Did you already know about The Secret Service? Or is this your first time? Either way - let us know what you think of this peculiar Gerry Anderson Supermarionation show!
I first found out about it from a trailer on a VHS tape and I think it was called Pocket Money Video and the only I remember for sure was that it had the Fireball XL5 episode Space Spy on it and little while I got the Secret Service complete series on DVD
I must be one of the few people still around who saw it when it was first broadcast. I was just a sprog at the time, and didn't think much of it compared to Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds and Stingray. I saw a few episodes of it recently though, and appreciated it more as an adult.
I only found out about in the guidebook to Captain Scarlet, which summarised the shows that followed (Joe 90, Secret Service, and Terrahawks). I've seen 2 episodes posted on UA-cam.
It's currently streaming on Britbox. Just finished watching all 13 episodes. It's actually much better than I expected. Heard so many negatives over the years but it really is a charming series and the model work is amongst the best of all Anderson productions.
I have to compliment whoever does the editing for these videos! Particularly the sassy little asides like "Something's happened to Captain Scarlet!" and "Who exactly was the series aimed at?" "Pigeons!"
Found an unopened DVD box set of secret service when we were clearing out my dad's stuff.... Going to watch it now, the back of the box didn't do much to sell it.
Fantastic serias I am 70 watching at least once a week one of Anderson's master peaces I am addicted it makes me very happy when I watch it bless you Gerry Anderson
man this shows freaking nuts, but thats why I love it. Only Gerry Anderson can make a concept of a priest shrinking down to a puppet and stopping bad guys work
I remember watching the Secret Service as a 7 or 8 year old and really enjoyed it for what it was. I loved ( and still do) all the Supermarionation productions, they were a staple of my childhood. Thank you Granada TV for screening them. Thank you Gerry Anderson for making them, and thank you guys for posting these primers primers
Yes, me too, just finished rewatching them, they're excellent. The humour is the most sophisticated of all of Gerry Anderson's shows, I think. Gentle and completely charming.
@@jamesthecat I’m more that a little irritated that dear old Lord Grade, or Uncle Lew, never sent the series to the USA simply because he thought we Americans wouldn’t get Stanley Unwin’s brand of humor.
The Secret Service is one of my favourite Supermarionation series precisely because its just so different to what came before, its a bit rough around the edges but it would probably have become more refined if the production crew had been able to keep going. And ironically the "futuristic if it needs to be but otherwise contemporary" approach makes it probably a more realistic depiction of 1980 than UFO's.
An excellent primer - thank you! I thought you would have mentioned the unique opening and closing sequences with the astonishingly distinctive theme music!
It's as if it was made for me. Absolutely amazing. I've been wanting to watch this since I saw it on telly years an years ago so I'm getting the DVD :)
"Alright Gerry, once again we want to try a new kind of hero after 4 black haired young men and... y'know, a child soldier. So what do you have in mind?" "HOW ABOUT A 70 YEAR OLD PRIEST!?"
Saw the series quite recently on DVD, and it's different, but full of charm. Liked the intro and Captain Scarlet gags in this Primer; I think some of Mr Dale's experience with the podcast's randomiser is beginning to seep in!
I never saw it as a kid in early 90s but knew about it from the Complete Anderson Episode Guide and the channel 5 video ads at the start of each tape. Got it on dvd a few years ago and it has fast become one of my favourite Anderson Shows.
Could have used that scene in a Captain Scarlet episode, where it could have maybe been some conclusion to that series. It would have resulted in Captain Black free from Mysteron control & back to normal as Conrad Turner, with no memory what happened after the Martian Expedition, or it could have been the Mysterons knowing what happened & Captain Black fading & vanishing under their eyes. Once again evading capture. Whatever way Captain Scarlet ended inconclusively, much to my annoyance.
I’m sure other Captain Scarlet puppets were used in this series - the police officer who dealt with Stanley Unwin on the main road played a few Captain Scarlet characters - most of whom became Mysterons - a blonde puppet you saw briefly was a model who became a Mysteron - even Captain Scarlet himself made an almost unrecognisable cameo - some of the non-regular characters in Captain Scarlet play many different characters as well!
