Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense

^{Review by Sunday Simmons}

Television viewing during the 60s, 70s and well into the 80s, was littered with series’ focusing on the paranormal. The premise of supernatural occurrences happening to everyday folk was lapped up by viewers across the globe, and British creation Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (aired as Fox Mystery Theatre in the US), is an excellent example of just such a series. With an eclectic cast of well-known names from both British and American TV, its short run remains one of the best the 80s had to offer.

Hammer Horror films hold a special place in my heart, because I had parents who were horror fans, and therefore as a child I was allowed to stay up way past my bedtime to watch such classics as The Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, and The Abominable Snowman. Thus, a fledgling horror fan was spawned. Unfortunately, by the late 70s, the Hammer Horror franchise was in decline, and even the popularity of the 1980 TV series Hammer House of Horror (which was a fantastic watch), didn’t seem able to fix it.

In 1984, a new long form version of this brilliant series hit the screens, with the help of 20^th Century Fox, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense was born. Or Fox Mystery Theatre if you live on the other side of the pond. These 70-minute-long episodes of paranormal perfection aired between September and December 1984 and boasted a wealth of tv talent – from Dirk Benedict (The A Team, Battlestar Galactica) as a suave gambler in The Devil’s Mark, to David McCallum (Sapphire and Steel, Man from U.N.C.L.E.) in The Corvini Inheritance.  

Well received by public and critics alike, this series was also doomed to only have the one season. Thirteen episodes of top notch acting and suspenseful stories, and then it was no more. Massively underrated and sadly overlooked as time passed by, it’s a binge-worthy series that can hold its own alongside some of the most outstanding anthologies of today, most notably Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Stories, and Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror if we’re looking for good, modern day equivalents.

It’s difficult to choose a favourite episode, but if I were to pick a couple of the very best, I’d have to say Child’s Play is outstanding. When a family awakes to find their house completely sealed with them inside it, the story unfolds in the most unexpected way. Creeping fear, horrifying realisation, and an unimaginable ending make this episode a thrill to watch.

Another notable episode is Black Carrion. It has all the unnerving hallmarks of a well told ghost story. Searching for a ‘where are they now?’ scoop, a freelance journalist and his young assistant find more than they bargained for when they try to track down an ageing 60s pop duo. And that’s all I’m saying about that!

For me, the slightly longer run time – longer than a standard episode, shorter than a movie – is ideal. Just long enough to get your teeth into, but not too long that the plot gets lost with filler. The stellar cast and some truly creepy storylines make this series a must-see for fans who enjoy TV with a twist in the tale. If you loved Tales of the Unexpected, you’ll no doubt love Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense. Now streaming on JustWatch (at the time of writing – September 2024), I can’t recommend it highly enough!