The Barbara Vine Mysteries

The Barbara Vine Mysteries is a British television mystery drama series, principally written by Sandy Welch and Jacqueline Holborough and directly solely by Tim Fywell, that first broadcast on BBC1 on 10 May 1992.^[1]

The Barbara Vine Mysteries
Genre	Mystery
Created by	Ruth Rendell
Written by	Sandy Welch Jacqueline Holborough
Directed by	Tim Fywell
Starring	Douglas Hodge Jeremy Northam Saira Todd Michael Sheen Paul Rhys Arkie Whiteley Helena Bonham Carter Celia Imrie Sophie Ward
Composer	David Ferguson
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer	Rosanna Roditi
Producer	Phillippa Giles
Cinematography	Barry McCann Rex Maidment
Editor	Paul Garrick
Running time	50 minutes
Production company	BBC Worldwide
Original release
Network	BBC1
Release	10 May 1992 (1992-05-10) – 3 January 1994 (1994-01-03)

Adapted from a series of novels written by Ruth Rendell under the pseudonym of Barbara Vine, the series was the BBC's attempt to rival ITV's ratings winner The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, which was set to lose its lead actor, George Baker, in the same year. Three series were broadcast, with the final episode broadcasting on 3 January 1994, shortly before The Ruth Rendell Mysteries went back into production, adapting Rendell's novels without the character of Inspector Wexford for the first time.

Certain aspects of each of the novels were modified for their television adaptations; the most notable of these being A Dark-Adapted Eye, which saw its storyline significantly altered, including the introduction of an entirely new character, an Italian lawyer played by Ciarán Hinds, who does not feature in the book.^[2] All three series were released as a complete box set via 2|Entertain DVD on 31 October 2005.^[3]

Cast

A Fatal Inversion

• Douglas Hodge as Adam
• Jeremy Northam as Rufus
• Saira Todd as Zosie
• Rachel Joyce as Anne
• Patricia Kerrigan as Marigold
• Gordon Warnecke as Shiva
• Michael Simkins as D.C. Stretton
• Julia Ford as Vivien
• Janet Steel as Lily
• Philip Bowen as Alec Chipstead
• Jane Wymark as Meg Chipstead
• Nicholas Woodeson as Insp. Winder
• Clara Salaman as Mary
• Philip Glenister as D.C. McCann

Gallowglass

• Michael Sheen as Joe
• Paul Rhys as Sandor
• Arkie Whiteley as Nina
• John McArdle as Paul Garnet
• Gary Waldhorn as Ralph Apsoland
• Harriet Owen as Jessica
• Claire Hackett as Tilly
• Nerys Hughes as Diana
• Barbara Hicks as Joan
• Trevor Cooper as Stan
• Paolo Giovannucci as Cesare
• Susan Porrett as Doreen
• Bruno Scipioni as Adelmo
• Stefanie McFeat as Debbie

A Dark-Adapted Eye

• Helena Bonham Carter as Faith Severn
• Celia Imrie as Vera
• Sophie Ward as Eden
• Robin Ellis as John
• Bernice Stegers as Vranni
• William Gaminara as Andrew
• Pip Torrens as Chad
• Rachel Bell as Mrs. Morell
• Steven Mackintosh as Francis
• Polly Adams as Helen
• Kelly Marcel as Young Vera
• David Cann as Albert March
• Jane Hollowood as Mrs. March
• Randal Herley as General
• Richard Syms as Rev. Morell
• Emma Shaw as Josie Cambus

Episodes

Series 1 (1992)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Original airdate
1	"A Fatal Inversion: Part 1"	Sandy Welch	Tim Fywell	10 May 1992 (1992-05-10)
Five students who share a terrible secret vow never to see each other again, but when the bodies of a woman and child are unearthed, a twelve-year-old tragedy is revealed.[1]
2	"A Fatal Inversion: Part 2"	Sandy Welch	Tim Fywell	17 May 1992 (1992-05-17)
Rufus' chilling words echo across the twelve years that separate him and Adam as they prepare to confront their terrible past.[4]
3	"A Fatal Inversion: Part 3"	Sandy Welch	Tim Fywell	24 May 1992 (1992-05-24)
The police investigation into the murder closes in on Adam and Rufus. Both have everything to lose, but are powerless to stop events as the appalling truth begins to unfold.[5]

Series 2 (1993)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Original airdate
1	"Gallowglass: Part 1"	Jacqueline Holborough	Tim Fywell	10 January 1993 (1993-01-10)
Joe's attempt at committing suicide by throwing himself in front of an oncoming tube train is prevented by the handsome and charming Sandor, who then insists that Joe's life now belongs to him. Now a 'gallowglass', Joe is forced to assist Sandor with the kidnapping of a wealthy married woman, Nina, whom Sandor is obsessed with. Sandor's adopted sister, Tilly, also assists with the plot, kidnapping the daughter of Nina's bodyguard.[6]
2	"Gallowglass: Part 2"	Jacqueline Holborough	Tim Fywell	17 January 1993 (1993-01-17)
Paul ignores the demands of the kidnappers who are out to get the "princess", believing he can handle the situation himself.[7]
3	"Gallowglass: Part 3"	Jacqueline Holborough	Tim Fywell	24 January 1993 (1993-01-24)
The kidnappers are holding Jessica but still want Nina, forcing Paul to choose between his daughter and the woman he is in love with. When the ransom is finally paid, Nina and the child are both released; forcing Sandor to take his own life by jumping into the path of an oncoming train, as Joe watches on. Nina is then lured to her death by Gianni, a former gay partner of Sandor, and her body is found buried in woodland a few days later. Sandor's mother, who had no other children, then accepts Joe as her second son, and he begins a relationship with Tilly.[8]

Series 3 (1994)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Original airdate
1	"A Dark-Adapted Eye: Part 1"	Sandy Welch	Tim Fywell	2 January 1994 (1994-01-02)
Faith is evacuated from London to live with her aunts Vera and Eden in idyllic rural Suffolk, but behind the village's picturesque facade lies a history of hatred that finally explodes into violence.[9]
2	"A Dark-Adapted Eye: Part 2"	Sandy Welch	Tim Fywell	3 January 1994 (1994-01-03)
The smouldering tension between sisters Vera and Eden escalates to a murderous climax. And the older she becomes, the more Faith realises she must confront the dark secrets of a family that will never bare its soul.[10]

References

1. "A Fatal Inversion - 10 May 1992". BBC Genome. 10 May 1992. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
2. Tracie Cooper (2007). "A Dark Adapted Eye (1994)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
3. "Barbara Vine - A Fatal Inversion / A Dark Adapted Eye / Gallowglass [1992-1994]". Amazon. 31 October 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
4. "A Fatal Inversion - 17 May 1992". BBC Genome. 17 May 1992. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
5. "A Fatal Inversion - 24 May 1992". BBC Genome. 24 May 1992. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
6. "Gallowglass - 10 January 1993". BBC Genome. 10 January 1993. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
7. "Gallowglass - 17 January 1993". BBC Genome. 17 January 1993. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
8. "Gallowglass - 24 January 1993". BBC Genome. 24 January 1993. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
9. "A Dark Adapted Eye - 2 January 1994". BBC Genome. 2 January 1994. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
10. "A Dark Adapted Eye - 3 January 1994". BBC Genome. 3 January 1994. Retrieved 12 January 2019.

External links

• A Fatal Inversion at IMDb
• Gallowglass at IMDb
• A Dark Adapted Eye at IMDb