[1] Each episode told a story, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, with an unexpected twist ending.

Despite being produced on a low budget, the series attracted notable guest stars,[5] including Susan George, Richard Johnson, Nigel Havers, Topol, Siân Phillips, José Ferrer, Joan Hackett, Charles Hallahan, Joseph Cotten,[6] Janet Leigh,[7] John Gielgud,[8] John Mills,[9] Wendy Hiller, Denholm Elliott,[10] Katy Jurado, Hilary Tindall, Joan Collins,[11] Rod Taylor,[12] Ian Holm, Brian Blessed,[13] Siobhán McKenna, Brad Dourif, Michael Gambon,[14] Cyril Cusack, Julie Harris, Michael Hordern, Derek Jacobi,[15] Anna Neagle, Elaine Stritch,[16] Andrew Ray, Harry H. Corbett, Zoë Wanamaker, Charles Dance,[17] Michael Ontkean, Peter Sallis,[18] Toyah Willcox and Timothy West.

Although many of Dahl's stories are left open to the reader's interpretation, the television series usually provided a generally accepted conclusion.

This is exemplified in the story "The Landlady", the written version of which only hints at character Billy's fate, while the televised adaptation has a more resolved ending.

The title in those four episodes reflected this change when it became Tales of the Unexpected – Introduced by Roald Dahl.