Watch for Free the Best TV Series You've Never Seen

In the 1950s and 1960s, there were several anthology series on television that even today are regarded as classics of what television could be and do. Three of the most memorable anthology series - Alfred Hitchcock Presents (more), Thriller (more), and The Twilight Zone (more) - dealt with suspense, science fiction, fantasy, and sometimes outright horror (especially in the second season of Thriller).

The Veil

Although those three are well remembered, and probably are still giving viewers nightmares after all these years, one remarkable series is remembered as "the greatest television series never seen." In 1958 Hal Roach Studios (more) produced twelve half-hour episodes of The Veil (more), which, like Thriller, featured introductions by Boris Karloff (more), a gentle gentleman whose legacy of audio book recordings for children seems to be a better reflection of his personality than the horror films the name Boris Karloff is more commonly associated with.

How (and why) to watch The Veil for free

Although The Veil was not broadcast at the time, in the 1960s, some of the episodes were combined to make television movies, and eventually, ten of the twelve episodes were released on DVD. Fortunately, they are now available to view for free online here and here. For some reason, episode number five will not play from either page, but you can watch it here.

Best of all, Karloff acts in all but one of the surviving ten episodes. Karloff (1887-1969) was a robust septuagenarian at the time, a great age for a character actor. It is so good to see him without bolts through his neck and the other accouterments of his horror roles. The greatest attraction of the series, and its greatest value, is the chance to see a surprisingly talented and varied actor playing with - as much as playing - a variety of roles, from a dedicated Italian doctor to a rakish French uncle.

The stories of The Veil

Each half-house episode of The Veil begins with Karloff standing in front of a fireplace in what appears to be a large old home or even castle, cordially sharing with the viewers his "research" on various topics, which leads into the story. The stories, unfortunately, are not as good as the other three anthology series mentioned above.

The title refers to going behind The Veil into a state or condition like The Twilight Zone, where rules of our ordinary life do not apply. The Veil is not about monsters and horror; even the murders are dealt with rather tastefully. It is more about fantasy. Many of the stories end up with a sense of morality: if you kill someone or cheat on your spouse, you will be caught. In fact, the stories are sometimes more warm and cozy than threatening; a beloved old doctor, for example, defies the bonds of logic to save the child of stubborn parents.

If you wonder whether The Veil is appropriate for children, the answer is... probably not. Today's youngsters would likely find it boring.

Here is a guide to eleven episodes of The Veil from the Internet Movie Database, although that eleventh episode has apparently been lost behind The Veil. At least, it cannot be found on the Internet.

Episode 1: Vision of Crime
Episode 2: Girl on the Road
Episode 3: Food on the Table
Episode 4: The Doctors
Episode 5: The Crystal Ball
Episode 6: Genesis
Episode 7: Destination Nightmare
Episode 8: Summer Heat
Episode 9: The Return of Madame Vernoy
Episode 10: Jack the Ripper
Episode 11: Peggy

Sources:

Check links throughout the article. Also:
Boris Karloff
The Veil

You may also enjoy my article, "100 Horror Movies to Watch for Free" (here).