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Tales Of The Unexpected Series 2
01/09/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
DVD: Network 7952484. 400 minutes 16 episodes no extras. Price: £19.99 (UK). Buy Tales Of The Unexpected Series 2 in the USA - or Buy Tales Of The Unexpected Series 2 in the UK  check out website: www.networkdvd.co.uk
There are two things rather apparent when I received this DVD set. There were sixteen episodes. Season One only had nine so indicates its success at the time. You see that happening today? Memory also served that they were not all written by Roald Dahl as in the first season he said he'd only written about twenty-two short stories. The others in this season include the likes of Robert Bloch, Stanley Ellin and Edward D. Hock. Oddly enough, all selected because they followed the Dahl approach of giving the unexpected twist at the end which if you think about it, is the whole point of the series. None of these stories would be considered horror per se but they are a demonstration of good story telling with neat twists in the tale to see if you were paying attention which is also common for our genre.
Success also breeds judging by the number of popular actors and actresses turning up here at the time, a couple of them from the first season and the likes of John Mills in two different episodes. They are also done in different times and places and although the younger generations might wonder where mobile phones and the like are, this isn't a distraction to the stories. Its also interesting that actors in secondary roles played by the likes of Michael Gambon, Sián Phillips and Miriam Margolyes before they got the juicier TV roles. I should also point out to the fans of the Gerry Anderson TV series that there is also the opportunity to see actor Shane Rimmer (the voice of Thunderbird One pilot Scott Tracy) performing. Then again, if you like [Spooks] (US title: MI5), you can see a young Peter Firth starring in the last story which has a brilliant ending that will want you to get another bunch when season three gets released.
You'll notice that I'm avoiding giving anything away about the episodes themselves. Mostly its to avoid giving away the surprises, many of which would be classed as 'deep shit' endings for particular characters. There is nary a poor episode, any that are subjective to personal taste, in the entire bunch although it would pay to spread out your viewing than see them all too close together. If you like wine, you wouldn't drink it all in one night, would you? With British TV, performance is king and all knock their socks off here.
I should also mention writer Roald Dahl reveals how much his short stories are based on observation of events around him over the course of his life, not to mention his knowledge of removing people, con tricks and stolen umbrellas.
If you remember 'Tales Of The Unexpected' from 1980, then it's worth a re-visit. If you were too young but want to see what your parents watched when they were young, you might be surprised. Like all good stories, they catch you unaware and snare you until the end and their like haven't been on the box since.
GF Willmetts
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