Oh yes I remember The Secret Service very well. I watched it as a child so I guess it must have been shown in the Granada area. I'd been watching Gerry Anderson's programmes since Four Feather Falls and saw all his stuff up to and including Space 1999. After that time I grew up and left home and never had much interest in watching telly since.
This had been playing around my mind for years! Did I imagine it? Was I three pulls short of a belfry? No. I remembered watching this as a child at my grandparents house in Canterbury, UK. It seemed strange even then!
The background music playing at 5:36, I first recall hearing it in the UFO episode The Sound of Silence, when Susan Jameson and Michael Jayston (playing Russell and Anne Stone) rode their horses at the beginning of the episode
Having grown up with Gerry Anderson, by the time The Secret Service was aired, the new show was enjoyed by our family in part because it had Stanley Unwin, and there was a certain knowingness to switching between puppetry and live action. Such good fun! With the subsequent full live action UFO and Space 1999, TSS was seen as a transitional series. Have always remembered the show with great fondness.
I've recently found this series on UA-cam and have been watching an episode every night. Up to episode 3 and love the cosy laid back atmosphere of the show. So often Gerry's shows were influenced by other people's desires and interests. This feels like *his* show, well away from anyone else's interference
I only found this series two years ago and I have so far only seen two episodes... It is English madness at its best. Knowing there are 11 episodes I have yet so see helps me sleep at night... A kind of 'Smash Glass in case of emergency' Box-Set. 🏆🇬🇧
I never heard of this one, and accidentally found almost all episodes are on youtube, I love hearing Father unwin speaking unwinese. lol also the title music is great
Gerry did try one last Supermarionation pilot, The Investigator, in early 1974, using only two realistic puppets, John and Julie. Shane Rimmer (aka Scott Tracy) wrote and created the storyline.
I remember it well and watched it back when it aired here in Oz. I enjoyed the show and the switching between puppet and live action didn't worry me at all. Very eccentric though, part of it's charm for me.
I've seen only one episode, but loved it! I knew of Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, but it was your channel that exposed me to Stingray, Joe 90, and the secret service. I remember hearing the Fireball theme, but I don't remember.watching it on tv. I was barely out of toddler age when it aired. All of these shows are beyond awesome in my opinion. Supermarionation is fantastic. Brains has always been my favorite character because he wore glasses. I've had glasses on my noggin since I was 4, so he was my hero.
The only Anderson series that spooked me as a 4 year old for some reason! Sunday teatime at my Grandmothers was never the same again until a few years later! This is the first time I have seen it since, even though I have dvd sets of both UFO and Space 1999 and seen the other supermarionation series repeated.
I read that Lew Grade complained bitterly about Stanley Unwin's manner of speaking (as Unwin was an eccentric comedian and writer), and thus didn't want the series sent to the USA, fearing American audiences wouldn't understand the main character. Gerry countered, "I figured that if British audiences couldn't understand him either, what's the difference?!" Grade, however, was the boss and Gerry took his orders. A sad shame, as this might have been a fun hit in America.
Given how completely Bonkers "the Avengers" became, on America's wishes to make the Show "more clearly an English Show", in the Mrs Peel and Miss King Era's (and all the more endearing, fun, charming, and downright Brilliant for being so utterly Daft IMO) I think America would have actually taken quite a Shine to this Series, as it is, like "the Avengers" in those Later Era's, something that, with its off-kilter Style, frequent moments of whimsical Comedy, and thoroughly Potty Storylines, could *only* have come from England.
@@simeonyves5940 I really liked the Tara King episodes of The Avengers. True, they didn't have the charm of the Emma Peel episodes, but they were still good fun. It's a shame Thorson didn't do more episodes, but circumstances beyond her control saw to that. ABC in America didn't want anymore episodes, while our ABC who produced the series, had been merged with Rediffusion to become Thames by the time these were aired. To give Thames their due, they did offer the makers another series, but severely cut back, instead of doing it on film at Elstree, they wanted it done on video at Teddington, a bit like the early ABC episodes with Steed and Cathy Gale. The makers said no, and that was that. The Secret Service is a lovely little curio, I can see why it alienated Lew Grade, after loads of series that relied heavily on sci-fi, this was very far removed. But, Gerry Anderson was entitled to do something different, it's just a shame Lew Grade pulled the plug prematurely.
