauma at its finest. Hardly a soul who’s seen this episode, either as a kid or as an adult, can walk away feeling fine after seeing how it all ends.

These episodes, along with the entirety of Tales of the Unexpected, are now streaming on Shout! TV.

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