User Reviews

I enjoy watching Tales of the Unexpected, but more often than not I find it naff albeit charming. The twists are often so predictable that they fall completely flat, or so absurdly out of the blue that they just have you rolling your eyes. But there is something appealing about it's middle-England brand of gallows humour with the familiar 70s small screen actors and cosy provincial tone. This episode, however, is like no other episode I have seen. I don't know why, but this episode seems to have been a US production, filmed on location in the States with a fantastic cast who can really act. It looks and feels like a different show, one that actually feels dangerous. If you're familiar with Brad Dourif you won't be disappointed as he brings his trademark intensity to this taught little thriller that delivers tension in spades. The only disappointment is the final minute (turns out the resolution was actually something I thought we were supposed to have twigged at the start of the episode). The overall look is also cheap, but in a way that suits this episode (it's very Texas Chainsaw - sweaty, grimy and claustrophobic). This is a surprisingly vicious and effective episode that is worth going out of your way to see.

Brad Dourif plays a nasty hitchhiker who is picked up by a driver (Dennis Christopher). Definitely not the wisest thing to do considering that the Will-o-the-wisp' serial killer is on a killing spree- the radio broadcast's description of the serial killer matches the hitcher, and the hitcher plays on this and, much to the driver's discomfort, keeps on talking about the killer, and says how many victims he had. Is he the killer or is it case of the bigger you brag the bigger is the lie? Watch this tense, engaging episode. You can definitely guess who the killer is, but the plot is generally good, and benefits from Dourif's acting. He is really a nasty piece of work.

Tales of the Unexpected was starting to run out of steam by this point, the episodes were nowhere as clever as the earlier seasons. This episode is typical in that the plot twist was obvious from the very beginning, so there were no surprises for me at the end of this episode. But there is a redeeming factor in this episode in the person of Brad Douriff.

In Number 8 he plays an unhinged hitchhiker who may, or may not, be a vicious serial killer. Brad Douriff exudes genuine menace and lends the episode some real tension. When he has his impromptu "party" with the two women in the diner there's a genuine air of threat. His performance lifted this episode from mediocre to interesting but, sadly, even he can't save it entirely.

Best of the US episodes. Great two male Leads. Brad Dourif shows his star quality before he voiced chucky Quite sinister and a brutal twist.

Brad Dourif s kiss is the best I ve seen. I d already sussed the plot so it was great.

Will'o'the'wisp is at large, a serial killer in the deep South taking out his victims in grizzly fashion. One day a young driver picks up a hitchhiker heading for Los Angeles. The driver soon realises he's made a mistake picking him up, he's picked up a real nutter, and when a news announcement describes the hitchhiker to the tee, the driver begins to get a little nervous.

It is a slightly better episode then the recent batch of disasters, but it's still a little below par. The story is a bit more imaginative, more interesting, intelligent, with a bit more suspense, the trouble is the production values once again seem a little on the cheap side, and the acting is a bit off once again. It is a little bit overly telegraphed too.

I am surprised at the rather high rating this had.

4/10

Slightly better story from TOTU. A little slow and parade out even for a 25 minute show. Guessed the ending just after he let in the hitchhiker to the car.

Very unpleasant episode and I predicted who the serial killed was from the start......overacting cheap sets whoever wrote this has a very warped mind.