TF1 Séries Films will broadcast Joe Dante’s 1984 fantasy classic Gremlins on Wednesday, October 7, at 21:10. Produced in the United States and running for approximately 116 to 120 minutes, the family-friendly feature follows a young boy whose exotic pet triggers a chaotic small-town disaster after a trio of strict rules is broken.
For international cinephiles and pop-culture historians, television broadcasts of 1980s touchstones offer a fascinating look at how practical special effects and dark suburban satire continue to anchor prime-time schedules. As networks lean into nostalgic programming, enduring hits like Gremlins regularly bridge generations of viewers.
From Chinatown Curiosity to Suburban Chaos
The plot kicks off when eccentric inventor Randall Peltzer visits a dusty antiquarian shop in Chinatown. Looking for a unique Christmas present for his teenage son Billy, Peltzer secures a small, enigmatic creature known as a mogwai. The shopkeeper’s grandson surreptitiously hands over the animal with three strict conditions: never expose it to bright light, never let it get wet, and never, under any circumstances, feed it after midnight.
Back home, Billy baptizes the creature Gizmo, a gentle and endearing companion voiced largely through sound effects. But the fragile domestic harmony shatters the moment Gizmo is accidentally splashed with water. Instead of ordinary reproduction, the furry creature ejects five new mogwais from its body. Led by a belligerent ringleader with a white mohawk, these new arrivals quickly manipulate the clock to bypass the feeding restriction.
Here is why that matters: the resulting transformation strips away the cute exterior entirely. The mogwais morph into scaly, malicious green gremlins that tear through Kingston Falls. They sabotage snowplows, terrorize local residents like the sharp-tongued Ruby Deagle, and turn a quiet American holiday upside down.
Behind the Scenes of a 1980s Phenomenon
Directed by Joe Dante and penned by Chris Columbus, the film balances slapstick comedy with genuine horror tropes.
The stellar cast brings the panic of Kingston Falls to life. Zach Galligan stars as Billy Peltzer alongside Phoebe Cates as Kate Beringer, who delivers a chilling monologue about the realities of Christmas. Hoyt Axton plays the well-meaning inventor Randall Peltzer, while Keye Luke appears as the wise Chinatown antiquarian. Additional performances by Dick Miller as Mr. Futterman and Polly Holliday as Mrs. Deagle flesh out the community caught in the crossfire of the gremlin horde.
Broadcast Details and Core Production Data
| Film Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Gremlins (The Gremlins) |
| Broadcast Network | TF1 Séries Films |
| Air Date & Time | Wednesday, October 7 at 21:10 |
| Director | Joe Dante |
| Screenwriter | Chris Columbus |
| Original Release Year | 1984 (United States) |
| Key Cast | Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday |
As the broadcast date approaches, audiences across France have another chance to watch Billy and Gizmo restore order to Kingston Falls before the night ends. Will you be tuning in to revisit the chaotic rules of mogwai care, or are you introducing the chaos to a new viewer for the first time?
