18:00 – Sheepy’s opening caption and music.
18:05 – Thames TV morning start-up music.
18:10 – The Tyrant King S01E02 – Don’t Walk – Run!– A six-part children’s serial drama made by ABC Weekend TV and screened by Thames Television in 1968. It was dramatised from the book of the same name by Aylmer Hall, adapted for television by Trevor “Ace of Wands” Preston, and produced and directed by Mike “Get Carter” Hodges. It was notable for its use of a progressive music soundtrack, including music from The Rolling Stones, The Moody Blues, Cream, and in particular, The Nice (whose song “The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack”, from the album of the same name, was the title track), and Pink Floyd (whose song “Saucerful of Secrets”, also from the album of the same name :-), was plundered extensively, including for the end credits).
A strange phone call and a wallet found in an old dark house lead three teenagers and their dog to follow a mysterious character across London. First broadcast on Thu 10th Oct 1968 by ITV.
With Candace “Nicholas and Alexandra” Glendenning, Murray “Bilis Manger” Melvin, Philip “Your name vill also go down on ze list” Madoc and Eddie McMurray & Kim Fortune. The series was commissioned by London Transport, which may well explain how any semblance of a plot is largely subsumed by the children visiting one London tourist attraction after another – just enjoy the music and shots of vintage London! Although shot entirely on film in colour (it served as the pilot project for what became Thames’ TV film production unit Euston Films), it was only ever transmitted in monochrome – hence the b/w Thames ident – and was unseen in colour until its DVD release. Previously shown on CABTV on Sheepy Fill-In Stream #20 – Thu 2022/09/01 at 11.07pm.
18:34 – Timeslip S01E09 – The Time of the Ice Box E03/06 – An increasingly duplicitous Traynor convinces Simon to return through the time barrier against the wishes of Liz’s parents. First broadcast on Mon 23rd Nov 1970 by ITV. Previously shown on CABTV on the seventh Pleasant Phil_A Sunday – Sun 2019/09/29 at 5.20pm.
18:59 – Clangers (New) S02E04 – Snow Business – This week, the cloud goes on holiday in space, but returns freezing cold and snowing, not raining. First broadcast on Thu 14th Sep 2017 at 6pm by CBeebies.
19:10 – UFO S01E13(P17) – Sub-Smash – a 1970 British science fiction television series about the covert efforts of an international defence organisation (under the auspices of the United Nations) to prevent an alien invasion of Earth. It was created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade’s Century 21 for Grade’s ITC Entertainment company.
This week, after an underwater UFO has attacked and sunk a freight ship in the ocean, Straker, Foster and SHADO lieutenant Nina Barry join a submarine crew to find out what they can. However, they too are attacked by the UFO’s vessel and, as a result, their submarine is grounded on a ledge. Straker has to overcome his claustrophobia in order to work out an escape plan. First broadcast on Wed 11th Nov 1970 at 8pm by ITV in the ATV region. This is supposed to be a good ‘un! This episode has a commentary by Ed Straker, that I plan to show on August Bank Holiday Monday, all being well.
20:00 – Tales of the Unexpected S04E13 – There’s One Born Every Minute – This week, a husband and wife receive a large legacy but it only causes problems between them. First broadcast on Sun 28th June 1981. Featuring Frank Finlay, Peter Copley and Deryck Guyler.
20:26 – The Sweeney S01E11 – Big Spender – Jack Regan and George Carter are hard-edged detectives in the Flying Squad of London’s Metropolitan Police. They pursue villains by methods which are underhanded and often illegal, frequently violent and – more often than not – successful.
This week, the Smith Brothers, a vicious group of mobsters, abandon their usual strong-arm tactics to run a parking ticket scam at a car park. First broadcast on Thu 13th Mar 1975 by ITV. Featuring Warren Mitchell, Catherine “S1999: Maya” Schell, Peter “Crackerjack” Glaze(!), Sally “B7:Jenna” Knyvette, Godfrey James and Julian Holloway.
