To still be unnerved by tv programmes from childhood? (Light hearted)

[Ujjayi]

For years I have had a vague recollection of a chilling ghost story about a young girl transported back to Victorian times when she looks in a mirror. I have just remembered it was called "Come Back Lucy" & searched online for details... And I am freaked out all over again, despite being 43!

I love a good ghost story but I can't believe that was considered ok for me to watch. I must have only been 7 or 8 when it was shown.

Does anyone else recall it?

Also scared witless of what I think was The Singing Ringing Tree - the weird dwarf making thorn hedges spring up everywhere.

There was something that we used to watch at school, might have been words and pictures and one episode had a sort of pumpkin head on a stick, and it hopped around. Bloody terrifying, gave me nightmares.

Mypoo- Do you mean Wordy? I used to love him!!!

Boy from Space was scary though!

Yes to Moondial ! There is one scene I remember vividly as terrifying but I cannot remember what it was from. It had a group of children in a room in a flat with lots of trinkets and treasures and an old lady with lots of pale make-up and it was a reveal that she was the bad guy. I think there may have been an assistant in the room too. The children were trying to get away. Anyone got any idea what it was from? I can remember where I was sat on the sofa it freaked me out so much!

I used to get freaked out by Rentaghost - the characters were creepy! I didn't like it at all. I remember words and pictures, and wordy too! There was a school programme (might have been words and pictures) that showed two series called badger girl and dark towers, which were a bit creepy too but good!

I used to have to leave the room at the end of rentaghost before the ghostly laughter

I bet you're all too young to remember 'Quatermass and the Pit'. And 'The Trollenberg Terror'. Both these series traumatised me for life. If I watched them now I'd probably wonder why!
I also remember watching the very first Dr Who episode. From behind the sofa. The music alone made my blood run cold.
I used to read Marianne Dreams to my yr 7 classes. Terrifyingly horrific.

WestEast - I was going to say Through the Dragon's Eye. Bloody scary that was, though that was when I learnt the word 'quagmire', so jolly useful all things considered.

The tripods - was on BBC 1 in the 80s I think.

Wind farms freak me out nowadays, and I'm convinced it's due to the bloody tripods!

Armchair Thriller.....Rocking chair....Nun with no face......

Still freaks me out thinking about it

Umbongo- yes that was Charlotte Sometimes!!

Children of the Stones Tripods

I bought the dvds for my dc. Even though they do look very dated now my dc loved them.
I also have the complete series of the original Tomorrow People to watch when i have time

Did anyone else see 'The Boy Who Lost His Laugh'? It was really weird - the boy sold his laugh to this grim old baron and then he could win any bet he made. I remember finding the baron really scary and the whole set-up was just peculiar.

Damn you Google! I've found the Halloween episode of W&P and it's still very sinister....

duchess I was reading through this thread trying to remember the name of the program that freaked me out but all I could think of was that it had the word 'quagmire' in it !! Must have been quite a special episode to stick in our minds so clearly :)

Off to google through the dragons eye now.

We didn't have a television until 1956 and even then my parents rented it until they found that it was worth buying one.

One of my favourite programmes was Whirligig with Humphrey Lestocq. It was a detective programme where HL travelled everywhere in a bubble helicopter.

One thing that ought to be brought back is those classic stories serialised by the BBC on children's programmes. I distinctly remember Huntingtower (book by John Buchan) with Frazer Hines and Just William (by Richmal Crompton) with Dennis Waterman. All black and white which added atmosphere.

So glad I'm not the only one!

Bruffin was the Tomorrow People the one with the black & white titles at the beginning with weird images? I remember a hand opening and closing?

Hatespiders - I don't recall actually watching Quatermass but I was aware of it being eerie. Ditto Chocky. I never watched or read it. We had the book at home and just the front cover was enough to put me off.

TwittTwoo - I understand about your Rentaghost issues. Mr Claypole was particularly freaky...

Loving all the Words & Pictures references. Brings back happy memories of infant school, sitting on the carpet watching a huge tv!!

Just found the first episode of "Come Back Lucy" on youtube . I got as far as the opening titles before turning it off!! There is a house in our village which looks identical to the one in the show. I have always coveted it and even once went to look around when it was on the market...yeah, that's not going to happen now, is it?!

Flip, i remember the changes.. Freaked me out. The blond alien boy , was scared by him too! Great in the 70s, maybe they were carrying out experiments on us how frightened we could be?

I can't believe we've got this far without someone mentioning the Children of a Green Knowe. There was a big tree thing called Green Noah that came to life at night and a peacock would cry to warn people. That sound of a peacock's cry really freaks me out still!

Not a Green Knowe. Stupid iPad!

HappyAgainOneDay - I agree about the serialisation of children's stories. I loved watching The Psammead; wasn't so keen on Just William & The Borrowers though.

Another thing I loved was watching black & white movies and tv series. The original (I think) Sherlock Holmes series with Basil Rathbone as Holmes. Will Hay movies and Harold Lloyd.

I often think my DCs would like the original Sherlock Holmes in particular.

The Singing Ringing Tree was completely terrifying. It still scares me now.

I liked Rentaghost but yes, a bit scary, and didn't it have Audrey from Corrie in it ?

Another one that scared me was Lizzy Dripping and that horrible witch.

Frozenchipsareawful I think the 70s was a time of paranoia - an all pervading sense of something awful about to happen. Or at least my recollection of the tv programming suggests that!

Had totally forgotten about Lizzy Dripping!

Another through the dragons eye quagmire person here! How exciting. I bonded with someone at university over this too - are we all 29??

I did think TTDE was scary but I also loved it. I remember once being off sick for a week and watching it at home - peak happiness.

I was scared of the vortex at the end of the adventure game. An invisible force sending you into oblivion entirely by chance? Just a bit of fun.