British Horror, Supernatural & SF TV from the 60s, 70s and 80s
by MedusaYuk | created - 02 Jan 2018 | updated - 4 months ago | PublicThe golden era for this type of TV was undoubtedly the 70s, but the 60s and 80s also had their share of classics. Some of these shows were made for children, but back then, television writers regularly displayed a fetish for disturbing the nation's youth with strange and creepy TV, so they sit nicely on this list. In fact, I could include such memorable spine-chillers as Bagpuss, Fingerbobs, Pipkins and Chigley, all shows that left an already nervous child like me with a vague but indelible feeling of dread and loss, but for the sake of keeping this list from becoming a catalogue of my own personal childhood nightmares, I'll not do that.
Some of the series listed - those grouped between 49 and 56 - only have tenuous links with horror, supernatural & SF, but I've included them anyway, as they occasionally contain episodes/themes which touch upon those genres and are of general interest to lost souls who haunt lists such as this.
Missing episodes are almost entirely due to them being wiped by various broadcasters, mostly our beloved BBC. It's sometimes difficult to understand how they wouldn't have foreseen the voracious appetite for some of these shows, especially Doctor Who, but alas, commercial releases were not even a saucy glint in Auntie Beeb's eye, videotape was expensive, and money was king, even back in the good old days.
Although some shows have never been commercially released, all are available for your discerning delectation out there in the wilds of the internet, mostly thanks to an army of dedicated TV aficionados and their super-duper video recording machines. Hurrah!
Where I've indicated missing episodes and/or no commercial release, this is always true to the best of my knowledge. If you know this to be untrue in any given instance, exhale loudly, fling your arms into the air and finally, wearily, hold your head in your hands and sigh "this person is an utter imbecile".
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1. Hammer House of Horror (1980)
TV-14 | 54 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
This British anthology series, which was produced by England's leading exporters of horror films, told tales of haunted houses, demons, ghosts, and other supernatural wonders.
Stars: Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Anna Calder-Marshall
Votes: 2,283
2. Fox Mystery Theater (1984)
70 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
"Fox Mystery Theater" was an anthology series of chilling tales with a twist.
Stars: David McCallum, David Carradine, Carol Lynley, Dean Stockwell
Votes: 469
3. Journey to the Unknown (1968– )
60 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
"Journey to the Unknown" was a British anthology series about everyday people finding themselves put into unusual circumstances...many of them supernatural in nature.
Stars: Vera Miles, Brandon De Wilde, Carol Lynley, Stefanie Powers
Votes: 266
4. Beasts (1976)
60 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
An anthology series concerning bestial horror, created by Nigel Kneale.
Stars: Pamela Moiseiwitsch, Jane Wymark, Martin Shaw, Patrick Magee
Votes: 280
5.
Against the Crowd (1975)
Episode:
Murrain
(1975)
55 min | Drama
A young country vet begins to suspect that the local farmland is under the spell of a witch.
Director: John Cooper | Stars: David Simeon, Bernard Lee, Una Brandon-Jones, David Neal
Votes: 131
Shown as part of the ITV anthology series 'Against the Crowd'. Commercially released as a special feature on the 'Beasts' DVD.
6. Supernatural (1977)
50 min | Horror
Chilling anthology series where membership to the secret society, The Club of the Damned, is granted through telling horror stories.
Stars: Andre Van Gyseghem, Billie Whitelaw, Ian Hendry, Charles Kay
Votes: 168
7. Mystery and Imagination (1966–1970)
75 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
"Mystery and Imagination" was a UK hosted horror anthology series running from 1966 until 1970 with host David Buck as "Richard Beckett". who was a romantic young Victorian adventurer always had a tale to tell.
Stars: David Buck, Mark Moss, Freddie Jones, Robert Hunter
Votes: 111
Missing many episodes.
8. Shades of Darkness (1983–1986)
60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
"Shades of Darkness" was an anthology of short mysterious dramas, each with a supernatural twist.
Stars: Norma West, Annette Wilkie-Miller, Francesca Annis, Eileen Atkins
Votes: 332
9. Dead of Night (1972)
50 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
"Dead of Night" was a non-hosted UK television anthology series of supernatural fiction, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in 1972.
Stars: Anna Massey, John Castle, Anna Cropper, Peter Barkworth
Votes: 169
Only three episodes survive.
