Shadows

Like some others here I have only vague memories of this series, but remember being freaked out by it at around the age of ten. There seem to have been quite a few series in the 1970s that tapped a vein of supernatural terror, often with Celtic overtones or suggestions of folkloric nastiness. Another I remember vividly was 'Children of the Stones'.

The episode of "Shadows" I recall featured some people who were trapped in the bottom story of a country house or possibly a windmill converted into a house. They were being threatened by the trees outside - branches were bursting through the windows and poking around to get at them.

Would be interesting to see again, but don't know if it'd stand up now - such shows seem more intense when you're younger and less cheesy.

There was another episode where two boys were kept in after school and they answered a questionnaire with exactly the same answers. And one about kids in a railway waiting station that went back in time.

My sister and I had to hide behind the couch often during the show as we were so scared.

Anyone know how to get a copy? My sister and I have been searching for this for years.

I think it's Thames Television that produced the 3 series but there are very few references on the web.

The one where the girl goes small - she is looking at a doll house in a museum and goes inside of that.

In the one with the Dad in motorcycle helmet there is a vase with an eye that turned around and I think this was what "possessed" him.

The first two series were very good for children and adults alike. I loved seeing the future stars of stage and screen including Jenny Agutter, Pauline Quirke and Sophie Ward and a few who became Children's TV presenters. The third series was pretty awful. Bad acting, stories and a lot of green screen scenes. It turned into a pantomime or even a parody of itself. It just became too silly for a fourth series to be made.

Some of the Shadows series are now being repeated on Talking Pictures chanell 81 on Freeview. They are very dated now, but always good to to see who appears in each episode. Jenny Agutter making a memorable appearance in one of them. A reviewer noted an episode featuring a dance with people wearing deer headgear, that was on this month, September 2019. Happy viewing!

I vaguely remember the series too - I remember one episode about a woman staying at a hotel and met a ghost from the past, who hadn't heard of Heathrow Airport.

There was also an episode of a girl left home in the dark alone, and her Dad returns, acting strangely, and quite scarily in his motorbike helmet. The house looked quite eerie in just the flashing lights of a pedestrian crossing outside.

I have even hazier memories of another episode where a child shrinks to the size of his/her toy soldiers and dolls, and they come alive.

Not much help I know, but maybe it might trigger a few more memories for people? I remember the story of "the other window" as being the scariest episode for me.