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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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Cast & crew
Episodes
9 seasons · 112 episodesSeries 19 ep. · 1979
Episode 1: The Man From the South
Mar 24, 1979 · 24 min
A young American couple on holiday meet a mysterious old gentleman who makes them a macabre wager.
Episode 2: Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
Mar 31, 1979 · 25 min
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.
Episode 3: William and Mary
Apr 7, 1979 · 25 min
When her husband William dies, Mary Pearl is shocked that his will stipulates that his brain should be kept alive.
Episode 4: Lamb to the Slaughter
Apr 14, 1979 · 25 min
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.
Episode 5: The Landlady
Apr 21, 1979 · 25 min
When a young man arrives in Bath, he is shocked to find his seemingly charming landlady has a dark side.
Episode 6: Neck
Apr 28, 1979 · 24 min
A lady is cut down to size by her husband’s loyal butler when it is discovered she is having an affair.
Episode 7: Edward the Conqueror
May 5, 1979 · 25 min
When Edward grows tired of Louisa’s obsession with a stray cat and decides to get rid of it, she exacts her revenge.
Episode 8: A Dip in the Pool
May 12, 1979 · 25 min
An American gambler must come up with a cunning plan to slow down a ship at sea in order to win a bet.
Episode 9: The Way Up to Heaven
May 19, 1979 · 25 min
Mrs Foster exacts an intriguing revenge on her husband after his dawdling causes her to miss a flight.
Series 216 ep. · 1980
Episode 1: Royal Jelly
Mar 1, 1980 · 27 min
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?
Episode 2: Skin
Mar 8, 1980 · 25 min
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.
Episode 3: Galloping Foxley
Mar 15, 1980 · 26 min
A man starts to suffer when he becomes haunted by the memory of the brutal treatment he received in his childhood.
Episode 4: The Hitch-Hiker
Mar 22, 1980 · 26 min
When a driver picks up a hitch-hiker in his car, his journey turns into a thrilling ride.
Episode 5: Poison
Mar 29, 1980 · 25 min
A poisonous snake keeps a teacher prisoner in India. How can he escape from its evil glare?
Episode 6: Fat Chance
Apr 5, 1980 · 26 min
The husband of a fat, greedy woman has a clever plan to get rid of her - but the plan is flawed.
Episode 7: Taste
Apr 12, 1980 · 27 min
A dinner party takes a surprising turn when one pretentious guest is challenged to a wine tasting contest.
Episode 8: My Lady Love, My Dove
Apr 19, 1980 · 25 min
When Pamela and Arthur invite a young couple over for the weekend, things take a surprising turn.
Episode 9: Georgy Porgy
Apr 26, 1980 · 26 min
George has problems with female attention, but when a beautiful woman joins his congregation things are set to change.
Episode 10: Depart in Peace
May 3, 1980 · 26 min
An art collector finds himself drawn into an unusual struggle with two beautiful women.
Episode 11: The Umbrella Man
May 10, 1980 · 26 min
A con man arrives in town and starts his scam.
Episode 12: Genesis & Catastrophe
May 17, 1980 · 26 min
A pregnant lady is worried that she may miscarry for the fourth time. Can her doctor reassure her?
Episode 13: Mr Botibol's First Love
May 24, 1980 · 26 min
A jaded businessman sells his company and attempts to change his life for the better by buying a strange piano.
Episode 14: Back for Christmas
May 31, 1980 · 27 min
A philandering physician with an obsession for orchids cultivates a deadly plot to see off his wife.
Episode 15: The Orderly World of Mr Appleby
Jun 7, 1980 · 27 min
A man married three times might be lucky for the fourth time when he meets a new interest.
Episode 16: The Man at the Top
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.
Series 39 ep. · 1980
Episode 1: The Flypaper
Aug 9, 1980 · 24 min
With a 12-year-old found dead and a killer perhaps on the loose, a young girl becomes paranoid.
Episode 2: A Picture of a Place
Aug 16, 1980 · 26 min
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.
Episode 3: Proof of Guilt
Aug 23, 1980 · 26 min
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.
Episode 4: Vengeance is Mine Inc.
Aug 30, 1980 · 27 min
Mrs Wilbur gets more than she bargained for when she calls upon the unusual services of Tom and George, starving writers turned entrepreneurs.
Episode 5: A Girl Can't Always Have Everything
Nov 9, 1980 · 26 min
Struggling actresses Suzy and Pat meet Herbert, a wealthy widower. Seductive Suzy enjoys his money, but things soon don't look so rosy.
Episode 6: Parson's Pleasure
Nov 30, 1980 · 28 min
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.
Episode 7: The Stinker
Dec 7, 1980 · 26 min
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.
Episode 8: I'll Be Seeing You
Dec 14, 1980 · 27 min
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.
Episode 9: The Party
Dec 19, 1980 · 25 min
When disgruntled factory manager Harry is left feeling undervalued by his colleagues, he decides to take revenge.