10. Worlds Beyond (1986)
25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
"Worlds Beyond" was a half-hour supernatural anthology series adapted from real cases of the Society for Psychical Research.
Stars: Darren McGavin, Paul Freeman, Nancy Travis, Judi Bowker
Votes: 53
Never commercially released.
11. West Country Tales (1982–1983)
25 min | Horror
West Country Tales was an early 1980s supernatural drama series based on real-life experiences sent in by viewers in response to a BBC appeal. Of the hundreds of letters received, 13 stories were selected and turned into TV scripts.
Stars: Keith Barron, Jack Watson, Brian Jennings, Gillian Miles
Votes: 57
Never commercially released.
12. Leap in the Dark (1973–1980)
45 min | Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
Anthology series of supernatural tales.
Stars: Colin Wilson, Linda Blandford, Gordon Snell, Anita Gregory
Votes: 39
Missing episodes. Never commercially released.
13. Tales of Unease (1970)
30 min | Horror
British series adapted from a trio of horror-story anthologies which were edited by John Burke and published between 1960 and 1969. The television installments used the cream of Burke's crop.
Stars: Roy Dotrice, Jeremy Clyde, Rachel Kempson, Terence Rigby
Votes: 53
14. Haunted: The Ferryman (1974 TV Movie)
49 min | Horror
A horror novelist and his wife go to a house in the country for a short vacation. However, they soon find that one of his novels is coming true when they are haunted by the ghost of a drowned ferryman.
Director: John Irvin | Stars: Jeremy Brett, Natasha Parry, Geoffrey Chater, Lesley Dunlop
Votes: 133
15. Haunted: Poor Girl (1974 TV Movie)
60 min | Horror
An Edwardian governess finds herself trapped inside a haunted house.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Lynne Miller, Stuart Wilson, Angela Thorne, Matthew Pollock
Votes: 42
16. A Pattern of Roses (1983 TV Movie)
65 min | Drama, Thriller
Teenagers Tim Ingram and his friend Rebecca investigate a ghost story involving a boy, Tom Inskip, who mysteriously died in Tim's parents' cottage in 1910. Tim soon discovers eerie parallels between himself and Tim during his final days.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Stuart MacKenzie, Suzanna Hamilton, Vivian Pickles, Norman Rodway
Votes: 126
17. Late Night Horror (1968)
Drama, Horror, Mystery
"Late Night Horror" was a short lived horror play anthology that aired in the United Kingdom weekly in 1968 from 11 April 1968 until 16 May 1968 on the BBC. It comprised 6 x 30 minutes horror stories.
Stars: Claire Bloom, Diane Cilento, Michele Dotrice, Roy Dotrice
Votes: 18
Cancelled after six episodes due to complaints from viewers about the horrific nature of the show. Only one episode survives. Never commercially released. For those interested, the episode 'The Bells of Hell' is a dramatisation of Robert Aickman's supremely creepy tale 'Ringing the Changes'.
Also, I'm sure there's some fascinatingly postmodern reason why IMDb has used a photo from Doctor Who's 'The Pyramids of Mars'. I just can't figure out what it is.
18. The Hospice (1991 TV Movie)
Fantasy, Horror
A stranded traveler finds refuge in a remote mansion where he is served a sumptuous meal with the residents, meets a seductive beauty, and his every need is seen to by a very solicitous ... See full summary »
Director: Dominique Othenin-Girard | Stars: Jack Shepherd, Alan Dobie, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Cecil
Votes: 57
1991 is wrong - it's 1987. 'The Hospice' is an episode from a six-part ITV horror anthology series called 'Night Voices', which was mostly based upon the sublime weird fiction of Robert Aickman. This is the only episode that is known to exist. Never commercially released.
19.
BBC2 Playhouse (1973–1983)
Episode:
The Mind Beyond: Meriel, the Ghost Girl
(1976)
60 min | Drama
Livingston, a psychic investigator, is asked to attend a seance. Can it be that he has finally discovered a genuine supernatural phenomena!?
Director: Philip Saville | Stars: Donald Pleasence, John Bluthal, Janet Street-Porter, Charles Keating
Votes: 20
'The Mind Beyond' was a six-episode supernatural anthology series, forming season 4 of BBC2's 'Playhouse' series. Because of this, IMDb lists each episode as a separate entry. Never commercially released.
20.
