"Sapphire & Steel" (1979) TV series 1979-1982

Creator:

Peter Hammond

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Release Date:

10 July 1979 (UK)

Genre:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

Complex, involved science-fiction series about a special force of interdimensional operatives whose...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Time Loop | Photograph | Special Agent | Paranormal Phenomena

Cast

Joanna Lumley	...	Sapphire (34 episodes, 1979-1982)
David McCallum	...	Steel (34 episodes, 1979-1982)

Runtime:

UK:25 min (34 episodes) | USA:30 min (34 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

BBC Elstree Centre/ATV Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated Television (ATV)

Quotes:

[Rob, sitting at the table, realizes the house has been returned to normal. He races upstairs to find the bedroom empty, his parents and Helen still missing. Disappointed, he turns to see Steel, Sapphire, and Lead standing on the steps]
Lead: We forgot something.
Robert Jardine: What?
Steel: This.
[tosses Helen's teddy bear up to Rob]
Steel: [immediately upon catching the bear, they disappear and the sound of Rob's parents and sister singing can be heard coming from the bedroom]
Mother: [singing] The king has sent his daughter, to fetch a pail of water, A tissue! A tissue! We all fall down! The bird upon the...
[sees Rob standing in the doorway]
Mother: Yes what is it? You're supposed to be doing your homework!
Robert Jardine: Yes, Mum.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Counting Out Time (2007) (V)

quirky sci-fi show that still cuts the mustard.

A fore runner to the x-files would be the simplest way to explain Saphire and Steel. Steel (David McCullum, Man From UNCLE) and Sapphire (Joanna Lumley, The New Avengers, AbFab) are a team sent from some other dimension to correct errors in the fabric of our space time. Errors include places and times when some brutal crime has been committed or some evil force from another time/place/dimension is trying to enter our world. These errors manifest themselves invariably as ghosts or shadows or something similar and evil. Strangely dark and decidedly unsettling (man without a face episode scared me 25 years ago and still scares me today). The sets are small, rustic and highly claustrophobic and this adds to the already unsettling mood. Strange music with odd eerie sound effects all add atmosphere. Steel is a short tempered man who doesn't tolerate fools easily and tolerates children even less. Sapphire, however, is the warmer of the two. It seems there are many people who remember the name of the program but not the content and this is a shame as it easily rivals the X-Files in quality of stories and positively outshines it in sheer "spine tingle". The acting is excellent as you would expect from such high profile stars. Pity there was such a short run of it. The video quality is a tiny bit grainy but it was originally filmed in analogue and is the best part of 25 years old. However, this is a not a problem as far as I am concerned. I did read that both Joanna Lumley and David McCullum both expressed a particular fondness for the show and its a shame that it hasn't had the airplay it should have. Spooky, eerie, dark, eerie, did I mention eerie? Yeah. Scares the crap out of me still. Worth buying........