User Reviews

Tales of the Unexpected: Hit and Run starts as Mary Ashburn (Susan Penhaligon) leaves her husband Roger (John Duttine) who works as a doctor, he is devastated & just can't stop thinking about her. Roger tells his friend Steve (Ray Lonnen) that he is going to move away & get a job in another hospital to try & forget about her, he does but is unexpectedly reunited with his wife under disturbing circumstances...

This Tales of the Unexpected story was episode 12 from season 6 that originally aired here in the UK during May 1983, the third of five Tales of the Unexpected episodes to be directed by Peter Hammond this is alright but nothing special. The story by Patricia Moyes was dramatised by Robin Chapman & is typical for the latter stories in this series in that it's a pretty standard crime drama with a supposed twist although the twist here isn't that great & a bit predictable. Most of this episode is build up & it's not that interesting or particularly memorable.

This one looks OK but not much happens really, there's no scares or tension & there's no action either. This is another forgettable episode. The acting is OK by yet another fine British cast full of familiar faces.

Hit and Run is OK, it's watchable enough but nothing special which means it's a typical Tales of the Unexpected episode.

This episode's payoff works only until you until you turn the program off. The scam with Mary (Susan Penhaligon) running off and dying in a fatal accident might have been plausible in the 1980's, but I doubt it even then. Because what was Mary going to do, go into seclusion for the rest of her life while living off the two hundred fifty thousand pound insurance payout with Roger (John Duttine)? Not very feasible no matter how careful one tries to be. And for spite, her sister Joan (Phyllida Nash) could have just as easily turned around and reported their fraud since she wasn't getting what she demanded as part of the scheme. Her revenge would have put the couple away no matter what. BUT, if you don't reason through the story at it's ending, it does hit you as the clever twist it tried to be. Just don't think you could pull it off with your significant other. It's bound to end badly.

Mary Ashburn is ruining a dinner party with her awful attitude and curt manner, she decides to leave husband Doctor Richard Ashburn by placing her wedding ring in his soufflé, hoping he'd have choked on it. The group of friends are all horrified by Mary's antics. Richard advises guest and colleague Doctor Steve Hutchings that Mary is back from her sister's and wearing her ring again. A few days later Richard rings Steve late at night telling him Mary's gone, taking her clothes and jewelry. Mary left a note apologising, Steve and wife Carol travel to comfort the distraught Richard. Weeks pass, Richard moves away and continues to write to Steve and Carol, Carol is suspicious.

John Duttine is a cracking actor, he was handed such a disservice in his last episode 'The Skeleton key,' which was a rather poor offering, this is a superior episode, allowing him to act.

You could argue the story is a little bit run of the mill, but it's a tried and tested formula, that works, and with the calibre of actors and actresses thrown in, this is a particularly good offering. Cracking ending and twist, its a real goody.

8/10