BBC2 Playhouse (1973–1983)
Episode:
The Mind Beyond: Double Echo
(1976)
60 min | Drama
Alison has suffered Autism since childhood. Now aged 17, her parents take her to see Dr. Mallam for psychotherapy. Alison is tested with Zener cards and he suspects she is a telepathic. Along with Dr. Raeburn they attempt to discover more.
Director: Alan Bridges | Stars: Jeremy Kemp, Anthony Bate, Gerry Cowper, Clifford Rose
Votes: 12
Part of BBC2 'Playhouse' series. Never commercially released.
21.
BBC2 Playhouse (1973–1983)
Episode:
The Mind Beyond: The Love of a Good Woman
(1976)
60 min | Drama
A pair of childhood sweethearts have their peaceful life interrupted when a vulgar woman from her dreams show up in reality.
Director: John Gorrie | Stars: Anna Massey, William Lucas, Diana Bishop, Frederick Bennett
Part of BBC2 'Playhouse' series. Never commercially released.
22.
BBC2 Playhouse (1973–1983)
Episode:
The Mind Beyond: The Daedalus Equations
(1976)
60 min | Drama
During a séance, a medium writes down complex equations which seem to be the final work of a recently deceased physicist revealing the secret of cold fusion, to the consternation of a rationalistic scientist.
Director: David Reid | Stars: Michael Bryant, Megs Jenkins, Peter Sallis, Estelle Kohler
Votes: 16
Part of BBC2 'Playhouse' series. Never commercially released.
23.
BBC2 Playhouse (1973–1983)
Episode:
The Mind Beyond: Stones
(1976)
60 min | Drama
Stones and curses go together. A series of strange events connected with Stonehenge lead Professor Reeve, an Oxford historian, to wonder if this superstition is true.
Director: Graham Evans | Stars: Richard Pasco, Judy Parfitt, John Wells, T.P. McKenna
Votes: 30
Part of BBC2 'Playhouse' series. Never commercially released.
24.
BBC2 Playhouse (1973–1983)
Episode:
The Mind Beyond: The Man with the Power
(1976)
60 min | Drama
An ordinary man suddenly finds that he has psychic powers.
Director: John Gorrie | Stars: Willie Jonah, Vikki Richards, Geoffrey Bayldon, Johnny Briggs
Votes: 11
Part of BBC2 'Playhouse' series. Never commercially released.
25. The Stone Tape (1972 TV Movie)
90 min | Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
A research team from an electronics company moves into an old Victorian house to start work on finding a new recording medium. When team member Jill Greeley witnesses a ghost, team director... See full summary »
Director: Peter Sasdy | Stars: Michael Bryant, Jane Asher, Iain Cuthbertson, Michael Bates
Votes: 1,882
Was originally to be broadcast as part of the BBC's 'Dead of Night' supernatural anthology series, but eventually emerged as a standalone programme.
26. The Stalls of Barchester (1971 TV Movie)
45 min | Horror
While cataloging the library of Barchester Cathedral, a scholar finds a diary detailing the events surrounding the mysterious death of an Archdeacon some 50 years earlier. The first of the BBC's famed 'A Ghost Story for Christmas'.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Robert Hardy, Clive Swift, Thelma Barlow, Will Leighton
Votes: 913
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
27. A Warning to the Curious (1972 TV Movie)
50 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
An archaeologist goes treasure hunting along the English coast in search of a lost, fabled crown that supposedly helps protect Great Britain against invasion, but uncovers something much more sinister.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Peter Vaughan, Clive Swift, Julian Herington, John Kearney
Votes: 1,638
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
28. Lost Hearts (1973 TV Movie)
35 min | Horror, Mystery
A young orphan, Stephen, is sent to go and live with his strange, much older cousin at his remote country house. Once there, Stephen experiences terrible dreams in which he sees a young girl and boy who are missing their hearts.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Simon Gipps-Kent, Joseph O'Conor, James Mellor, Susan Richards
Votes: 957
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
29. The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1974 TV Movie)
37 min | Horror, Mystery
The Reverend Justin Somerton, a scholar of Medieval history, and his protégé Lord Peter Dattering are visiting an Abbey library. Studying a stained glass window they uncover clues leading to a treasure hidden by a disgraced Abbot.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Sheila Dunn, Anne Blake, Frank Mills, Virginia Balfour
Votes: 717
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
30. The Ash Tree (1975 TV Movie)
32 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Man of leisure Sir Richard (Edward Petherbridge) receives notification that his Uncle has died, bequeathing him his stately country manor and all its lands. On his return to England he ... See full summary »
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Edward Petherbridge, Preston Lockwood, Barbara Ewing, Lalla Ward
Votes: 765
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
31. The Signalman (1976 TV Movie)
38 min | Drama, Horror
A lonely Signalman is visited by a stranger.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Denholm Elliott, Bernard Lloyd, Reginald Jessup, Carina Wyeth
Votes: 1,753
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
32. Stigma (1977 TV Short)
30 min | Short, Drama, Horror
A young couple move into a remote country house in the middle of a stone circle. They employ workmen who disturb an ancient menhir, unleashing a supernatural force.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Kate Binchy, Peter Bowles, Maxine Gordon, Jon Laurimore
Votes: 591
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
33. The Ice House (1978 TV Movie)
35 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Paul, recently divorced, seeks sanctuary at a country retreat run by a sinister brother and sister.
