Sky Arts’ celebration of the birth of HG Wells concludes this week with ‘The Moth’ and ‘The Purple Pileus’, adapted from the author’s short stories.

In ‘The Moth’ Rupert Graves (Lestrade in Sherlock) stars as Professor Hapley, an entomologist in the middle of a personal feud with Professor Pawkins. Hapley takes great delight in ridiculing Pawkins but, when Pawkins passes away, he finds himself bereft by his loss and with no engagement in his field.

Over time Hapley is plagued by a moth he is unable to catch and which sports the face of Pawkins. He grows increasingly distressed and, after suffering an accident, chats to Father Morton who tells him ‘we cannot shuffle out of a chrysalis and begin life afresh.’ When Father Morton is unable to see the moth himself, Hapley is left utterly beside himself with paranoia and believes he’s the victim of a haunting.

When Hapley believes he’s swallowed the moth, he attempts to cut it out of his stomach. His delusions now so severe; Hapley is condemned to the asylum with his own reputation in tatters.

‘The Purple Pileus’ centres around James Coombes, a shopkeeper played by Shaun Parkes and his loveless marriage. Pushed beyond his endurance, Coombes fantasises about killing his wife but soon comes to the conclusion that because he’s a timid man he would be unable to end her life.

When Mrs Coombes invites her friend Jennie and Mr Clarence to their house, James has as much as he can take and realises it was not her death ‘he craved’ but his own. Alone in the countryside, James decides to end his life there and then and eats what he assumes to be a poisonous toadstool. Enjoying the taste, he eats another and another and overdoses on their hallucinogenic content.

Returning to his home, he shocks his wife, Jennie and Mr Clarence with his antics and in the following days things return to the old order, however, James craves the blissful feeling he had experienced under the purple pileus’ influence. After endeavouring to get the correct dosage, James begins to eat the toadstools regularly and he grows both softer and kinder in his dealings with the world.

Unfortunately the good feeling cannot last forever and the story ends with James chased through the countryside by his wife who eventually slits his throat and leaves him to lie beside the spot where he had first considered ending his own life although it’s not clear whether it’s real or another hallucination.

‘The Moth’ and ‘The Purple Pileus’ are both highly enjoyable adaptations of Wells’ work and are buoyed by a wonderful guest cast, however, the decision to cast Ray Winstone as HG Wells remains baffling.

With their evocative atmosphere and concise storytelling this is undoubtedly an affectionate tribute to the famous science fiction author’s enduring legacy.

Aired at 9pm and 9.30pm on Thursday 4 February 2016 on Sky Arts.

> Follow Tobias Forrest on Twitter.

> Read more from Tobias on his blog.

What did you think of ‘The Moth’ and ‘The Purple Pileus’? Let us know below…