Scorpion Tales: The Complete Series (1978) (DVD)

A series of six individual plays, each linked by the scorpion-like twist in its denouement, Scorpion Tales features some of Britain's most talented and renowned actors - including Trevor Howard, Geoffrey Palmer, Jack Shepherd, Don Henderson and Patrick Barr. The impressive diversity of the plays reflects the free hand given to a team of distinguished writers that includes Ian Kennedy-Martin (The Sweeney), Jeremy Burnham (The Avengers), Bob Baker and Dave Martin (Doctor Who)
the screenplays range from an engagingly devious account of a man's attempt to outwit a computer, to a tough drama about a jaded policeman who becomes the object of a homosexual vendetta, a chilling tale about a secret training course, and a supernatural story of a boy's attempt to gain his father's attention by invoking evil powers. The series is produced by David Reid (The Power Game), and directors include Shaun O'Riordan (Sapphire and Steel) and BAFTA winner Don Leaver (Prime Suspect, A Touch of Frost). First screened in 1978, the complete series is released here for the first time on DVD.