Director: Derek Lister | Stars: John Stride, Elizabeth Romilly, Geoffrey Burridge, David Beames
Votes: 486
Part of BBC1's 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' strand.
34.
Omnibus (1967–2003)
Episode:
Whistle and I'll Come to You
(1968)
Not Rated | 42 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Classic BBC adaptation of an equally classic ghost story about a skeptical professor on vacation in Norfolk who finds a cursed whistle. Unlike most other episodes of this documentary series about music, this one is live action folk horror.
Director: Jonathan Miller | Stars: Michael Hordern, Ambrose Coghill, George Woodbridge, Nora Gordon
Votes: 1,479
Originally broadcast under BBC1's 'Omnibus' banner.
35.
ITV Playhouse (1967–1982)
Episode:
Casting the Runes
(1979)
Not Rated | 47 min | Comedy, Drama
Like Curse of the Demon (1957), this adaptation is only very loosely based on the original ghost story by M.R. James. However, it does feature eerie scenic views and is directed by Lawrence "Ghost Story For Christmas" Gordon Clark
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Iain Cuthbertson, Jan Francis, Bernard Gallagher, Joanna Dunham
Votes: 188
Broadcast as part of ITV's 'Playhouse' series.
36. Ghost Stories for Christmas (2000)
30 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
"Ghost Stories for Christmas" was a UK horror anthology mini series where horror legend Christopher Lee hosts and narrates a series of four half hour ghost stories all based on stories by M.R. James.
Stars: Logan Crawford, Christopher Lee, Peter White, Matthew Wheatley
Votes: 274
I know, it's not from the 60s, 70s or 80s. BUT - it's Christopher Lee narrating dramatisations of four M.R.James ghost stories. Need I say more?
37. Classic Ghost Stories (1986– )
Horror
Five partially-dramatized readings of classic M.R. James ghost stories by actor Robert Powell. Including "The Mezzotint", "The Ash-Tree", "The Rose Garden", "Wailing Well" and "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad".
Stars: Robert Powell, Arthur Nightingale, Barry Summerford, Jeremy Roberts
Votes: 31
38. Spine Chillers (1980– )
10 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
Readings of classic ghost and horror stories aimed at older children.
Stars: Jonathan Pryce, Freddie Jones, John Woodvine, Michael Bryant
Votes: 17
39. The Owl Service (1969–1970)
200 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
Three teenagers discover a mysterious set of owl and flower-patterned dinner plates in the attic and the magical ancient legend of the "Mabinogion" comes to life once again in their Welsh valley.
Stars: Dorothy Edwards, Gillian Hills, Michael Holden, Francis Wallis
Votes: 229
40. The Omega Factor (1979)
50 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A covert branch of British Intelligence is assigned to investigate the strange, the supernatural, the...'Omega Factor'.
Stars: James Hazeldine, Louise Jameson, John Carlisle, Brown Derby
Votes: 220
41. The Nightmare Man (1981)
30 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A lonely Scottish island is stalked by a brutal killer who may be from another world...
Stars: James Warwick, Celia Imrie, Maurice Roëves, Jonathan Newth
Votes: 205
42. Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982)
TV-PG | 30 min | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
The secrets Sapphire, Steel and their colleagues find include people trapped in photos, ghosts lost in time and a retro dinner party.
