"The Professionals" (1977) TV series 1977-1983

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Creator:

Brian Clemens

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

30 December 1977 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Crime

Plot:

This series chronicled the lives of Bodie and Doyle, top agents for Britain's CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5)...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Secret Agent

Cast

Gordon Jackson	...	George Cowley (57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Martin Shaw	...	Doyle (57 episodes, 1977-1983)
Lewis Collins	...	Bodie (57 episodes, 1977-1983)

Runtime:

60 min (57 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:12 (some epiosodes) | Iceland:16 (some epiosodes) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Beckton Gasworks, Beckton, London, England, UK

Company:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Trivia:

For many years actor Martin Shaw (Doyle) blocked repeat TV showings of the series, disowning it almost immediately after it had finished. Although he gave his reason as not being able to negotiate fees for TV repeats with programme makers London Weekend Television, it was also alleged that he didn't want to be typecast with the "hard man" image the show portrayed him to have. He only eventually relented to repeat showings in the mid-1990s when it was discreetly pointed out to him that the widow of Gordon Jackson (Cowley) could do with the income generated by repeat fees.

Quotes:

[scene-setting voiceover from Season 1 opening titles]
George Cowley: Anarchy, acts of terror, crimes against the public. To combat it I've got special men - experts from the army, the police, from every service - these are The Professionals.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Comic Strip Presents...: Detectives on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown (#7.1)" (1993)

No Amateurs

All I can add to what has been said before is, what an excellent series this was. It had to be London Weekend Television's most expensive production at the time, and you could see that every penny appeared on screen. There were shoot-outs, explosions, and fist-fights galore every friday night at 9pm, when the episodes were originally shown during the late '70s and early '80s. The sexist banter between the heroes Bodie and Doyle is typical of the period, but stills remains funny to watch. One episode called 'Klansman', about a British right wing group to which Bodie becomes sympathetic, has to this day never been screened in the U.K. for fear of inflaming racial tensions, which were at their height during the Professionals' five year run. It has however, been transmitted in other parts of Europe.

Due to the media, and the then Tory government's paranoia about 'Video Nasties' and TV violence, a sixth series was never made with the original actors. Unfortunately though, it's creator Brian Clemens, decided to update and resurrect the series about four years ago. It sank without trace.

My fave episode has to be 'Hunter Hunted', in which the heros have to recover a stolen prototype rifle, which has a laser aiming system. This series was truly revolutionary!!!