Sapphire & Steel (TV Series) Assignment Two: Part 1 (1979) User Reviews

The Best series of the four

[kris-gray · 9/10 · 5 June 2020]

I found this one really creepy back in the day, 1979, when I first saw it, it gave more shivers than any of the others. I bought it on DVD about 15 years ago, still have it and now they are re-running it on Forces TV.OK the production values and FX are not what they are now, or the budget but it they are still well written and acted. Sapphire's good cop and Steel's bad copy work well as do the two actors.

I've seen someone here saying it's a rip off of Dr Who, well I don't know which one of the two programs they are watching but neither of them are like the other.

Maybe today SF fans will find it a bit slow that may take them a bit of time to understand but I think, especially this series, are well worth the effort

Overly-long (an 8-part 'assignment') but effective quasi-ghost story

[jamesrupert2014 · 8/10 · 20 March 2022]

Ghostly occurrences attract the attention of both Tully (Gerald James) a local amateur 'ghost-chaser' and Sapphire and Steel, a pair otherworldly professional 'ghost-chasers', to a run-down old railway station that was once the departure point for young men going off to soldier in the First World War. The minimalist production is quite effective as the two extra-dimensional operatives try to figure out what is disturbing time and the interplay between Tully, who is compassionately concerned for 'lost spirits' and Steel, who sees the shades as something malignant that need to be bargained with or destroyed, is quite good. As usual, the special effects are sparing (usually double exposures of 'ghosts') but the scene were Sapphire's eyes turn black is very effective. The story could easily have been told in six episodes but is reasonably entertaining and the central idea, that there are unquiet 'dead' who are resentful about the nature of their demise (such as being shot after the war ended simply because someone didn't pass on the news fast enough) is quite compelling. Typical of the series, don't expect an explanation of what's going on.

A good start to the second assignment.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 19 September 2022]

For their second assignment, Sapphire and Steel arrive at a disused railway station, but find they have competition there, competition in the form of ghost hunter George Tully.

It's another interesting idea, we don't as yet know much about the ghost, or his reason for being there, I'm sure we'll learn more as the series progresses.

I like that both Sapphire and Steel have some pretty impressive powers, but aren't tooled up like super heroes, both needing to use their wits and powers of persuasion, some human traits.

It's suitably atmospheric, and it's well presented, with some pretty good sets once again.

Gerald James aged the part of George Tully quite well I thought, he's an interesting character, and it's good to see them interacting with adult company for a change.

7/10.

Assignment Two: Part 1

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 5 July 2020]

This is where I came in when Sapphire & Steel was first broadcast.

As I missed the first story, you can understand why the show would be a bit bewildering. I missed the explanation.

Regarding some of the stories being incomprehensible. David McCallum once stated in an interview that he used to summarise the stories to his house cleaner and if she could understand it, then it was fine.

The second story starts with George Tully. A psychic investigator in an abandoned railway station. He is calling out to something, he wants to be its friend but he encounters Steel instead.

As always Steel takes a brusque approach. He is not impressed that Tully does not understand the malignant presence of time.

Sapphire notices it. Her dress changes, she smells summer and sees flowers.

Like the first assignment. This has a claustrophobic atmosphere with only a few sets and fewer cast. There is Tully and eventually sightings of a soldier singing Pack up your Troubles. It does have a creepy atmosphere and you sense that Tully will have a major role to play. So far he his enchanted with Sapphire and less so with Steel.