@@stuartkenny7430 Sorry. I Had to Delete and Repost to deal with some Typo's, as the New "Edge" Explorer fouls up the Paragraphing if You "Edit"... MS needs to get that Patched.. Indeed, I enjoy the Tara King Era as well, it isn't as Charming, no, as that Extra Special Chemistry that Existed between Patrick Macnee and Dianna Rigg wasn't there, but it still has some absolutely Classic Episodes such as The Rotters (WormDoom) , Take Me to Your Leader (the Talking Dispatch Case) and "Split (Harry...Harry...KARTOVSKY!) among its Ranks. Indeed, I always found it a Shame that Linda Thorson only Did one Series, I knew that the Americans Pulling out caused a lot of Financial Issues, as "Lord Grade" was always very insistent on getting most of His budget from United States Syndication, its why ITC was doing Colour before every other British Producer, but I did not know that ABC UK/Thames wanted to absolutely "Gut" the Series by removing its Budget almost Entirely. Yes, the Filming on Videotape rather than on proper Cinema Film caused a lot of Issues with the Cathy Gale era, although all Episodes of Mrs Gale's Era Survive (a good thing, as there were some Corkers in Honour Blackman's Second Series, which is when the Show started to become a lot more... "Eccentric" and became the Avengers everyone Remembers, I remember one Stand out from the DVD Re-Releases with John Lawrie and William Hartnell who took the "Criminal" part of "Criminal Lawyer" a bit too Literally!) They have a Massive Amount of technical Hitches and Quality Issues that Renders them more than a bit tricky to Watch, issues the Cinema Film Recorded Mrs Peel and Tara King Era's just do not have. I can well see why the Producers, who had gotten used to Filming on Location, having Bigger and More Grandiose Sets (Such as the Giant Hallway for the Episode with the Department Store where they Entire Building was also an Atomic Bomb!), and better Action Sequences, Costumes, and Choreography thanks to the Big Budgets and Proper Cinema Film they had for Series 4, 5 and 6 just did not want to go back to Studio Only Filming, videotape and a near Non Existent Budget, as it would have made Series 7 a pretty Severe Let Down after Series 4, 5 and 6, so I can see why they pulled the Plug now You have Explained the issues they had with Thames, which, I, actually, didn't know about! it seems even us Fans can Learn something New! Oh well, at least Albert Fennell gave us 3 Series of "The New Avengers" to Enjoy when ITV recovered some of its old Mojo in the 1970's :) Yes, as Lovely and as Charming as the Secret Service is, I can also see why "Lord Grade" said No, as it wasn't the Futuristic Sci Fi Series that People would Probably be Expecting, set, instead, in what seems to be some kind of Retro-Future where Heli-Jets buzz above Leafy Lanes traversed by MGB's, and the Odd Model T. Indeed, Gerry was a massively Imaginative Man, if Anyone could have tried something new and Completely Different, and Pulled it off, it was Him, so He was entitled to Try something completely New, just a Shame it didn't quite Work as He Planned as "Lord Grade" got Cold Feet. Still, as we now Know, The Secret Service is No longer the End for Supermarionation, just the Start of a Long Hiatus, as it Recently came back and with Wonderous Aplomb! Now, I am just waiting to see what Stephen La Riviere's Resurrected Century 21'st Productions are going to get up to with the Next Batch of Episodes for Nebula-75, and I am really Hyped to find out what the new Series, Filmed, of Course, In Supermarionation, they are working on for Netflix and which was Hinted at in BBC's "Front Row" Interview, is going to be! Supermarionation is Back! :)
In my opinion, it was the best supermarionation with real human hands close ups. It's interruption after less than 10 episodes, was a great childhood deception. I was watching it in french in Canada in 1972-73.