Stars: David McCallum, Joanna Lumley, David Collings, Gerald James
Votes: 1,857
43. Children of the Stones (1977)
173 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
Scientist Adam Brake and his son Matthew arrive in the sleepy English village of Milbury to find it under the grip of weird psychic powers unleashed by the sinister village squire, Hendrick, and whose power they struggle to break.
Stars: Gareth Thomas, Veronica Strong, Peter Demin, Ruth Dunning
Votes: 856
44. Frankenstein: The True Story (1973 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 185 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
When the brilliant but unorthodox scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein rejects the artificial man that he has created, the Creature escapes and later swears revenge.
Director: Jack Smight | Stars: James Mason, Leonard Whiting, David McCallum, Jane Seymour
Votes: 1,962
45.
Play for Today (1970–1984)
Episode:
The Flipside of Dominick Hide
(1980)
90 min | Comedy, Drama
Dominick Hide has a mission to study and report on the transport systems of the past, but only as an observer. Yet when his Great Aunt Mavis talks about one of his ancestors, Dominick begins to bend the rules and become involved.
Director: Alan Gibson | Stars: Peter Firth, Caroline Langrishe, Pippa Guard, Patrick Magee
Votes: 343
Part of BBC1's 'Play for Today' anthology drama series.
46.
Play for Today (1970–1984)
Episode:
Red Shift
(1978)
84 min | Comedy, Drama
Three men at three different times in history come to Mow Cop Hill in search of sanctuary from their troubles: a Roman soldier, an English Civil War rebel and a 1970s teenager. Somehow they... See full summary »
Director: John Mackenzie | Stars: Stephen Petcher, Lesley Dunlop, Stella Tanner, Bernard Gallagher
Votes: 80
Part of BBC1's 'Play for Today' anthology drama series.
47.
Play for Today (1970–1984)
Episode:
Penda's Fen
(1974)
89 min | Comedy, Drama
Summer 1955, and pastor's son Stephen must come to terms with his own identity amid societal pressure, religious guilt and his own imaginings.
Director: Alan Clarke | Stars: Spencer Banks, John Atkinson, Georgine Anderson, Ron Smerczak
Votes: 838
Part of BBC1's 'Play for Today' anthology drama series.
48.
Play for Today (1970–1984)
Episode:
Robin Redbreast
(1970)
76 min | Comedy, Drama
After a long-term relationship ends, Norah moves to a remote house in the country. The locals are friendly., if eccentric. She starts a flirtatious relationship with young gamekeeper, Rob. ... See full summary »
Director: James MacTaggart | Stars: Anna Cropper, Amanda Walker, Julian Holloway, Freda Bamford
Votes: 497
Part of BBC1's 'Play for Today' anthology drama series.
49. Menace (1970–1973)
75 min | Thriller
This is a series of thrillers designed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.
Stars: David Wood, John Wentworth, Sheila Hancock, Anne Kristen
Votes: 23
Only two surviving episodes. Never commercially released.
50. Thriller (1973–1976)
TV-14 | 65 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
"Thriller" was an anthology series of self-contained episodes, with genres ranging from murder mystery to suspense to psychological and supernatural horror.
Stars: Donna Mills, Gary Collins, Derek Francis, Michael Jayston
Votes: 976
51. Shadows of Fear (1970–1973)
60 min | Horror, Thriller
Anthology series in which characters find themselves in weird and scary situations. Not evoked by the supernatural but by other people.
Stars: Ray Smith, Michael Craig, Ian Bannen, Sheila Hancock
Votes: 118
52. Tales of the Unexpected (1979–1988)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
Short dramas each with a twist of some kind; across the first four seasons most of these are from short stories by Roald Dahl.
Stars: Roald Dahl, Andrew Ray, Forbes Collins, Richard Johnson
Votes: 2,499
53. Scorpion Tales (1978– )
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Anthology series of stories "with a sting in the tail."
Stars: Trevor Howard, David Robb, Jack Shepherd, Anthony Bate
Votes: 50
54. Armchair Thriller (1978–1981)
25 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
Suspense and mystery-themed anthology series.
Stars: Frank Duncan, James Bolam, Maria Aitken, Zena Walker
Votes: 256
55. Zodiac (1974)
60 min | Comedy, Drama
A police Detective Inspector teams up with an astrologer to solve various crimes.
