"The Sandbaggers" (1978) TV series 1978-1980

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Creator:

Ian Mackintosh

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

18 September 1978 (UK)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

The missions of an elite British Intelligence covert operations unit.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Espionage | MI6 | Political

Cast

Roy Marsden	...	Neil Burnside (20 episodes, 1978-1980)
Ray Lonnen	...	Willie Caine (20 episodes, 1978-1980)
Jerome Willis	...	Matthew Peele (20 episodes, 1978-1980)
Bob Sherman	...	Jeff Ross (17 episodes, 1978-1980)
Alan MacNaughton	...	Sir Geoffrey Wellingham (14 episodes, 1978-1980)
Michael Cashman	...	Mike Wallace (13 episodes, 1980)
Richard Vernon	...	'C' (12 episodes, 1978-1980)
Elizabeth Bennett	...	Diane Lawler (12 episodes, 1978-1980)

Runtime:

60 min (20 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Yorkshire Television (YTV)

Trivia:

Creator Ian Mackintosh was developing the next season of Sandbaggers at the time of his disappearance. According to actor Ray Lonnen, MacKintosh was considering having the character Willie Caine promoted to D-Ops, while Neil Burnside (played by Roy Marsden) would move up to "C" (head of S.I.S.). However, after MacKintosh's (apparent) death, the producers decided to end the series because they felt no one could write Sandbaggers as well as MacKintosh.

Quotes:

Burnside: If I want to send an agent to the lavatory, I need the Foreign Secretary's permission. If I want him to do anything when he gets there, I need the Prime Minister's written approval!

Soundtrack:

The Sandbaggers Theme

Wonderful series; too bad I missed a few

I agree with previous reviewers about the exceptional quality of this programme, and yes, sad to say, with one of them about the changes in some characterisations later on. The tale was low-key but frankly engrossing. THE SANDBAGGERS was run twice by P.B.S. in Grand Rapids, Mich. in the middle 1980s. The saga seems to end pretty abruptly, so much so that I quizzed a friend studying at Oxford. Were the limeys holding out on us? He said he did not think so, and since much time had elapsed since production, it seemed reasonable. From this web site he was right, but I cannot help wonder whether THE SANDBAGGERS had been meant to go on. Too bad it did not.