TV: Out Of The Unknown

Out Of The Unknown

Superb anthology show boasting a Who's Who of science fiction talent.

Producer Irene Shubik launched Out of the Unknown after the success of her show Out of This World on ITV. Hosted by Boris Karloff, the latter showcased a different 50-minute science fiction story each week. Some were adaptations of existing short stories, others original teleplays.

For Out of the Unknown Shubik moved to the BBC, but the format (minus Karloff) was the same – only with noticeably better production values. Between 1965 and 1971, the show produced a total of 49 episodes, employing a breathtaking list of talent.

Writers whose stories were adapted for the series included Isaac Asimov, John Wyndham, and E.M. Forster. Screenplays were penned by the likes of Terry Nation (inventor of the Daleks), Troy Kennedy Martin, Nigel Kneale, and J.B. Priestley, and Ridley Scott designed an episode.

After three series, despite moving to colour, the BBC felt the programme was losing viewers. The fourth series switched from science fiction to supernatural stories, before the programme was axed in 1971. Sadly, many episodes are now lost.

Work nominated by theThirdPoliceman and elwood_p_dowd.