A piece of trivia, and perhaps an in-joke on the producers' and model-makers' part: the pulpit from which Father Unwin preaches towards the end of this video (and several of the series' episodes, usually with a cryptic reference to the day's adventure) is a near-perfect replica of that in the church of the opening titles (St Michael and All Angels, Hughenden, Bucks). Very few people outside the crew would have realised at the time, but a quick web-search will show you.
This is causing me some weird flashbacks. I remember seeing this as a kid, but since then when I have asked people about it, they have been telling me I have made it up. I was convinced this was some fever dream I had created in my own imagination. Secret priest spies, a little man in a suitcase (in fact, I thought the series was called Man in a Suitcase, which is why I couldn't find it). Now that I have found out that it is real, I am beginning to question what else is real that I thought was made up....
The Secret Service, with the legendary Professor Stanley Undwin, is the most underated of all of Gerry Anderson's tv shows, highly original and a great theme tune by Barry Gray and I think The Mike Sammes singers. Paul Bacchus esq
@@sarasarah1810 Yes that's wright, The Sall Faces (Ogdens nut gone flakes) a part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and a tv show to himself (Secret Service) 1968 must have been a good year for Mr Undwin. It may not be Gerry Anderson greatest show but it was orginal and fun. Paul Bacchus esq
My first contact with TSS was a cartoon story that appeared in the Countdown Annual for 1972. It was about four years later when channel 7 Brisbane got hold of the series, and I watched all the episodes like the Anderson show fan that I was. I remember taking the puppet/live actor transitions in my stride, and I hardly remember the Unwinese, but the thing that jarred the most with me was the use of stock footage from other Anderson shows (e.g. Angel interceptors firing on either the tank or Father Unwin in Gabriel).
Fascinating. I had no idea this show existed. I thought I knew GA's work but The Secret Service never aired in The States as far as I know. I wonder if it's on UA-cam...
This is what you make after 10 years of smelling modelling glue ! They showed a few episodes of TSS in the Anglia region when I was a kid. I can tell you that this was the show that broke my tiny brain !
I only ever saw the pilot in my 47 years on this planet..........on youtube earlier this year. I've been waiting and watching out for other episodes to surface as I thoroughly enjoyed it. So where are the rest of the 13 episodes?
Despite being well-versed in Anderson shows (or so I thought) I didn't even know this series existed until just a couple of years ago! I took a chance and bought it on DVD not knowing what to expect and.....really enjoyed it. The extremely limited format of the show and small cast really distinguishes it from the conceptual tropes typical of Anderson's other marionette shows. Mostly positively too imo. Unfortunately the aforementioned limited format meant that the show was never likely to last much beyond its dozen or so episodes. Indeed, by the time I'd reached the final, thirteenth instalment I wasn't exactly left wanting more... Still recommended though!
I hope this show and Four Feather Falls get the deluxe Blu-ray treatment. This is one of the few of these shows that I haven't gotten on home video yet.
Caught the show recently on -Cartoon Network- SuperDrama TV, where it had the full Full HD treatment. It was quite fun, if a little confusing - I must've missed the part that explained why the priest kept control of the shrinking machine, rather than handing it over to the government. I never realized it was the last of the puppets, though admittedly it didn't have the polish of Joe 90 or Captain Scarlet.
I don't live in a region where it was originally shown, and didn't know of it's existence - until I bought an old annual at a jumble sale. One of the strips within was 'The Secret Service', and it drove me mad not knowing what this was - no internet, or anything close, in the early 1970's. No 'Cult TV Show' listing books, either. As time went on, I actually managed, years later, through magazines such as 'S.I.G.', and 'Starburst', etc., to find out what it was. I got my hands on the DVD set a few years back, and loved every second of it. I find that it has the same sort of off-kilter weirdness that shows like 'The Avengers', 'Department S', and 'The Prisoner' had about them, which was not off-putting for me at all. I think that it's as beautifully made, charming and clever as the shows that preceded it. Oh, and on the subject of 'Target Audience'? Joe 90 - a nine year old boy who manages to kill an awfully large number of people during the series. Kid's show? Good luck if you could get it commissioned today, that's all I'm saying. (And it's still one of my favourite shows). And saying that, I believe that the seed of 'The Secret Service' was the beautifully odd Joe 90 episode, 'The Unorthodox Shepherd', written by Tony Barwick, and which features a seemingly deaf vicar - who turns out to be an ex secret agent. The episode features lots of location work, and life size stand ins for characters, and is different than any other Joe 90 episode, both in tone, and appearance.