Stars: Anouska Hempel, Anton Rodgers, John Rhys-Davies, Michael Gambon
Votes: 102
56. The Frighteners (1972–1973)
26 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
The Frighteners was a British psychological suspense anthology series that ran for 1 series consisting of 13 self contained episodes.
Stars: Ian Holm, Tom Bell, Rudolph Walker, Ian Hendry
Votes: 71
57. Doctor Who (1963–1989)
TV-PG | 25 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The adventures in time and space of the Doctor, a Time Lord who changes appearance and personality by regenerating when near death, and is joined by companions in battles against aliens and other megalomaniacs.
Stars: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker
Votes: 39,522
Missing episodes.
58. Blake's 7 (1978–1981)
Not Rated | 50 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
A group of convicts and outcasts fight a guerrilla war against the totalitarian Terran Federation from a highly advanced alien spaceship.
Stars: Michael Keating, Paul Darrow, Peter Tuddenham, Jan Chappell
Votes: 4,492
59. Play for Tomorrow (1982)
60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
An anthology of six plays that offered predictions of the future ranging from 1997-2016. Made by the same team behind the more regarded Play For Today, it lasted for a single series.
Stars: Gavin Campbell, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Robin Ellis, Tracey Childs
Votes: 29
Never commercially released.
60. Moonbase 3 (1973)
50 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
Scientists and technicians of five European powers gather 250,000 miles from Earth to probe secrets of the universe.
Stars: Donald Houston, Ralph Bates, Fiona Gaunt, Barry Lowe
Votes: 166
61. Out of the Unknown (1965–1971)
60 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
A classic anthology science fiction series which features adaptations of stories by famous authors including Isaac Asimov, J.G. Ballard, Frederik Pohl and John Wyndham.
Stars: John Gabriel, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, Erik Chitty, Peter Copley
Votes: 175
Missing episodes.
62. Counterstrike (1969– )
50 min | Sci-Fi
Simon King, an alien agent from the Inter Galactic Council, is sent to Earth on a mission to stop unscrupulous refugees from a dying planet from wiping out Mankind and taking over the planet Earth.
Stars: Jon Finch, Sarah Brackett, Katie Fitzroy, Fraser Kerr
Votes: 26
Ten part BBC SF Series. Only the first four episodes are known to exist. The sixth episode was never actually transmitted, being replaced by a documentary about the Kray brothers, who were headline news that particular day. The series was never repeated and subsequently wiped.
63. A for Andromeda (1961)
45 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
In 1970, a team of scientists decrypts a mysterious signal from space with instructions to create a supercomputer. This in turn contains instructions to create a living organism.
Stars: Esmond Knight, Patricia Kneale, Peter Halliday, Noel Johnson
Votes: 142
Missing episodes.
64. Out of This World (1962)
60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
"Out of This World" was a hosted science fiction anthology television series with Boris Karloff as host, screening on ITV - Independent Television (UK).
Stars: Boris Karloff, Piers Keelan, Raymond Adamson, Bill Mills
Votes: 58
Precursor to the fantastic 'Out of the Unknown', both shows created by the great Irene Shubik, a giant of 60s/70s British TV. Only one episode survives.
65. Undermind (1965)
60 min | Sci-Fi
Personnel Officer Drew Heriot returns to England after working in Australia to discover his brother behaving oddly, to the distress of his sister-in-law Anne. Investigating together they ... See full summary »
Stars: Jeremy Wilkin, Rosemary Nicols, Denis Quilley, John Barron
Votes: 36
66. Object Z (1965)
30 min | Sci-Fi
A mysterious object is sighted heading towards Earth and causes panic. But what is the nature & origin of the object, and how can it be stopped?
Stars: Margaret Neale, Denys Peek, Ralph Nossek, Trevor Bannister
Votes: 12
Never commercially released. Apparently, all episodes exist in archive.
67. Space: 1999 (1975–1977)
TV-14 | 50 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
The crew of Moonbase Alpha must struggle to survive when a massive explosion throws the Moon from Earths orbit and into deep space.
