"Tales of the Unexpected"
The Wrong 'Un (1983)

Director:

Leonard Lewis

Writers:

Paul Ableman (dramatisation)
Michael Brett (story)

TV Series:

"Tales of the Unexpected" (1979)

Original Air Date:

11 June 1983 (Season 6, Episode 9)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Cult TV | Bizarre | Famous Opening Theme | Anthology | Supernatural

Cast

Andrew Ray	...	Cranmer Oakes
Lucy Gutteridge	...	Molly
Constantine Gregory	...	Helmut Weinrich
Elspeth March	...	Mrs. Carson
Daragh O'Malley	...	Jimmy
Graham Weston	...	Businessman
Richard Foxton	...	Assistant Manager
Alpana Sengupta	...	Receptionist
Carrie Lee Baker	...	Maid (as Carrie Lee-Baker)
John King	...	Taxi Driver

"Today Coventry, tomorrow the World!" Decent Tales of the Unexpected episode.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Tales of the Unexpected: The Wrong 'Un starts as rich German businessman Helmut Weinrich (Constantine Gregory) overhears an argument between a pretty Scottish woman named Molly (Lucy Gutteridge) & a bartender named Jimmy (Daragh O'Malley) in his hotel who wants to chuck her out, Weinrich steps in & says that Molly is with him & buys her a drink. Molly gives Weinrich a story about her boyfriend being delayed so despite a warning from Cranmer Oakes (Andrew Ray) the hotel security officer he invites her back to his room, Jimmy calls Cranmer & tells him Weinrich took Molly to his room so sensing a potential problem Cranmer pays Weinrich a visit & is shocked to find him passed out in a chair & Molly lying dead on the bathroom floor...

This Tales of the Unexpected story was episode 9 from season 6 that originally aired here in the UK during June 1983, the second of two Tales of the Unexpected episodes to be directed by Leonard Lewis this is a decent enough tale of a crime with a twist that this series specialised in. The story by Michael Brett was dramatised by Paul Ableman & feels like many episodes from this show in the sense that there's a ingenious crime taking place that ends with a surprise ending. This particularly one is a huge con & is clever enough, it moves along at a decent pace, the character's are alright but that German businessman is a bit over-the-top & if you examine it too closely then you can find all sorts of plot holes in it. At only 30 odd minutes it's worth a watch but is nothing special or as far as this series goes original.

As usual this looks pretty cheap & hasn't dated that well. The acting is alright from the solid Brit cast.

The Wrong 'Un is a good crime drama with a twist that Tales of the Unexpected is famed for, unfortunately after a while they all sort of blur together & too many basic ideas & themes started being used too often during the shows latter seasons.