TV series

Tales of the Unexpected

1979–1988 · 9 seasons

Wry, sinister little fables that build quiet dread before landing a sly, satisfying sting in the tail.

Created by: Roald Dahl
Genres: Drama
Starring: Roald Dahl, Christopher Blake, Micheline Presle

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.

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Created by: Roald Dahl
Genres: Drama
Starring: Roald Dahl, Christopher Blake, Micheline Presle

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: darkstrength 2 of 3
eeriestrength 2 of 3
cynicalstrength 2 of 3
satiricalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: deception
revenge
greed
betrayal
morality
Places: countryside
suburbs
single country house
Era: contemporary
Audience: adult
Form: anthology
twist ending
serialised
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	2
Horror	4
Humour	4
Realism	6
Romance	2
Tension	6
Darkness	6
Complexity	5
Emotional weight	4

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Where to watch in the UK

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Details

Genres: drama
Created by: Roald Dahl
Written by: John Gorrie, Jeremy Paul, Julian Bond, Chaim Bermant
Starring: Roald Dahl, Christopher Blake, Micheline Presle, Joan Greenwood, Gary Bond, John Beck, Eli Wallach, Deborah Harmon
Cinematography: Kenneth Van Sickle, Mike Fash
Length: 9 seasons, 112 episodes, 25 min each
Network: ITV1
Country: United Kingdom
Languages: English

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Tales of the Unexpected

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