Sapphire and Steel


Just finished watching the complete boxset of Sapphire and Steel. This is a show which I only saw once when I was about ten years old and it left such a huge impression on me. I couldn't remember specific things from it (apart from Joanna Lumley's eyes going all blue and twinkly) but it was more of a feeling which stayed with me. Rewatching the series as an adult obviously means much of the magic is lost but, even despite the huge limitations of the budget, the show still stands up as a genre show that was way ahead of its time. I love the interplay between McCallum and Lumley (he is all cold and gruff while she is soft-spoken and all heart) and the ending of the final episode in which our heroes are left stuck in an existential trap - 'Nowhere...forever' - is just fantastic. For me, the shorter assignments (i.e. four episodes) were more successful but, as a whole, the series was a genuine original. I would love to see it brought back but only if they stuck to the show's original formula and didn't try to explain everything as is the vogue nowadays. Still, there are always the Big Finish audio stories which I may sample sometime, but somehow I don't think they'll be quite as satisfying.

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