The Third Eye (TV series)

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The Third Eye was a strange foreign mini-series collection that aired on Nickelodeon consisting of material that originated mostly from the UK and New Zealand.

When Nickelodeon first became a cable channel, The Third Eye series was one of its first programs. It was a live action sci-fi/supernatural anthology that included: Into the Labyrinth, The Haunting of Cassie Palmer, Children of the Stones, and Under the Mountain. A fifth series, The Witches and the Grinnygog, was added shortly before The Third Eye was discontinued.

The series depicted in the Anthology were formerly released in the UK and New Zealand. However, many were produced only shortly before being added to the Third Eye line-up. Despite the cult fan-base and high quality writing of the television programs it consisted of, few of the series are commercially available and some may actually be lost. Children of the Stones, however, is commercially available on DVD from Second Sight. The DVD includes interviews with director Peter Graham Scott and star Gareth Thomas.

The Television program aired between 1981 and 1984.

The unifying theme of the show (and hence the title, and opening montage) was that of children with psychic powers.

In The Haunting of Cassie Palmer, the title protagonist is able to communicate with and conjure spirits of the dead. By the end of the series, her powers run out.

In Under the Mountain, twins Rachel and Theo Matheson have limited telepathic abilities and can wield light as a weapon. Their main power, though, is a psychic bond with two stones from another world which are used as weapons, and (it is strongly implied) may be sentient life forms. They are aided in the use of their powers by Mr. Jones, the benevolent of the two alien life forms in the series. At the end of the series, their powers are also presumably gone.

Matthew Brake demonstrates native psychometric abilities on Children of the Stones, although it is implied that his father Adam may have them too, though in denial of them as a scientist. Matthew can experience the thoughts and experiences of other people by holding items belonging to them. Matthew's powers do not manifest themselves until the fourth episode of the series. It is also strongly suggested that Matthew first learned of his powers after his mother died, and Matthew had handled some of her possessions. Matthew is the only one in "The Third Eye" who maintains his powers at the end of the series.

Phil Church and siblings Terry and Helen (no surname given) are bestowed borrowed power by the sorcerer Rothgo. They are able to communicate with Rothgo telepathically throughout time. They are also given individual powers: Phil channels Rothgo's powers in challenging the tyrant Cynon; Helen is able to release all prisoners of Masrur (Belor in disguise); and Terry is given command of a genie in the same episode "Masrur." At the end of the series, Rothgo alters time so that Terry, Helen and Phil never go on their journey, but they are given souvenirs (presumably nidus fragments). Two more seasons of "Into the Labyrinth" aired in the UK, but not on Nickelodeon. The first season of "Into the Labyrinth" was released commercially on Video Gems, a UK VHS label, but it is out of print.

If there is a holy grail among the Third Eye cult following, it is to find any video of The Witches and the Grinnygog, which is not commercially available, and has eluded tape traders.