Series 417 ep. · 1981
Episode 1: Would You Believe It?
Apr 5, 1981 · 26 min
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.
Episode 2: Vicious Circle
Apr 12, 1981 · 26 min
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?
Episode 3: The Boy Who Talked with Animals
Apr 19, 1981 · 27 min
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.
Episode 4: The Best of Everything
Apr 26, 1981 · 26 min
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?
Episode 5: A Woman's Help
May 3, 1981 · 26 min
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.
Episode 6: Shatterproof
May 10, 1981 · 25 min
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.
Episode 7: The Sound Machine
May 17, 1981 · 25 min
A botanist has invented a machine that translates the sound of plants into speech. What he hears gives him a shock.
Episode 8: Never Speak Ill of the Dead
May 24, 1981 · 24 min
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.
Episode 9: The Best Policy
May 31, 1981 · 26 min
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.
Episode 10: The Last Bottle in the World
Jun 7, 1981 · 26 min
Kyros plans on giving his wife a priceless bottle of wine for their anniversary, but he has no intention of drinking to her health.
Episode 11: Kindly Dig Your Grave
Jun 14, 1981 · 26 min
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.
Episode 12: Completely Foolproof
Jun 21, 1981 · 26 min
The very rich Joe Brisson is a self-made man with a number of enemies - including Lisa, his elegant but dangerously dissatisfied wife.
Episode 13: There's One Born Every Minute
Jun 5, 1981 · 27 min
Arthur and Margaret are a quiet couple. When she inherits £50,000, he reluctantly agrees to gamble it all on a dubious property deal.
Episode 14: Bosom Friends
Jun 12, 1981 · 27 min
Nell and Emma are old school friends who are reunited after years apart. However, things quickly turn sour.
Episode 15: A Glowing Future
Jul 19, 1981 · 26 min
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.
Episode 16: The Way to Do it
Jul 26, 1981 · 26 min
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.
Episode 17: Hijack
Dec 26, 1981 · 27 min
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?
Series 518 ep. · 1982
Episode 1: Blue Marigold
Apr 25, 1982 · 25 min
Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold's mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback.
Episode 2: The Eavesdropper
May 2, 1982 · 26 min
Moira hears a woman discussing a trip to Paris with her lover Donald. Is her husband, also called Donald, having an affair?
Episode 3: Operation Safecrack
May 9, 1982 · 27 min
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?
Episode 4: Run, Rabbit, Run
May 16, 1982 · 26 min
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.
Episode 5: Stranger in Town
May 23, 1982 · 24 min
A stranger arrives in town and soon endears himself to the local community – although his motives prove sinister.
Episode 6: The Moles
May 30, 1982 · 27 min
Two cash-strapped business owners tunnel their way into a bank – only to find they missed a crucial notice on the door.
Episode 7: Decoy
Jun 6, 1982 · 27 min
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?
Episode 8: Pattern of Guilt
Jun 13, 1982 · 26 min
Police doctor Keith Briscoe is desperate to leave his wife for an ex but loses hope when she refuses to divorce him.
Episode 9: A Harmless Vanity
Jun 20, 1982 · 26 min
When Mary learns her husband is having an affair, she invites her rival to a beach party.
Episode 10: Death Can Add
Jun 27, 1982 · 26 min
An auditor finds out that Oliver is defrauding his firm. But when he demands some hush money, he discovers a nasty surprise.
Episode 11: Light Fingers
Jul 4, 1982 · 27 min
Tired of gloves vanishing from his factory, Ralph hires a detective. Then, gloves begin appearing in unexpected places.
Episode 12: Death in the Morning
Jul 11, 1982 · 27 min
Karen marries a rich landowner with a huge house in the country. But after moving in, she senses an evil spirit.
Episode 13: What Have You Been Up to Lately?
Jul 18, 1982 · 26 min
As Richard and Fergus ponder a girl they both loved, they realise their failures in life.
Episode 14: The Absence of Emily
Jul 25, 1982 · 27 min
Norma owns a big house and lets her sister Emily and her husband live there. But then Emily disappears.
Episode 15: In the Bag
Aug 1, 1982 · 26 min
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.
Episode 16: A Man with a Fortune
Aug 8, 1982 · 26 min
A rich and lonely American ventures to England in search of his long-lost family.
Episode 17: Who's Got the Lady?
Aug 15, 1982 · 27 min
When a piece of art is stolen, the gallery owner gets his girlfriend to make copies of it to sell.
Episode 18: The Skeleton Key
Aug 22, 1982 · 27 min
A woman discovers a nasty side to her boyfriend's personality when he goes into hospital before a holiday.
Series 614 ep. · 1983
Episode 1: A Passing Opportunity
Apr 9, 1983 · 25 min
Frank is struggling financially and will do anything for money. Even murder.
Episode 2: The Memory Man
Apr 16, 1983 · 26 min
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.