Stars: Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Nick Tate, Zienia Merton
Votes: 9,437
68. Star Cops (1987)
55 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The adventures of the International Space Police Force, led by Nathan Spring, in 2027. The Star Cops are made up of officers from all over the world: the British Colin Devis, the Australian... See full summary »
Stars: David Calder, Erick Ray Evans, Trevor Cooper, Linda Newton
Votes: 227
69. Star Maidens (1976)
30 min | Sci-Fi
Medusa, a planet from another solar system, drifts into Earth's system. The surface of this planet is no longer habitable and the inhabitants have moved to a high-tech underground city. The... See full summary »
Stars: Lisa Harrow, Christian Quadflieg, Christiane Krüger, Judy Geeson
Votes: 236
70. UFO (1970–1971)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Sci-Fi
The missions of the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization (SHADO), which defends Earth from extra-terrestrial threats.
Stars: Ed Bishop, Dolores Mantez, Michael Billington, Ayshea Brough
Votes: 4,132
71. The Quatermass Conclusion (1979)
102 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A separate screenplay by Nigel Kneale for theaters, parallel to the 1979 Quatermass 4-part miniseries. The story, set in the near future, involves influences from outer space that are ... See full summary »
Director: Piers Haggard | Stars: John Mills, Simon MacCorkindale, Barbara Kellerman, Margaret Tyzack
Votes: 286
72. The Tripods (1984–1985)
TV-PG | 30 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Earth has been conquered by an alien race known as the Masters using their giant Tripods. When humans reach the age of sixteen, they must undergo a process known as capping which places ... See full summary »
Stars: John Shackley, Ceri Seel, Jim Baker, Robin Hayter
Votes: 1,569
73. The Day of the Triffids (1981)
50 min | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
When a comet blinds nearly everyone in the world, a genetically-engineered species of plant takes over.
Stars: John Duttine, Emma Relph, Maurice Colbourne, Jonathan Newth
Votes: 2,438
74. Survivors (1975–1977)
50 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
A community of survivors struggle to stay alive in the wake of a global pandemic known as the Death that wiped out 99.98% of humanity.
Stars: Lucy Fleming, Ian McCulloch, Denis Lill, Stephen Dudley
Votes: 1,437
75. The Changes (1975)
240 min | Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
In a post-apocalyptic Britain, everyone has rebelled against modern technology (electricity, engines, trains etc) and reverted to a pre-Industrial Revolution way of life. When Nicky Gore ... See full summary »
Stars: Victoria Williams, Keith Ashton, Marc Zuber, Rafiq Anwar
Votes: 195
76. 1990 (1977–1978)
55 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In a dystopian future, Britain is under the grip of the Home Office's Public Control Department (PCD), a tyrannically oppressive bureaucracy riding roughshod over the population's civil liberties.
Stars: Edward Woodward, Robert Lang, Tony Doyle, Paul Hardwick
Votes: 165
77. Doomwatch (1970–1972)
50 min | Sci-Fi, Drama
Doomwatch is the nickname for the Department of Measurement of Scientific Work. Under the leadership of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Dr. Spencer Quist, the Doomwatch team struggled, for ... See full summary »
Stars: John Paul, Joby Blanshard, Simon Oates, Vivien Sherrard
Votes: 197
Missing episodes.
78. The Guardians (1971)
60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In a declining England of the 1980s, the UK has broken up and England is ruled by a fascist military force called "The Guardians."
Stars: Gwyneth Powell, Cyril Luckham, David Burke, Derek Smith
Votes: 92
79. The Children of Green Knowe (1986)
100 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
A young boy goes to live with his great-grandmother. While she tells him stories of his ancestors, he begins to see the spirits of children who lived in the house during the reign of Charles II.
Stars: Alec Christie, Daphne Oxenford, George Malpas, Heather Ramsay
Votes: 199
80. The Ghosts of Motley Hall (1976–1978)
30 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Motley Hall was built in 1577 and was home to the Uproar family. Empty of living inhabitants, it is home to Five Ghosts from different periods of the Halls history who are compelled to get ... See full summary »
Stars: Arthur English, Freddie Jones, Nicholas Le Prevost, Sean Flanagan
Votes: 168
81. Escape Into Night (1972)
25 min | Family, Fantasy, Horror
This serial is an adaptation of Catherine Storr's novel "Marianne Dreams", which is about a young girl, Marianne, whose drawings become her dreams.
Stars: Sonia Graham, Patricia Maynard, Edmund Pegge, Vikki Chambers
Votes: 165
82. Come Back Lucy (1978)
25 min
Young Lucy is bereaved and sent to live with her cousins. She makes a friend in Alice. But Alice has been dead for over a hundred years and wishes to drag Lucy back in time, to play with her for eternity.
