Shadows

Some of the Shadows series are now being repeated on Talking Pictures chanell 81 on Freeview. They are very dated now, but always good to to see who appears in each episode. Jenny Agutter making a memorable appearance in one of them. A reviewer noted an episode featuring a dance with people wearing deer headgear, that was on this month, September 2019. Happy viewing!

I can vaguely remember the TV series 'Shadows' from the seventies, in particular the episode entitled 'The Other Window', which gave me nightmares for a week or two when I was an impressionable eight year old. I seem to think the window of the title was circular and when one looked through it, one saw strange and often scary things happening. I cannot remember the other episodes of this series, although if anyone can recall the plot lines of any of them it may well help to jog my memory. I think it aired on the BBC, but I don't ever remember it being repeated. I would love to know if this series is available either on video or DVD. Does anyone else remember this one?

I vaguely remember the series too - I remember one episode about a woman staying at a hotel and met a ghost from the past, who hadn't heard of Heathrow Airport.

There was also an episode of a girl left home in the dark alone, and her Dad returns, acting strangely, and quite scarily in his motorbike helmet. The house looked quite eerie in just the flashing lights of a pedestrian crossing outside.

I have even hazier memories of another episode where a child shrinks to the size of his/her toy soldiers and dolls, and they come alive.

Not much help I know, but maybe it might trigger a few more memories for people? I remember the story of "the other window" as being the scariest episode for me.

I had never heard of this series before, having been born after all three series were broadcast. I read about the series online and was lucky to come across it. The series is very much in keeping with British Horror and Suspense works from the 1970s and early 1980s. Overall there are three series, two of seven episodes each and one of six. Each of the three series begins with different title credits and I noticed that series one appears studio-bound whilst the other two series make great use of location filming as well. Each episode lasting roughly 24 mins which creates a nice pace in which to show a concept, some stories realised much better than others. The series benefits from some strong scripts, generally top-notch acting from both the junior and adult casts, and from some nice production values. Each series has a range in quality between episodes, however there is on the whole a deep sense that even the lesser episodes were aiming for individualism and creativity. Episodes which fall into this category are those such as 'Dutch Schlitz's shoes' and 'The eye'. Overall a nice series with some episodes which are very memorable.

The first two series were very good for children and adults alike. I loved seeing the future stars of stage and screen including Jenny Agutter, Pauline Quirke and Sophie Ward and a few who became Children's TV presenters. The third series was pretty awful. Bad acting, stories and a lot of green screen scenes. It turned into a pantomime or even a parody of itself. It just became too silly for a fourth series to be made.