Episode 3: A Sad Loss
Apr 23, 1983 · 26 min
Claire and her boyfriend have always counted on inheriting her wealthy aunt's fortune - but they are forced to act fast.
Episode 4: Clerical Error
Apr 30, 1983 · 27 min
While winding up his late father's affairs, Paul finds a bill demanding over £1,000 for pornography.
Episode 5: Heir Presumptuous
May 7, 1983 · 27 min
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.
Episode 6: Where's Your Sense of Humour?
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.
Episode 7: Down Among the Sheltering Palms
May 21, 1983 · 27 min
An ex-soldier meets a beautiful woman on a nostalgic trip back to his old base. But she isn't all she seems.
Episode 8: The Vorpal Blade
May 28, 1983 · 26 min
Elderly Teuton Von Baden recalls two men's duel to the death during his student days in Germany.
Episode 9: The Wrong 'Un
Jun 11, 1983 · 26 min
After closing a deal, a German businessman meets an attractive but mysterious girl in a hotel bar.
Episode 10: The Luncheon
Jun 19, 1983 · 27 min
Tony eats a pricey meal with Susan Mandeville, the extravagant wife of a filmmaker who wants the rights to his book.
Episode 11: The Tribute
Jun 25, 1983 · 27 min
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.
Episode 12: Hit and Run
May 10, 1983 · 27 min
Dr Roger Ashburn's beautiful wife tells him their marriage is over. Devastated, he begins a new life.
Episode 13: Youth from Vienna
Jul 2, 1983 · 27 min
Being admired by the inventor of an anti-ageing formula is handy for Caroline, who is eager to keep her looks.
Episode 14: The Turn of the Tide
Sep 3, 1983 · 26 min
Criminal lawyer Slade has his reasons for wanting his colleague dead. He meticulously plans the perfect murder.
Series 715 ep. · 1984
Episode 1: The Dirty Detail
May 12, 1984 · 24 min
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.
Episode 2: The Best Chess Player in the World
May 19, 1984 · 27 min
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.
Episode 3: Proxy
May 26, 1984 · 24 min
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.
Episode 4: Have a Nice Death
Jun 2, 1984 · 26 min
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?
Episode 5: Number Eight
Jun 9, 1984 · 26 min
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.
Episode 6: The Last of the Midnight Gardeners
Jun 16, 1984 · 26 min
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.
Episode 7: The Gift of Beauty
Jun 30, 1984 · 25 min
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.
Episode 8: Wet Saturday
Jul 7, 1984 · 24 min
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.
Episode 9: Sauce for the Goose
Jul 21, 1984 · 24 min
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.
Episode 10: Bird of Prey
Aug 4, 1984 · 26 min
Jack and Edna's pet parrot dies after laying an unusually large egg. On hatching, it reveals an aggressive black-feathered bird.
Episode 11: I Like it Here in Wilmington
Nov 8, 1984 · 26 min
When a clothing manufacturer finds himself on the verge of bankruptcy, he ponders the idea of murdering his wife for the insurance money.
Episode 12: Accidental Death
Aug 19, 1984 · 26 min
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.
Episode 13: The Reconciliation
Sep 16, 1984 · 27 min
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.
Episode 14: The Mugger
Oct 14, 1984 · 26 min
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.
Episode 15: The Open Window
Oct 21, 1984 · 26 min
When a young man climbs through the window of a Connecticut hunting lodge, he emerges on the other side in a strange new world.
Series 84 ep. · 1985
Episode 1: People Don't Do Such Things
Mar 30, 1985 · 24 min
Trouble looms when married woman Gwen falls for a successful romantic novelist.
Episode 2: In the Cards
Jul 14, 1985 · 24 min
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?
Episode 3: Nothin' Short of Highway Robbery
Jul 21, 1985 · 24 min
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.
Episode 4: Scrimshaw
Jul 28, 1985 · 24 min
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.
Series 910 ep. · 1987–1988
Episode 1: Skeleton in the Cupboard
Dec 18, 1987 · 27 min
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.
Episode 2: The Colonel's Lady
Jan 8, 1988 · 27 min
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?
Episode 3: The Surgeon
Jan 15, 1988 · 24 min
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.
Episode 4: The Verger
Jan 22, 1988 · 27 min
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?
Episode 5: The Facts of Life
Jan 29, 1988 · 24 min
When sheltered young son Nicholas travels to London to complete in a fencing competition, he gets caught up in a very strange adventure.
Episode 6: Wink Three Times
Apr 15, 1988 · 27 min
A timid provincial solicitor visits a smart London hotel on a business trip, and becomes embroiled in a curious case of mistaken identity.
Episode 7: The Dead Don't Steal
Apr 22, 1988 · 26 min
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.
Episode 8: The Finger of Suspicion
Apr 29, 1988 · 24 min
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.
Episode 9: A Time to Die
May 6, 1988 · 27 min
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.
Episode 10: Mr Know-All
May 13, 1988 · 27 min
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.

















