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OT: Sapphire and Steel

chardman

chardman

Vice Admiral
In Memoriam
No, it's not "Who" related, but I figured this forum is probably the best place to inquire about this time-travel-related UK series from the late 70s, starring David McCallum and Joanna Lumley (both faves of mine).

I'd heard of it, but little more, and never seen it air anywhere here in the States. I'd assumed that it simply hadn't been popular enough to warrant being put into US syndication, but recently learned that it ran for 6 series, and spawned a number of "Big Finish" audio dramas in the mid-noughties.

Anyone a fan of this series? Is it worth checking out?
 
I saw it on the original run, when I was far too young to watch it, and now its strange imagery and weird themes haunt my dreams. I'd like to see it again, but would probably prefer the memory.
 
It has a certain cult cachet from featuring Joanna 'OHMSS/ The New Avengers' Lumley and David 'Man from UNCLE' McCallum (one of his few UK series - he became a tax exile in the 1960s).

As Butters said, it had haunting imagery and themes but it's been a long time since I've seen it and I can't really comment. I'd also agree with the suggestion that one might prefer the memory at this stage.

As I recall, without being spoilerish, it had quite a disturbing, bleak last episode - I can't help wonder if that was meant to be a cliff-hanging season finale , rather than a series finale.
 
I watched it at the time. I bought it on VHS and twice on DVD. Can you tell I like it? It's absolutely incredible, strange, unsettling and fascinating. It's a prime example of studio-bound multi-camera drama. Very intense and theatrical - it's sold on performances, music, lighting and mood, rather than action and effects. It's full of dark and unexpected ideas. The heroes don't always behave like heroes. And things aren't often resolved with an easy or happy ending. I can't recommend it highly enough: certainly among the top ten of sci-fi shows.
 
Very worth checking out- has very low production values, but two great stars and (usually) clever scripting.

The first story is quite good, but was intended as a childrens serial and so has two kids in it, but they don't ruin it.

The second story is a good idea with a great bleak ending, but is overlong and drags in the middle

The third is crap - avoid it.

The fourth is excellent. Basically as creepy as the second, but without the extra four episodes of padding.

The fifth is almost as good, but more SF crossed with Agatha Christie, and feels the most Dr Who-ish.

The sixth is spooky but confusing, and has a somewhat frustrating end.
 
Well, I've seen the first episode, and it is wonderfully surreal. The pace is a bit too glacial for my tastes (a complaint I have about a lot of UK programs in the 70s), though the quirkiness of the story seems like it might make up for that. Looking forward to checking out more.
 
I was visiting the UK the week the first episode of the series aired, and I still remember how spooky it was. I had a crush on Joanna Lumley due to the New Avengers, so that was my point of entry (I didn't know David McCallum from Man from UNCLE or NCIS yet), but I remember being disappointed that I never got to see how the first story ended because I was only in the UK for a couple of weeks. It wasn't still I picked up the A&E DVD set about 2 years ago that I finally got to see how that story ended.

There are some folks who are physically unable to watch the old studio-bound, serialized British shows - which is their loss, IMO. If you're one of those folks, S&S will be a tough slog. But if you're able to divorce yourself from the gloss and glitter of today's SF you'll find a show that's more than worth checking out.

For the exact same reasons I also highly recommend The Omega Factor, another British series (available on DVD in North America) that was basically the template for the X-Files of years later. It was Louise Jameson's first TV series after leaving Doctor Who.

Its a shame PJ Hammond, the creator of S&S, was never able to get his Doctor Who episode produced (it was one of the storylines killed when they decided to do Trial of a Time Lord instead). Big Finish has done an audio version, though - it's called Paradise Five. And Hammond also later wrote the episodes "Small Worlds" and "From Out in the Rain" for Torchwood, which is a bit of trivia I didn't even know about until I was looking up the title of Hammond's Doctor Who episode just now!

Alex
 
Here's what pisses me off.

I watch the show, and there's this amazing cliff hanger, and hen I listen to the audio and there's the s... No that would be telling.

Joanna was the 13th (yes 13, it was unexpected.) Doctor Who in Curse fo the fatal deaths, and David Warner who played Steel in the Audio, played the Tangent Doctor in some of the Doctor Who Unbound (Mirror Universe Stories) Big finish Episodes where the third Doctor is delayed and doesn't show up till 1999. think back to all the adventures three had with UNIT where he solved chaos and death with guile and communication, brigadier Lethbridge Stewart however solved all that roit much faster with nuclear weapons. That's right. No more Dinosaurs, but unfortunately, no more London either

You never think that the brigadier and Dennis Leary would get along, but maybe they would?

Nuclear fucking weapons.

:).
 
Everytime I think of Sapphire and Steel the phrase:
"Upstairs and Downstairs" starts repeating in my head in an endless loop!

:lol:
 
I remember the show from my teenage years, and it was great, there was one episode in particular with a faceless man that scared the crap out of everyone who saw it!
 
The first assignment and the last assignment are the high points for me, but it's an enjoyable show all the way through.
 
spooky spice said:
I remember the show from my teenage years, and it was great, there was one episode in particular with a faceless man that scared the crap out of everyone who saw it!
Click to expand...

Thanks for reminding me of that. That's a few more sleepless nights on the way.
 
I love S&S. The story set on the railway station is my favourite. I've loved DM and JL for years.
 
Another vote for seeing it if you get the chance, and for the even-numbered stories being the best (I'd go for 4-2-6-1-5-3). The story four episode three ending is possibly the scareist thing ever put out as family TV, though some of the story two episode endings run it close.
 
WillsBabe said:
I love S&S. The story set on the railway station is my favourite. I've loved DM and JL for years.
Click to expand...

Mine too, the scene when they are taken back to the airless WWII sub is excellent.

I still love this show and the BF audios are not half bad either.
 
diankra said:
Another vote for seeing it if you get the chance, and for the even-numbered stories being the best (I'd go for 4-2-6-1-5-3). The story four episode three ending is possibly the scareist thing ever put out as family TV, though some of the story two episode endings run it close.
Click to expand...

I'd rank them:
Two and Four
Five and One
Six













Three.
 
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