User Reviews

Our episode begins with a cat bringing in something strange to the house of Michael Herbert and his family made up of Colonel Eddie Phelps, wife Gladys Herbert, and what may be his daughter, As stated the four believe the idem to be the usual bird or mouse usual to what cats do, but, are surprised to learn that its a pair of human fingers. Herbert and his family are rich and since there home is out to itself they decide to take the fingers wrap them up and put them in a shoe box, without the trouble of contacting the police. However, Michael decides to get to the bottom of the issue which leads him to the disappearance of a young farm hand. After unable to discover what happened to the missing man Herbert decides to contact the police, but, then a farmer named Tom Dickenson steps forward with answers. It's now up to Herbert and his family to decide what they will do next? I happened to come across this series one day just looking around Amazon, and the thought of an Anthony Perkins hosted suspense series really hooked me in. Sadly, this opening pilot episode is sorta short on suspense and heavy on tiresome. It runs 52 minutes witch is way to long, but, I'm not sure if knocking this thing down to a half hour would have done much good either. It's just a really dull story that doesn't get going till about 35 minutes in where they then start to tell you whats going on, and then hit you with a totally dull and pointless ending which I'm not sure even counts as a twist. There's happy pleasant music being played all threw out this and at times it feels and looks exactly like an episode of "Last of the Summer Wine". I really like Perkins opening and closing narrations, he comes of effectively creepy. I just hope the remaining 11 episodes give this show something to live up to.

The first episode of "Chillers" is a very witty satire on the stuffy country house Britishness and while the premise and execution are not exactly original or groundbreaking, its downright absurdist sense of humour (think Harold Pinter) makes for a fun viewing.

Colonel Phelps (Michael Hordern) and his morbid niece Phyllis (Amelia Shankley) are spending a pleasant weekend at the country house of one Michael Herbert (Edward Fox) and his wife Gladys (Rosalind Ayres) when their idyll is broken by the Herbert's cat that brings in a pair of human fingers. Their first instinct is to hide them from the housekeeper before indulging in a nice snack. Then Herbert and Phelps decide to investigate the matter on their own so as not to disturb the police on a weekend ("Wouldn't be decent"). Their investigation, however, is less concerned with finding the killer or justice as it is with keeping the status quo of British comfort and respectability.

Although a strange premiere for a series alternatively known as "Chillers" and "Mistress of Suspense", this entertaining and genuinely funny humoresque works largely due to an excellent script by Douglas Livingstone and the simply superb cast whose deadpan delivery and mannered performances would make Mr Pinter proud. Fox and Hordern are particularly good and their transparently conspiratorial behaviour as they "investigate" made me laugh out loud more than once. Bill Nighy is also excellent as the dead man's former employer who simply can't be bothered with the fact the man is dead.

Very funny and excellently executed even if it isn't bubbling with originality.