Chiller (TV series)

Chiller is a five-part British horror fantasy anthology television series, produced by Yorkshire Television, that first broadcast on ITV on 9 March 1995.[1] Described by The Guardian as ITV's "answer to The X Files",[2] the series was inspired by, but unconnected to, the 1991 Channel 4 thriller Gray Clay Dolls, which broadcast under the Chiller banner, the series featured writing contributions from renowned playwrights Stephen Gallagher, Glenn Chandler and Anthony Horowitz.[1]

Chiller
GenreSupernatural
Written by
Directed by
Starring
Composers
Country of origin
  • United Kingdom
Original language
  • English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes5 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer
  • David Reynolds
Producers
Production location
  • United Kingdom
Cinematography
  • Alan Pyrah
  • Chris O'Dell
Editors
  • Tim Ritson
  • Clive Trist
Running time60 minutes
Production company
Release
Original network
Original release9 March (1995-03-09) –
27 April 1995 (1995-04-27)

Each story involves, to some extent, a supernatural element; and also a number of leading British actors, including the likes of Nigel Havers, Martin Clunes, John Simm, Peter Egan and Kevin McNally.[1] Lawrence Gordon Clark, a former showrunner for the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas strand, acts as executive producer, alongside David Reynolds and Peter Lover.[3] The series' opening episode, Prophecy, was adapted from a story by novelist Peter James.[3] The complete series of Chiller was released on Region 2 DVD via Network Distributing on 1 July 2013.[4] Shout! Factory, copyright holders of the series, uploaded all five episodes to YouTube on 31 October 2018 as part of their Halloween celebrations.[5]

Reception

George Bass, writing for The Guardian wrote; "Chiller is worth it for Toby alone, but the other four stories will spook you out too. Martin Clunes appears an overworked and sceptical professional; such characters recur, particularly in opener The Prophecy. We watch as death catches up with a circle of college friends, only one of whom (a young Sophie Ward) was smart enough to see that there may be trouble ahead after a ouija board delivers the verdict death/death/death."[2]

He continued; "It’s a tale that bears astonishing similarities to the Final Destination film franchise. Then there are the blinkered sceptics standing firm against overwhelming evidence, and contrived deaths galore. Chiller is reminder of a time when networks weren’t afraid of giving horror writers free rein. It also features John Simm as a seriously ill young man, delivering the line: “If it wasn’t for the murders, and all the psychiatric problems, and me breaking into your house and bringing you here, and everything, do you think you could’ve taken to me at all?”[2]

In a review of Prophecy, critic David Howe praised the serial as "...the tale of eerie coincidence and death rattled along at a tremendous pace, leaving the viewer breathless. At the end of it, I found myself wondering whether I had just watched a 90 minute film, rather than a 50 minute drama, such was the amount of characterisation and plot that Gallagher managed to cram in."[6] However, Howe criticised the relationship between the widowed aristocrat Oliver Halkin (Nigel Havers) and Fransesca "Fanny" Monsanto (Sophie Ward), under the grounds that Ward was young enough to be Havers' daughter and argued that it was implausible that the young people who attended the seance did not visibly age over the course of the five years afterwards.[6]

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byBritish air date
1 "Prophecy"Lawrence Gordon ClarkStephen Gallagher9 March 1995 (1995-03-09)

Cast

When a group of friends hold a séance in the basement of a London café they each receive a prophecy. Five years later and the prophecies have started to come true, but who made them and what is the connection with Oliver Halkin and his troubled son Edward?

2 "Toby"Bob MahoneyGlenn Chandler16 March 1995 (1995-03-16)

Cast

Ray and Louise Knight tragically lose Toby, their unborn baby, in a car accident. Although Louise has not made love since the accident, she soon discovers she's pregnant again. A routine scan reveals she is not pregnant, but her body insists she is. Incredibly, she goes to full term and even into labor, but to everyone's bewilderment, there's no baby. Then one night, Louise hears crying from the nursery and finds an old man with special powers who tells her that Toby is present and playing a horrible game with her.

3 "Here Comes the Mirror Man"Lawrence Gordon ClarkStephen Gallagher30 March 1995 (1995-03-30)

Cast

When the schizophrenic Gary Kingston murders his social worker, his case is handed over to the unsuspecting Anna Spalinsky. Social Services know that when Gary doesn't take his medication his "friend" Michael can exert an undue influence over him. But Gary knows the truth - that Michael is really a demon.

4 "The Man Who Didn't Believe in Ghosts"Bob MahoneyAnthony Horowitz13 April 1995 (1995-04-13)

Cast

Richard Cramer, a professional de-bunker of the paranormal, moves into Windwhistle Hall with his family, only to find themselves involved in a series of unexplained events and accidents. They must uncover whether it is a series of bizarre coincidences, or hauntings of the former occupant's ghost.

5 "Number Six"Rob WalkerAnthony Horowitz27 April 1995 (1995-04-27)

Cast

Jack Taylor is the homicide detective investigating the murders of five children. Aware that the serial killer is likely to strike for the sixth time, he discovers a connection to an ancient Druidic site, and learns that the consequences of failing to stop the next killing would be far more horrifying and personal than he could ever have imagined.

References
  1. "Chiller (ITV 1995, Martin Clunes, John Simm)". Memorable TV. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  2. "Chiller box set review – creepy tales of phantom foetuses and ouija boards". The Guardian. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  3. "Chiller – TV series, UK, 1995". Horrorpedia. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  4. "Chiller - The Complete Series [DVD] [1995]". Amazon. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  5. "Chiller - Series 1, Episode 1". YouTube. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  6. Howe, David (March 1995). "Review of Prophecy". The British Fantasy Society. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
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