The Tales Of The Unexpected Podcast

It's been a second but we're back again. Still trying to make sense of our loss. I know Rob would have wanted us to carry on, but it has been tough to get into editing mode. That said, the show must go on, just at our usual relaxed pace, if that's ok…

Well, on the subject of relaxed pace, this time we’re playing chess. Although, as you’ll discover, G.B. Shaw is playing a slightly more complicated version than everyone else.

He's rich, intelligent, powerful, spectacularly confident and, apparently, the best chess player in the world. Not because he can move a bishop particularly well, but because he believes he can treat real life like a chessboard... oooooh, metaphors, gang.

So when he discovers that his wife Paula is having an affair, Shaw doesn’t do what most people might do. He doesn’t shout. He doesn’t sulk. He doesn’t dramatically throw a vase through a window.

No. He starts strategising.

Chris and Damo take a another post-watch deep dive into this dickhead's grandmaster-level thinking, his rather disturbing interpretation of strategy, and the small matter of what he believes is the perfect murder.

But this is TOTU, so naturally there’s a some twist that none of the chess pieces can do... OOOOOOOH another metaphor!.

Checkmate? Maybe.

Unexpected? Possibly.

A perfectly normal episode? Damn right.

Remembering Rob.

It's with profound sadness that we have to share the news that our friend, Rob, passed away a few weeks ago. The project we started to try and forget about real life took us on a proper adventure and sadly, we lost the voice of the show.

Podcasts are usually about the subject they're covering.

This one never really was.

Yes, we started by watching Tales of the Unexpected in order, discussing the twists, picking apart the plots and wandering off on countless tangents that often had very little to do with the episode itself. Somewhere along the way, though, it was very clear that this podcast was so much more than that.

For me, it became about friendship.

Rob wasn't just a voice on a podcast. He was the warmth behind the laughter, the king of the tangent, the master storyteller who could turn the simplest memory into something unforgettable. Whether he was making us laugh or taking us so far off topic we'd forgotten what episode we were discussing, he had a gift that can't be taught. He left people wanting more.

It's still difficult to put into words because, in so many ways, he's still such a huge part of this podcast. Every running joke, every ridiculous diversion and every burst of the unexpected carries a little piece of him. He helped shape what this podcast became, and that will never change.

This special episode of the TOTU podcast isn't a goodbye. It's a chance to spend some more time with Rob. To hear his best stories, his funniest moments and the conversations that reminded us all why we loved recording this podcast so much.

He was loved. He is loved. And he will always be missed.

Our thoughts, love and best wishes go to Helen and Rosie and our thanks go to you, Rob... for every laugh, every tangent, every story and every moment. This podcast wouldn't be what it is without you, and it never will be.

So, one last time...

Let's wander completely off topic.

New season. New twist. Same terrible life choices.

We're back at it… and for the first episode of Season 7, we’re getting shouted at by George Peppard. Which, regardless of perspective or context, is a right proper treat.

Fred Pearson’s time in Vietnam left him with a problem that followed him home: one particularly sadistic sergeant who seemed to take personal pleasure in making his life miserable. Years later, Fred’s confidence is shot, his career is going nowhere, and Sergeant Guedo is somehow still living rent-free in his head.

Chris and Damo march through military mind games, workplace trauma, and a pretty punchable authority figure. Along the way, they ponder whether Hannibal from The A-Team should really did love it when a plan came together.

Expect psychological warfare, bruised egos, and a dirty detail that turns out to be rather important indeed.

A perfectly normal way to kick off a new season, really.

________

In this episode we mention the work of Alex Guttridge from the Talk Toy To Me Podcast. A link has been included for you to jump into his legacy

Back!

Again!

… and this time we’re heading to the seaside for the Season 6 finale because nothing says “grand ending” like salt air, stubborn pride, simmering resentment and cheese wires.

