The Dark Side of the Sun (TV serial)
A BBC serial blending Templar conspiracy with Gothic romance.
The BBC produced *The Dark Side of the Sun*, a television serial written by Michael J. Bird, in 1983. Its story unfolds on the Greek island of Rhodes, fusing a Gothic romance with supernatural elements and a modern conspiracy thriller. Telepathy, hypnosis, and a secret society claiming descent from the Knights Templar feature prominently. The historical background involves the Templars’ suppression and draws loose inspiration from the overthrow of Foulques de Villaret, the 25th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. The Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes town, his primary stronghold, served as a key filming location. The modern Templar conspiracy plot shows influence from *The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail*, published the year before. Critic Nancy Banks-Smith of *The Guardian* remarked, “I don’t understand any of it,” while Dennis Hackett of *The Times* praised the scenery and special effects but found the rest less impressive. The main cast includes Peter Egan as Raoul Lavallière, Patrick Mower as Don Tierney, Emily Richard as Anne Tierney, Betty Arvaniti as Ismini Christoyannis, Christopher Scoular as David Bascombe, Godfrey James as Harry Brennan, Michael Sheard as Colonel von Reitz, Mark Barratt as Max, and Brian Attree as Simon. David Askey directed, Vere Lorrimer produced, Alex Gourlay handled design, and Stavros Xarhakos composed the theme music. This serial was the last in an unofficial quartet by Bird set in the Mediterranean, following *The Lotus Eaters*, *Who Pays the Ferryman?*, and *The Aphrodite Inheritance*.
- Type
- Television serial
- Writer
- Michael J. Bird
- Producer
- Vere Lorrimer
- Director
- David Askey
- Broadcaster
- BBC
- Year
- 1983
- Setting
- Greek island of Rhodes
Lore & Background
The Dark Side of the Sun was the last in an unofficial quartet of Mediterranean-set serials written by Michael J. Bird, following The Lotus Eaters, Who Pays the Ferryman?, and The Aphrodite Inheritance. Its historical back-story is linked to the suppression of the Knights Templar and loosely inspired by the overthrow of Foulques de Villaret, 25th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. The Templar conspiracy theory element shows influences from The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, published the previous year. Filming locations included the Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes town, his primary stronghold.
Reader's Guide
The serial is notable as the final entry in Michael J. Bird's Mediterranean quartet, a cycle of BBC dramas that blended local color with mystery and the supernatural. Its fusion of Gothic romance and conspiracy thriller, drawing on Templar lore and contemporary esoteric theories, reflects the cultural impact of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Critical reaction was mixed: Nancy Banks-Smith of The Guardian confessed 'I don't understand any of it,' while Dennis Hackett of The Times praised the scenery and special effects but was less impressed by the rest. The serial's legacy lies in its atmospheric use of Rhodes and its place within Bird's distinctive body of work.
Genre Fusion & Narrative Architecture
The Dark Side of the Sun stands out in 1980s British television for its ambitious blending of supernatural Gothic romance with the mechanics of a contemporary conspiracy thriller. Set on the Greek island of Rhodes, the serial weaves together themes of telepathy and hypnosis alongside a clandestine secret society whose lineage traces back to the Knights Templar. The historical underpinnings reach into the suppression of the Templars and draw a loose parallel to the overthrow of Foulques de Villaret, the 25th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. Notably, the Templar conspiracy theory threaded through the modern storyline appears to have been influenced by The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, a book published the year before the serial's production. This layering of esoteric history onto a present-day plot gives the narrative a distinctly atmospheric quality, positioning it as one of the more genre-defying serials the BBC produced during that era.
The Mediterranean Quartet & Production
Written by Michael J. Bird and produced by the BBC in 1983, The Dark Side of the Sun served as the capstone to an unofficial quartet of Mediterranean-set serials that the writer had developed over the preceding years. The three predecessors in this loose cycle were The Lotus Eaters, Who Pays the Ferryman?, and The Aphrodite Inheritance. The serial was directed by David Askey, with production overseen by Vere Lorrimer and set design handled by Alex Gourlay. Stavros Xarhakos composed the theme music, lending the production a distinctly Greek musical identity. Filming took place on the island of Rhodes itself, with the ancient stronghold at Lindos serving as one of the principal shooting locations. This choice of location reinforced the historical connections to the Knights Hospitaller, whose former seat had been based in that very area. The combination of on-location shooting, a dedicated Greek composer, and Bird's established Mediterranean setting created a cohesive production identity that distinguished the serial from studio-bound British television of the period.
Cast & Character Ensemble
The serial's ensemble cast brought together a mix of established British and Greek performers to populate its web of conspirators, victims, and investigators. Peter Egan took the lead as Raoul Lavallière, while Patrick Mower and Emily Richard played the Tierney couple, Don and Anne. Betty Arvaniti brought local Greek presence as Ismini Christoyannis, and Christopher Scoular appeared as David Bascombe. The supporting cast included Godfrey James as Harry Brennan, Michael Sheard as Colonel von Reitz, Mark Barratt as Max, and Brian Attree as Simon. The range of character names—spanning French, English, Greek, and German surnames—reflects the serial's international conspiracy setting and its multi-national secret society. The inclusion of both well-known British character actors and Greek performers like Arvaniti suggests a production that sought to ground its supernatural thriller plot in a genuinely Mediterranean human landscape rather than a purely British one.
Critical Reception & Polarizing Legacy
The critical response to The Dark Side of the Sun was notably divided and, in some cases, bluntly dismissive. Nancy Banks-Smith, writing for The Guardian, offered the memorable assessment that she did not understand any of it—a verdict that captures the serial's reputation for dense, layered storytelling that may have overwhelmed some viewers. Dennis Hackett, reviewing in The Times, took a more measured approach, acknowledging that he enjoyed the scenery and special effects while expressing less enthusiasm for the remainder of the production. This split in critical opinion highlights the serial's dual nature: as a visually striking, location-driven production it clearly succeeded, but as a narrative combining Gothic supernatural elements with conspiracy thriller mechanics, it did not fully convince all critics. The reception underscores a broader tension in 1980s British television between ambitious genre experimentation and audience expectations for straightforward storytelling, leaving the serial as a polarizing entry in the BBC's output.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Dark Side of the Sun (TV serial)?
It is a 1983 BBC television serial that blends a Gothic romance, supernatural intrigue, and a modern conspiracy thriller set on the Greek island of Rhodes. The narrative revolves around a secret society that claims direct descent from the Knights Templar.
Who wrote and produced The Dark Side of the Sun (TV serial)?
The serial was written by Michael J. Bird, produced by Vere Lorrimer, and directed by David Askey for the BBC.
What supernatural abilities appear in The Dark Side of the Sun (TV serial)?
Telepathy and hypnosis are the primary supernatural tools wielded by characters throughout the story. These powers are woven into the larger conspiracy orchestrated by the Templar-descended secret society.
Where is The Dark Side of the Sun (TV serial) set?
The entire serial takes place on the Greek island of Rhodes. The Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes town functions as the key stronghold for the antagonistic forces in the plot.
What historical event inspired The Dark Side of the Sun (TV serial)?
The story draws loose inspiration from the overthrow of Foulques de Villaret, the 25th Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, and the broader historical suppression of the Templar order. This medieval backdrop is reimagined through a modern conspiracy lens.
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