Talking Pictures TV announced they will be re-running the World War II drama Manhunt, starting in December 2024. The TV series previously aired on the channel in November 2023, continuing for a time.
What is Manhunt?
Manhunt stars Alfred Lynch as a British pilot who crashes in occupied France, and must evade the Nazis to make his way back home. London Weekend Television produced the series in 1969 and aired in 1970. The 26 episodes are 50 minutes long.
The series was well respected for portraying Nazi officers with more nuance than just the cruel, blindly obedient fools often depicted in war movies.
Familiar Faces
The two actors who play the Nazi officers on his trail will be well-known to British audiences: the first is Robert Hardy, famous for All Creatures Great and Small and countless other films and television projects. The second may be best recognised to generations of viewers as the German Officer in the Dad’s Army episode featuring the eponymous line “Don’t tell him Pike!”, Philip Madoc.
The Talking Pictures Schedule
The Talking Pictures TV schedule changes all the time, with regular updates about ‘new’ programming. Recent arrivals have included Victorian Scandals, Z Cars, Travelling Man and Beau Geste.
Jamie’s Reaction
It’s great to see Talking Pictures opting to rerun this series once more. Because of the drawn-out nature of their programming, stretched out to one episode a week, it never feels like a show outstays its welcome. This means that when they run it again sometime later, it still feels fresh!
I have no doubt it’ll attract a new audience, as well as those who saw it in 1970.