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Tales of the Unexpected Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
17 Episodes 1981 - 1981
Episode 1
Would You Believe It?
26 mins
Miller and Tanner are archaeologists in Jordan who unearth a striking statue of a beautiful woman looking over her shoulder. They load it onto their truck and drive through a rainstorm in order to get to Israel to sell the statue. However, when the rain has cleared the statue has completely disappeared. They are mystified. If they had known who was the subject of the statue and what it was made of they might have taken more care.
Episode 2
Vicious Circle
30 mins
Whom would you consider to be the more dangerous? Rex Tobin, the young thief who breaks into Mrs. Grady's flat to rob her? Or dear little old Mrs. Grady herself, who, when Tobin falls and hurts himself, bandages his ankle, makes him tea, and promises to let him go if he will behave himself in future? He might be making all the right noises but she has all the right moves. . .
Episode 3
The Boy Who Talked with Animals
24 mins
On holiday with his parents in the Caribbean, young David is horrified when local fishermen haul a turtle that they have netted up onto the beach with a view to its being exhibited in a pool at the hotel where he is staying with his parents. David's father buys the turtle so that it can be released back into the sea and David, who, according to his parents, can 'talk' to animals, soothes the frightened creature. Next morning both David and the turtle have disappeared out to sea and an air search fails to find them, though there are sightings of a triumphant boy riding on a giant turtle's back.
Episode 4
The Best of Everything
24 mins
Meek clerk Arthur Price is desperately in love with the sweet Ann, the boss's daughter but is too shy to ask her out. By chance he meets charming if pushy Charlie Prince who is homeless and, in return for Arthur letting him move his large trunk into his lodgings and become his room-mate, gives him sound advice on wooing Ann with the result that the couple get engaged. Charlie has now outlived his usefulness and the newly confident Arthur has no qualms about getting rid of his mentor as he and Ann prepare to go away together. Will he get away with it?
Episode 5
A Woman's Help
25 mins
Arnold Bourdon's controlled by his wealthy wife Elizabeth, an invalid. He hires a young nurse to look after her, but finds he's attracted to her. Elizabeth catches them kissing and fires the nurse, so Arthur brings in 3 possible candidates to be the new nurse and lets his wife choose.
Episode 6
Shatterproof
25 mins
Gerry Williams returns to his New York apartment to discover that an assassin called Smith has been sent by his young and faithless wife Ellen to kill him. Staring down the barrel of a gun allows Gerry to think fast, very fast, and he tells the young killer that he has a fortune stashed away in the safe hidden behind a picture on the wall. Can he divert the gun-man's attention for long enough to gain the upper hand?
Episode 7
The Sound Machine
30 mins
During a sunny suburban summer before the Second World War Mr. Klausner develops a box which amplifies the tiniest sound and, for example, records the screams of flowers as they are being cut. His next-door neighbour is less impressed by his invention. Likewise the doctor who regards Mr. Klausner as a case for treatment.
Episode 8
Never Speak Ill of the Dead
24 mins
Buddies Sim and Bob arrive at the house of their friend Dr. David Rankin one Sunday morning to go fishing, and find him in the cellar cementing over a newly laid floor. His wife Irene is not at home and Rankin tells them that she is staying with friends. However her infidelity is well-known around the village and Bob and Sim make the mistake of surmising that David has killed and buried his wife. They think he cannot hear their discussion as he is out of the room, but he can, with lethal results.
Episode 9
The Best Policy
25 mins
Harry Flock's super-efficiency is rewarded when he is appointed as the acting bank manager at his local branch. The appointment is followed by allegations of embezzlement and money disappearing but there is no evidence of any discrepancy in Harry's excellent records. Has he been set up? Or is his book-keeping just too good to be true?
Episode 10
The Last Bottle in the World
30 mins
Sophie Kassoulas and her wine importer uncle Charles recall a past incident when her lover, Max, editor of a wine magazine, asked Charles what he thought was the finest of all vintages. Charles nominated an 1864 Bordeaux claret for its rarity - it was quite simply the last remaining bottle in the world. Sophie's millionaire husband Kyros bought it for ten thousand pounds with which to celebrate their wedding anniversary but he was wise to her affair with Max who, along with Charles, was invited to the anniversary party for Kyros to demonstrate his revenge.
Episode 11
Kindly Dig Your Grave
25 mins
A French art gallery owner is notorious for exploiting struggling young painters. Her latest victim is a young American. He is fortunate enough to have waitress Fatima as his model and lover. Fatima becomes pregnant, and then shows that she is a smart young woman by hatching a plan that will expose the gallery owner as the crook she is.
Episode 12
Completely Foolproof
30 mins
Tycoon Joe Brisson is two-timing his wife Lisa, who finds out and wants a divorce - and half of his very considerable fortune, to which end she has forced his hand in admitting to shady deals. He is about to leave for Europe when a disgruntled employee tries to kill him. Joe persuades the man to take part in a plot to wipe out Lisa which he is sure will be 'completely foolproof'. As it happens, Lisa is thinking along similar lines.
Episode 13
There's One Born Every Minute
26 mins
Arthur and Margaret Pearson are a quiet little suburban couple who inherit fifty thousand pounds when a relative dies. They tentatively invest it in property with the questionable Edward Cox. Arthur is in fact two-timing his wife with a mistress called Joy and is planning to take off but then disaster strikes as Edward is revealed as a con artist who has gone off with all the money. But is he the only one and may he not have an accomplice playing the same game as Arthur?
Episode 14
Bosom Friends
26 mins
When hard-working Nell invites her old school friend Emma to come and stay in her ramshackle country cottage to help her make ends meet, she is unaware that she has landed herself with a free-loader who has a lifetime's experience of not paying her way. Nell is so anxious to get rid of her unwelcome tenant that she resorts to a murderous plan.
Episode 15
A Glowing Future
25 mins
Betsy is devastated when her long-time partner Jack tells her that he is moving to Australia to marry another woman and begins to pack chests of his belongings - some of them shared items - to send ahead. An enraged Betsy lashes out at him. As a result, thanks to Betsy's efforts, Jack's new girlfriend will have an extra surprise when she opens his luggage.
Episode 16
The Way to Do It
26 mins
Living a dreary life and dominated by his wealthy Aunt May, Roger Carson takes to gambling and, due to the wiles of the lovely but devious casino hostess Suzie, he has quickly run up a gambling debt of twenty thousand pounds. Aunt May refuses to pay it but Roger is aware that, as her sole heir, he will inherit everything when she dies. All he has to do is skip the country, having already arranged for someone else to kill Aunt May without being aware that they did so, thus demonstrating the perfect way to do it.
Episode 17
Hijack
26 mins
An aeroplane flying from London to Edinburgh with a party of surgeons on board is apparently taken over by a hi-jacker. He has taken the stewardess prisoner in a toilet and will shoot her if his demands are not met. This involves a landing at Manchester airport and the delivery onboard of two parachutes and a million pounds. As the plane goes on its way the passengers are informed that the hi-jacker has bailed out. But did he ever exist? And how innocent are the crew in all of this?