21:16 – Kinvig S01E04 – The Big Benders – a 1981 sci-fi comedy television series made by London Weekend Television which ran for one series of seven episodes. It was the only sitcom written by Nigel Kneale, who was more famous for creating serious science fiction dramas such as Quatermass and its sequels, and it was directed and produced by Les Chatfield, with original music by Nigel Hess. It starred Tony Haygarth, Patsy Rowlands, Prunella Gee and Colin Jeavons, with appearances by Danny Schiller, Stephen Bent, Simon Williams and Patrick Newell.
This week, Des and Jim fear that the Xux are going to inflict spoon-bending mental powers on humanity in order to create chaos. First broadcast on Fri 25th Sept 1981 by ITV.
21:41 – The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder S02E03 – The Shadow Man – a British television series which was originally broadcast on ITV in two series from 1969 to 1971. It is based on a series of novels and short stories written by Edgar Wallace featuring the character of J.G. Reeder, who had appeared in several film adaptations in the late 1930s. Sixteen episodes were made, all but two in black-and-white. Reeder is a mild-mannered civil servant at the Department of Public Prosecutions with an extraordinary gift for solving complex crimes, due to being able to think exactly like a criminal.
This week, Hallaty, Manager of a Bank has vanished, and a quarter of a million has disappeared from the Vault. Reeder is called in to investigate.. First broadcast on Wed 3rd May 1971 by ITV. Featuring, amongst others, Colin Baker and John Stratton (the ESP man from a recent UFO, and also Shockeye in DW: The Two Doctors). Written by Trevor “Ace of Wands” Preston.
22:33 – Eurotrash S11E09 – The legendary late-night magazine show starring Antoine de Caunes, exploring unusual and bizarre topics from Europe and around the world. This week, in the last of yhe 11th series, we have Sandy Valentino, Miss France, Mad Hat Woman, Petra Perle, Eat On Me, Tatjana, Lars Von Trier, Chantal, Oliviero Toscani, Sex By The Book, Micheline Dax. First broadcast on Fri 15th Jan 1999 by Channel 4.
22:55 – (Thriller S02E08 –) Who Killed Lamb? – a British television anthology series, made by ATV for the ITV network and originally broadcast in the UK from 1973 to 1976. As the title suggests, each story is a thriller of some variety, from tales of the supernatural to down-to-earth whodunits. The series was created by Brian Clemens (of The Avengers, The Professionals, and many others fame), who also scripted the majority of the episodes and story-lined every installment.
However, this week’s episode was NOT actually an episode of Thriller! It was shown in the same slot after the end of Thriller Series 2, and was billed in the TV Times as an episode of Thriller, but it absolutely wasn’t! Made by Yorkshire TV, not ATV, it was a one-off TV movie that just happened to end up in the same slot. (Thus, no alternate US titles either.) Although IMDb lists it as Thriller S02E08, Wikipedia gives it its own article, and rightly so. However, Network included it on the Thriller DVD boxset as a special bonus feature, so here it is!
This week, a popular member of the Oxford community is killed, and nobody can think why, so a police inspector is called in from Scotland Yard, and discovers they may be more to the victim than met anyone’s eye. First broadcast on Sat 16th Mar 1974 by ITV. Starring Stanley Baker, Dennis Lill & David Swift, and featuring, amongst others, Derek Francis, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Simon Fisher-Turner, Peter Sallis, Artro Morris, Bruce Boa, Cyril Shaps, John Challis, and Cheryl Hall.
00:01 – UFO S01E13(P17) – Sub-Smash – Repeated from earlier for our late-night viewers.
00:51 – The Tyrant King S01E02 – Don’t Walk – Run! – Repeated from earlier for our late-night viewers.
01:15 – Timeslip S01E09 – The Time of the Ice Box E03/06 – Repeated from earlier for our late-night viewers.
01:40 – Closedown music.
01:45 – Closedown.