I have all of Jerry Anderson’s series on DVD starting with Four Feather Falls. They bring back great childhood memories! Although Secret Service is certainly not my favorite, it needs to be on the shelf with all the others. FYI .... I live in the US now, and I have never attempted to show them to friends. I just don’t think they would understand!!!
This series was never given a propper chance, with the much unneeded interfearance of Lew Grade. The promblems of the few regions picking it up was mostly the fault of Lew Grade. The Secret Service could have been a gem if it had been handled much much better.
My effective introduction to this was on DVD (so) many decades after its broadcast premiere. It was as much my introduction to Stanley Unwin. No, it most definitely would not have worked Stateside, no more than a series starring "Professor" Irwin Corey, who I am convinced had the goal to confuse you while Unwin chose only to challenge you. But if you want to view Supermarionation driving in a different gear, this series will deliver. It also drives the point home at least to me that the production technique wasn't easy then, and is even less easy now.
Here's something to think about: did "Doctor Who" steal the yellow-and-black roadster idea from "The Secret Service"? Jon Pertwee did become the Third Doctor shortly after "The Secret Service" aired its last episode. Discuss. :D
Antique and custom cars were a bit of a thing in UK TV back in the 60s. Remember the Avengers, The Prisoner? The A steals from B thing doesn't work when both are following a trend.
Iam a huge fan of gerrys work,,never frightened to try the ,,let's say,,slightly different..in his programmes,,,I do remember the secret service 1st time round,,not sure if ITV granada,took it from the off tho...but,,different it was,,but nevertheless a firm favourite from me,,,and it's great to see that gerrys live action series are still shown...ufo,space1999,,etc...
I don’t know what Gerry Anderson had been smoking when he was dreaming up the concept for his next show, but it must have been some reallllly strong shit.
I remember watching it when on bluray the collector's edition of filmed in SuperMarionation but it was not my cup of tea especially when it cuts from the puppets to live action wich took me right out of it
I saw Filmed in Supermarionation on the big screen in York with other Anderson fans. The laughter when that woman puppet changed to a live action figure was incredibly. Everyone was just hysterical.
Did you already know about The Secret Service? Or is this your first time? Either way - let us know what you think of this peculiar Gerry Anderson Supermarionation show!
I have watched it on DVD and it's still brilliant.
I first found out about it from a trailer on a VHS tape and I think it was called Pocket Money Video and the only I remember for sure was that it had the Fireball XL5 episode Space Spy on it and little while I got the Secret Service complete series on DVD
I must be one of the few people still around who saw it when it was first broadcast. I was just a sprog at the time, and didn't think much of it compared to Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds and Stingray. I saw a few episodes of it recently though, and appreciated it more as an adult.
I only found out about in the guidebook to Captain Scarlet, which summarised the shows that followed (Joe 90, Secret Service, and Terrahawks). I've seen 2 episodes posted on UA-cam.
Looks like I'm in the minority then for having seen all 13 episodes
recently managed to watch all 13 episodes and its such a charming series shame there isn't anymore
It's currently streaming on Britbox. Just finished watching all 13 episodes. It's actually much better than I expected. Heard so many negatives over the years but it really is a charming series and the model work is amongst the best of all Anderson productions.
I remember seeing a trailer for The Secret Service on a VHS of Space: 1999. And I fell in love straight away. Stanley Unwin was a legend.
I am sixty seven and was a huge fan of Anderson's work as a kid. I was today years old when I discovered this long forgotten series!!
Welcome aboard!
A most remarkibold flashyback and most to the deep joy of the mysteriale and confugal of Father Stanley Unwin, oh yes.