Stars: Emma Bakhle, Bernadette Windsor, Phyllida Law, Royce Mills
Votes: 52
83. Moondial (1988)
158 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
A teenage girl discovers a portal through time, and tries to help two children of the past.
Stars: Siri Neal, Tony Sands, Valerie Lush, Arthur Hewlett
Votes: 256
84. The Georgian House (1976)
30 min | Family, Drama, Fantasy
Two children travel back in time and attempt to help a Negro slave boy who possesses strange powers.
Stars: Jack Watson, Spencer Banks, Brinsley Forde, Adrienne Byrne
Votes: 20
85. The Box of Delights (1984)
30 min | Family, Fantasy
Based on the classic children's novel by John Masefield, the story follows the exploits of a young boy, Kay Harker, who finds himself drawn into a world of magic and danger when he encounters an old Punch and Judy man.
Stars: Devin Stanfield, Robert Stephens, Geoffrey Larder, Jonathan Stephens
Votes: 951
86. The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983)
25 min | Family, Fantasy
When a family come into possession of a statue called The Grinnygog, a trio of benevolent witches are summoned to the village where they live.
Stars: Adam Woodyatt, Zoe Loftin, Giles Harper, Heidi Mayo
Votes: 69
Never commercially released.
87. The Moon Stallion (1978)
25 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
A young girl named Diana, her archeologist father and her brother visit friends in Berkshire near the site of the ancient Celtic horse cut into a chalky hillside. Though Diana is blind, she... See full summary »
Stars: Tabu, Sarah Sutton, David Haig, John Abineri
Votes: 48
88. The Moonstone (1972)
225 min | Drama
A priceless jewel, originally plundered from a Hindu shrine, is presented to Rachel Verinder on her 18th birthday. The jewel goes missing and suspicion falls over the household, threatening to destroy someone close to Rachel's heart.
Stars: Vivien Heilbron, Robin Ellis, Basil Dignam, Martin Jarvis
Votes: 97
89. The Phoenix and the Carpet (1976– )
25 min | Family, Fantasy
Four children discover a strange egg hidden in an old carpet from which hatches a talking phoenix. Further adventures are had when the carpet turns out to be magic.
Stars: Jane Forster, Max Harris, Tamzin Neville, Gary Russell
Votes: 88
90. Ace of Wands (1970–1972)
30 min | Family, Fantasy
Telepathic stage magician, Tarot, and his two assistants solve mysteries and crimes of a bizarre or magical nature, and battle against villains with various powers.
Stars: Michael MacKenzie, Tony Selby, Judy Loe, Roy Holder
Votes: 123
Missing episodes.
91. King of the Castle (1977)
30 min | Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Shy young Roland Wright deals with his tortured existance at home with his nagging parents in a tower block and at school with his bullies & tyrannical teachers by withdrawing into a ... See full summary »
Stars: Philip DaCosta, Talfryn Thomas, Edward Dentith, Patrick Durkin
Votes: 55
92. Shadows (1975–1978)
30 min | Family, Horror
Anthology series of scary stories for children.
Stars: Neville Barber, Gwyneth Strong, George Waring, Jenny Agutter
Votes: 121
93. Timeslip (1970–1971)
30 min | Family, Sci-Fi
Simon and Liz were teenage friends who fell into a time hole and found themselves trapped in various periods of the 20th century, where they encounter all sorts of adventures. Many of them ... See full summary »
Stars: Cheryl Burfield, Spencer Banks, Denis Quilley, Iris Russell
Votes: 239
94. The Tomorrow People (1973–1979)
30 min | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
A group of teens with psychic and other paranormal abilities use their special gifts to battle evil.
Stars: Nicholas Young, Philip Gilbert, Elizabeth Adare, Peter Vaughan-Clarke
Votes: 839
95. Chocky (1984)
25 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
A story centered on a young schoolboy and his strange relationship with an extraterrestrial entity.
Stars: James Hazeldine, Carol Drinkwater, Andrew Ellams, Zoë Hart
Votes: 395
96. Sky (1975)
30 min | Family, Sci-Fi
A young time-traveller with superhuman powers is stranded on Earth after running into a Black Hole. Pursued by the evil Goodchild, Sky is helped on his quest to find a way home by three human teenagers, Arby, Jane and Roy.
Stars: Marc Harrison, Stuart Lock, Cherrald Butterfield, Richard Speight
Votes: 119
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