Jeremy Benjamin I remember seeing Thriller back in the mid-1970's when I was about ten. I found it the most terrifying TV series I have seen before or since! It had a memorable creepy theme tune accompanied by fish-eye lens shots of the locations used in that week's story, with a blood red surround. You never knew what to expect from an episode, some being supernatural, others being real world whodunits or Hitchcock style dramas. Some of the mysteries are very intriguing, and the direction is always good. Thriller can be criticised as being of its time in some negative ways, such as being slow moving, having a lot of stock characters, being predictable, and having plot holes. Also, the great clunking fist of Lord Grade appears frequently in the form of many characters being irrelevantly American to please ABC, who reportedly paid $100,000 per episode! But when you look at almost any good TV series many years later you see these sort of faults, and Thriller is inventive, frightening and enjoyable enough to brush its bad points aside. A few years after its first showing, the series was broken up into stand alone TV films with rubbish music/credits replacing the classic theme with the fish-eye lens shots. This made the episodes easier to repeat, as they were no longer officially a series, but it meant subsequent generations of viewers have been less aware of this fine series, and it would have been forgotten were it not for online fan-sites creating demand for the superb 16 disc boxed DVD set of all 43 episodes.

geffers I am writing this at the time when a DVD has been released, and I've worked through about 3/4 of the long series. I was young when the series first aired, and only vaguely remember any of the stories. Strangely the DVD's are labelled "18", and yet it's hard to see why, because certainly the stories contain no swearing or sex, and the violence is restrained, with barely a spot of blood in sight.Although there are many mystery and suspense TV programmes, especially made in the 60's and 70's, Thriller has many unique points which mark it out as something special, and to be treasured.Firstly, each show contains completely new characters so it can go in any direction it likes - it can kill off the main character - the bad guys can win or lose. One thing is sure, things are not what they always seem.Secondly, the programme has its foot planted firmly in reality. Only once in a while does Thriller put a supernatural hat on.Thirdly, there's long enough in the 65 minutes to develop a full engaging storyline.Fourthly it's a chance to see some of the great British actors who were working in the 1970's. The one with Helen Mirren is worth looking out for, because she looks so stunning.It's possible to compare against Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense, but the latter tends to display predictable plots, and once you see where the story is going it goes there - Thriller on the other hand is likely to turn events around, so just when you think you understand what's happening, a new direction is reached, or the final denouement is done in a way you didn't expect.There are very few lemons in the series, perhaps the occasional sub-part story in the first series.The only annoying thing is the token American which seems to be in every single story - presumably to make the series attractive to the USA market.

nick-799 Agree with previous comments. Anybody in the UK around 40 - who remembers that haunting theme tune and the blood red fish-eye logo will get a tingle when the word Thriller is mentioned. I remember vividly watching episodes of this fine series with my twin brother while wolfing down our Nan's "cheesy chips". Remember the assassins in the blind school?!!!!!! The series is available on DVD at last and there are plans to release a Series 2. Episodes comprise: 1. Lady Killer 2. Possession 3. Someone At The Top Of The Stairs 4. An Echo Of Theresa 5. The Colour Of Blood 6. Murder In Mind 7. A Place To Die 8. File It Under Fear 9. The Eyes Have It 10. Spell Of Evil. DVD is UK format only - and retails at around £18-00. Buy it! - it will bring back glorious memories of Saturday evening viewing in the 70's and though some episodes are more dated than others - all have something to recommend them.

Jerry Ables I remember watching this series in syndication in the 1980s with the episodes formatted as TV movies and I always had a lot of fun watching it. The episodes were always very entertaining with plenty of good mystery and suspense and led up to an exciting climax. Brian Clemens displayed a great deal of creative talent with how well written the episodes always were. How sad it is that this series isn't better remembered!