In Thirteenth Day Of Christmas a festive card game get together with old friends takes on murderous intent for Gilbert and Evelyn Smith when their mentally ill son Richard becomes fixated by the idea that his real father was killed and replaced by Gilbert.
Like all of the Time For Murders this was basically a return to the early days of UK TV with small number of sets, this one is very dialogue heavy and most of the action takes place around the card table with tension being cranked by judicious cutting away to the disturbed Richard. Very sinister though.
Gordon Honeycombe is probably best remembered these days for being newsreader during the early years of ITV breakfast show TV-AM.
production details
UK / ITV – Granada / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast 14 December 1985
Writer: Gordon Honeycombe / Costumes: Esther Dean / Music: Paul Lewis / Production Design: Michael Grimes / Executive Producer: Michael Cox / Producer: Pieter Rogers / Director: Patrick Lau
Series: Time For Murder Episode 6 of 6
cast
PATRICK ALLEN as Gilbert Smith
ELIZABETH SPRIGGS as Evelyn Smith
JOHN WHEATLEY as Richard Smith
JOAN MOON as Juliet Smith
JAMES BREE as Bill Norton
RHODA LEWIS as Meg Norton
