RICHARD PHILLIPS-JONES continues his journey through Brian Clemens’ classic British anthology series with a case of haunting and possible possession…
TITLE: Thriller – Possession
BROADCAST: 21 April 1973
STARRING: John Carson, Joanna Dunham, Hilary Hardiman, Athol Coats, James Cossins
WRITER: Brian Clemens
DIRECTOR: John Cooper
When blissfully married couple Ray and Penny Burns (played by Carson and Dunham respectively) find what appears to be the perfect home, they are quick to seal a deal to buy it, despite Penny’s slight reservations about the place. It turns out she’s right to be a bit wary, as the house was the site of a nasty murder 20 years earlier, and the event still haunts the place in more ways than one.
The perpetrator was never found, mainly because the victim is still simply presumed missing, at least until a workman tries to locate the central heating pipes in the basement. Meanwhile, John begins acting strangely, whilst a local clairvoyant tries to assist as Penny becomes fearful for her own safety…
Two episodes into its run, the series delivers its first entry with a supernatural theme, although Brian Clemens delivers a very neat twist which subverts what you might normally expect from a tale of hauntings, mediums and nasty surprises in the cellar.
Possession is a finely crafted and atmospheric entry which may even have surprises for the most hardened viewer of this kind of thing. A quality cast puts everything into it, Carson in particular giving a dignified performance.
Thanks for the review. I liked this episode and it gave me chills to watch it. The British are always good at suggesting things—and the suspense is genuine here.
I like the character of the clairvoyant, Cecily Rafting played by the well-casted Hilary Hardiman. Rafting draws our attention through her simple, non-verbal moves and the seance alone is worth the price of admission.