Who Pays the Ferryman? is a television series produced by the BBC in 1977. The title of the series refers to the ancient religious belief and mythology of Charon the ferryman to Hades. In ancient times, it was the custom to place coins in or on the mouth of the deceased before cremation so that the deceased could pay the ferryman to go to Hades. The eight episodes were written by Michael J. Bird. He used his knowledge of Crete, where the series is based, incorporating local history and folklore. Helped by stunning scenery, the serial became a success when transmitted on BBC1 in 1977.