Second Sight Films, out now

When the clock strikes 13, young Tom Long finds himself back in time…

This six-part adaptation of Phillipa Pearce’s novel is the most recent one from 1989 (the BBC had previously adapted it in 1968 and 1974), which gives the story enough room to breathe, and the audience plenty of time to grow to love the characters. Wipe any memory you may have of the 2000 movie version (ironically released by the same distribution company!) – this adheres to Pearce’s novel closely, including the time it takes to get to the meat of the story (Tom and Hattie don’t meet till episode 3).

Jeremy Rampling and Caroline Waldron as the two key children hold the story together well – there’s the odd moment where you’d wish they were reined in a little, or given a bit more guidance – with Renee Asherson’s Mrs Bartholomew adding intriguing layers.

A word of warning: don’t be tempted to watch the extra feature interviewing Christine Secombe until after you’ve finished the episodes if you’re not aware of the various twists built into the story.

Verdict: Leisurely paced, this probably skews younger nowadays than its original target audience, but it’s an engaging tale, well told for its time. 7/10

Paul Simpson