Turn The Tide gives us old grudges, shifting fortunes, and that classic Tales atmosphere where everyone’s smiling politely while absolutely seething underneath. There’s dignity on the surface, desperation underneath, and a twist that rolls in slowly… like the tide. OOOOOH!

Chris and Damo wade through the tension, the emotional brinkmanship, the offer-accept-drink-and-repeat of white wine, and the important question of whether anyone has ever just… talked things through.

Plenty of nostalgia chat too - KnightRider, Street Hawk, Dempsey and Makepeace and helicopter johnnys.

Season finale energy - calm waters on top, something murky below. You can expect coastal gloom, brittle egos, and one final sting before season 7.

Back again… and this year’s Christmas Special is going full goth. Sepia style!!!

We’re diving into The Mezzotint by M. R. James, a tale that proves you don’t need jump scares, chains, or shouting - just a picture, a cursed family, and the creeping realisation that something in the corner has definitely moved.

Chris and Damo pore over cursed artwork, unsettling silence, Victorian restraint, scholarly denial and the festive joy of watching a ghost story politely ruin everyone’s evening.

Expect slow-burn dread, dry humour, and the comforting knowledge that Christmas is the perfect time for a deeply unpleasant haunting.

A normal festive episode, really. 👻🎄

Back again… FINALLY!

This one is all about love, vanity, and a miracle anti-ageing formula - which is already a perfect Tales' recipe. amiright?

Caroline Coates is climbing the TV ladder and determined to stay youthful while doing it. Enter Dr. Humphrey Baxter, a genius scientist with a face like a walnut and a potion that promises an eternal glow.

Chris and Damo unpack the unholy mix of science, ego, and thirsty ambition - and a smattering of Cagney and Lacy nostalgia. Will we ever answer the question; 'if a scientist offers you eternal youth, would you check for side effects or emotional baggage first?

As expected: glamour on top, menace underneath.

Back again… and this one's got dinner parties, dramatic exits, and a very unexpected main course.

Roger’s a sweet young doctor. His wife? Not so sweet. It takes one dinner party and suddenly the marriage is very over. But when she vanishes into the night, things take a turn. You won't want to miss Vera's mirrored bedroom. but there's also intrigue, dilemma, worry, mystery, and a twist that’s more than a little unearned (depending who you ask).

Chris and Damo pick through the emotional wreckage, ask important questions like “another episode, another trolley?” and marvel at yet another example of deeply questionable 80s relationship dynamics.

Back again… and this one’s steeped in upper-class guilt, overcooked lamb, and just a hint of vengeance.

Three posh ladies gather for a genteel little lunch in honour of their former nanny, Dench. But as the sherry flows and the niceties crack, it becomes clear their ‘tribute’ might be a touch self-serving.

Chris and Damo tuck into the snobbery, the shade, and the slow reveal that maybe Dench wasn’t quite the doormat they thought she was. Expect cut-glass accents, cold hearts, and a roast with a twist.

Unexpected? Naturally. Deserved? Oh yes.

Back again… and things are getting classy.

In this episode, a charming writer agrees to a “simple lunch” with a mysterious woman—what could possibly go wrong? Well, the bill for starters. Expect oysters, champagne, and an increasing sense that he's made a terrible, terrible mistake.

Chris and Damo pick apart the menu, the manners, and the mounting financial doom, with a side order of meat trolly and possibly the most British expression of silent panic ever televised.

Light on calories, heavy on the unexpected.

Damo and Chris, back again... and this one’s got all the ingredients: a smooth-talking German, a hotel with vibes, and a girl called Molly who may or may not be trouble.

Helmut’s just closed a deal, feeling good, and clearly in the mood to make some very poor life choices. There’s a bar tab, a warning from the world’s least subtle hotel detective who should absolutely have his own spin off, and a swift descent into classic 'Tales' chaos.

we're on hand to navigate the shifty twists, dodgy accents, and important questions like: how does a dracula copulate?

The rest is therapy...Unexpectedness, mild peril, and probably a bit of nostalgia.