We should definitely have aGerry. Anderson channel 24/7
I have to compliment whoever does the editing for these videos! Particularly the sassy little asides like "Something's happened to Captain Scarlet!" and "Who exactly was the series aimed at?" "Pigeons!"
Chris Dale! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
"Something has happened to Captain Scarlet!"
"Yes, he's wearing glasses and he has dyed his hair!"
@@williamfarrell668 Follibold!
Found an unopened DVD box set of secret service when we were clearing out my dad's stuff.... Going to watch it now, the back of the box didn't do much to sell it.
The church in the distance in the opening sequence is Hughenden Church near High Wycombe.
Fantastic serias I am 70 watching at least once a week one of Anderson's master peaces I am addicted it makes me very happy when I watch it bless you Gerry Anderson
man this shows freaking nuts, but thats why I love it. Only Gerry Anderson can make a concept of a priest shrinking down to a puppet and stopping bad guys work
I remember watching the Secret Service as a 7 or 8 year old and really enjoyed it for what it was. I loved ( and still do) all the Supermarionation productions, they were a staple of my childhood.
Thank you Granada TV for screening them. Thank you Gerry Anderson for making them, and thank you guys for posting these primers primers
WOW I've never even heard of this one! These are the most life-like versions, love the details, Matthew Harding's freckles even look real!
How did I not see this?
Deep joy.
I've got the series on DVD and I have to say it is BRILLIANT!
How many episodes is it ?
@@gangsterslyoverhang
13
@@timepoet77 thank you
Yes, me too, just finished rewatching them, they're excellent. The humour is the most sophisticated of all of Gerry Anderson's shows, I think. Gentle and completely charming.
@@jamesthecat
I’m more that a little irritated that dear old Lord Grade, or Uncle Lew, never sent the series to the USA simply because he thought we Americans wouldn’t get Stanley Unwin’s brand of humor.
Saw this on Australian TV when I was a youngster and absolutely loved this series 😍👍👍
I watched it at the time. Having grown up on Gerry Anderson, and being a kid, I didn't think it was strange at all. I just enjoyed it.
The Secret Service is one of my favourite Supermarionation series precisely because its just so different to what came before, its a bit rough around the edges but it would probably have become more refined if the production crew had been able to keep going. And ironically the "futuristic if it needs to be but otherwise contemporary" approach makes it probably a more realistic depiction of 1980 than UFO's.
An excellent primer - thank you!
I thought you would have mentioned the unique opening and closing sequences with the astonishingly distinctive theme music!
This aired in South Africa as well during the 70s and 80s.
I certainly remember this! That theme tune was so distinctive.
Wish they made some new ones I know all of the old ones by hart love gery Anderson once in a life time genius ❤️😍❤️
It's as if it was made for me. Absolutely amazing.
I've been wanting to watch this since I saw it on telly years an years ago so I'm getting the DVD :)
"Alright Gerry, once again we want to try a new kind of hero after 4 black haired young men and... y'know, a child soldier. So what do you have in mind?"
"HOW ABOUT A 70 YEAR OLD PRIEST!?"
Saw the series quite recently on DVD, and it's different, but full of charm. Liked the intro and Captain Scarlet gags in this Primer; I think some of Mr Dale's experience with the podcast's randomiser is beginning to seep in!
I never saw it as a kid in early 90s but knew about it from the Complete Anderson Episode Guide and the channel 5 video ads at the start of each tape.
Got it on dvd a few years ago and it has fast become one of my favourite Anderson Shows.
The guy getting his head bonked by the books was Captain Black.
Could have used that scene in a Captain Scarlet episode, where it could have maybe been some conclusion to that series. It would have resulted in Captain Black free from Mysteron control & back to normal as Conrad Turner, with no memory what happened after the Martian Expedition, or it could have been the Mysterons knowing what happened & Captain Black fading & vanishing under their eyes. Once again evading capture. Whatever way Captain Scarlet ended inconclusively, much to my annoyance.
