The Lotus Eaters (1972)

Name: The Lotus Eaters
Rating: 7.5

Rating: 7.5

Synopsis

Follows the lives of British expatriates living on the island of Crete, where their secrets will soon rise to the surface.

First Air Date: 1972-04-23

Last Air Date: 1973-08-12

Number of Seasons: 2

Number of Episodes: 15

Created By: Michael J. Bird

Networks: BBC One

Top Cast

Ian Hendry as Erik Shepherd
Wanda Ventham as Ann Shepherd
Anthony Stamboulieh as Nikos
Stefan Gryff as Capt. Michael Krasakis
Maurice Denham as Nestor Turton
Frank Duncan as Cotton
Karan David as Katerina
Martin Howells as Mark Potter
Julia Goodman as Kirsten McLuhan
Timothy Carlton as Gerald Mace

Seasons

None (1972)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: A Cool Wind from the North (1972-04-23)

Erik and Ann Shepherd, who've run a bar in Crete for the past seven years, have an uneasy marriage. When two new arrivals come to the bar, the couple seem to have opportunities to stray from the marital nest. But Ann's visitor isn't what he seems...
Ep. 2: The Present Mrs. Clive (1972-04-30)

David Clive has set up a new life with his girlfriend Jennifer. When his ex-wife Lorna announces her arrival, his head starts spinning, and the Shepherds are caught in the crossfire.
Ep. 3: And Hera Had a Sister (1972-05-07)

A mysterious note with ambiguous wording arrives for Erik, strongly encouraging him to meet in the bar at 4pm. He and Ann speculate whether the note could be used as blackmail for Erik's indiscretions or Ann's murky past. The situation worsens as the Woolleys and Mervishes also receive matching anonymous notes and arrive at the appointed time to face their accuser as a sudden storm rages outside.
Ep. 4: A Touch of Home (1972-05-14)

Patrons at the bar note increasing tension between Maj. Woolley and his wife. There's speculation that meek, obsequious Miriam in fact harbors hostility toward the Major, while the Mervishes mock the couple's staid, perfunctory habits. Meanwhile, the Major becomes obsessed with the idea that a parcel dispatched from home is being intentionally withheld, and Miriam grows more paranoid about garden intruders. The Shepherds intercede but are unable to halt a series of events that culminate in a shocking act of violence.
Ep. 5: Aphrodite (1972-05-21)

Kirsten and Mark discover an unconscious beauty, adrift in a boat. With Erik's assistance, she is taken to stay with the Shepherds. Krasakis identifies her as Julie Johnson, a visitor travelling with an unconventional couple, the destructive Val Griffith and her lover Nat. Ann's curiosity, and ultimate annoyance, is aroused when she learns that Erik shares a notably intimate past with Val.
Ep. 6: A Tiger in Bristol Street (1972-05-28)

In Birmingham, Monica Turton is informed by an art dealer that her late father's works havd developed an audience, and they can make a fortune from the early paintings he created on Crete. They travel there and are astonished to learn Nestor is alive.
Ep. 7: The Fascinating Couple (1972-06-04)

Kirsten and Mark are attacked following a tryst on the beach, so the Mervishes invite the young couple to stay with them to recuperate. They accept but slowly find themselves captive in a sadistic psychological experiment.
Ep. 8: You Might Get Hurt Jocasta (1972-06-11)

Simultaneous arrivals in Aghios Nikolaos create an unbearable strain on the Shepherds' marriage. Erik is tempted by the alluring young Jocasta with whom he has shared a previous flirtation, while Donald Culley returns to continue the relationship he and Ann started.
Ep. 9: The Climbing Wave (1972-06-18)

Culley reveals the true reason for his return to Aghios Nikolaos and sets about to destroy the Shepherds' marriage. Pushed to the breaking point and left with an ultimatum, Ann makes a desperate decision which culminates in two murders and an escape.