The Black Forest Clinic is a German language medical drama television series that was produced by and filmed in West Germany. The series was produced between 1984 and 1988 with the original airing being from October 2, 1985 to March 25, 1989 on West Germany's ZDF television channel. The series' storyline follows the inner workings of a small fictional hospital in the Black Forest region of Germany as well as the lives of the Brinkmann family of doctors who work at the hospital. Shortly after broadcasting had begun in 1985, The Black Forest Clinic became a highly popular television event, reaching audiences of over 20 million viewers. 25 years since its debut, it is still highly regarded in Germany. The series had been re-broadcast several times since 1985 and has spawned two television films released 20 years after its initial airing.

The case of Timothy Evans was the first major post-war miscarriage of justice to capture public attention. Of low intelligence, Evans was damned by his own, false confession that he had murdered his wife and daughter. The trial and rightful conviction of John Christie for one of these murders three years later, did not, however, bring about a pardon for Evans. Despite having four alibi witnesses, the 28-year-sailor, who was described by his own defence lawyer as a "semi-civilised savage", was convicted and executed within six months of the murder. Three years after Mr Evans was hanged, John Christie, a neighbour in the house at 10 Rillington Place, confessed to strangling eight female victims - including Beryl and her baby daughter. He too was executed. It was to be many years before the judiciary and the government were to finally allow the late Timothy Evans a pardon.