I’m sure other Captain Scarlet puppets were used in this series - the police officer who dealt with Stanley Unwin on the main road played a few Captain Scarlet characters - most of whom became Mysterons - a blonde puppet you saw briefly was a model who became a Mysteron - even Captain Scarlet himself made an almost unrecognisable cameo - some of the non-regular characters in Captain Scarlet play many different characters as well!
Oh yes I remember The Secret Service very well. I watched it as a child so I guess it must have been shown in the Granada area. I'd been watching Gerry Anderson's programmes since Four Feather Falls and saw all his stuff up to and including Space 1999. After that time I grew up and left home and never had much interest in watching telly since.
Deep joy. A wonderbold videotribe!
A fellow will hay fan I hazard a guess?
@@johnnyz3354 Yes, indeed! "Yer wasting yer time!"
I remember watching this show during late seventies here in Colombia.
This had been playing around my mind for years! Did I imagine it? Was I three pulls short of a belfry? No. I remembered watching this as a child at my grandparents house in Canterbury, UK. It seemed strange even then!
The background music playing at 5:36, I first recall hearing it in the UFO episode The Sound of Silence, when Susan Jameson and Michael Jayston (playing Russell and Anne Stone) rode their horses at the beginning of the episode
I loved this ! And until watching this hadn’t seen it since being a child.
Used to watch this on a sunday teatime in my pajamas. Loved the switch between puppet and live action even then - very clever
Remember it well,Loved it!
It is really really good it's too bad that more people haven't heard of it.♥️
I have never heard of or seen this series. If video wasn't so well made I would say it was a spoof one! I mean; Stanley Unwin !!!!
Having grown up with Gerry Anderson, by the time The Secret Service was aired, the new show was enjoyed by our family in part because it had Stanley Unwin, and there was a certain knowingness to switching between puppetry and live action. Such good fun!
With the subsequent full live action UFO and Space 1999, TSS was seen as a transitional series.
Have always remembered the show with great fondness.
I've recently found this series on UA-cam and have been watching an episode every night. Up to episode 3 and love the cosy laid back atmosphere of the show. So often Gerry's shows were influenced by other people's desires and interests. This feels like *his* show, well away from anyone else's interference
I only found this series two years ago and I have so far only seen two episodes... It is English madness at its best. Knowing there are 11 episodes I have yet so see helps me sleep at night... A kind of 'Smash Glass in case of emergency' Box-Set. 🏆🇬🇧
I never heard of this one, and accidentally found almost all episodes are on youtube, I love hearing Father unwin speaking unwinese. lol also the title music is great
Gerry did try one last Supermarionation pilot, The Investigator, in early 1974, using only two realistic puppets, John and Julie. Shane Rimmer (aka Scott Tracy) wrote and created the storyline.
OMG it been a very long time man can't believe of all Gray Anderson's. Shows this one 👍 missed all of them
Montreal, Québec I watched this show and loved it ! Nineteen seventy something
I remember it well and watched it back when it aired here in Oz. I enjoyed the show and the switching between puppet and live action didn't worry me at all. Very eccentric though, part of it's charm for me.
I've seen only one episode, but loved it! I knew of Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, but it was your channel that exposed me to Stingray, Joe 90, and the secret service. I remember hearing the Fireball theme, but I don't remember.watching it on tv. I was barely out of toddler age when it aired. All of these shows are beyond awesome in my opinion. Supermarionation is fantastic. Brains has always been my favorite character because he wore glasses. I've had glasses on my noggin since I was 4, so he was my hero.
I found this series by mistake some time ago but I have to admit I love it! Hidden Gem. May not be one of the best puppet series but still enjoyable
Thanks some great information 😜 I loved to watch this back in the day and still love the introduction music👍 thanks for the memories 🙌😁👍
Watched it as a kid in Nigeria in the early 80's
This is one, I didn't know about.
The only Anderson series that spooked me as a 4 year old for some reason! Sunday teatime at my Grandmothers was never the same again until a few years later! This is the first time I have seen it since, even though I have dvd sets of both UFO and Space 1999 and seen the other supermarionation series repeated.
i knew about it and as with every thing else from Gerry and company....Jolly good...jolly good indeed. Toodlepip
A rare occasion where Lew Grade was wrong about something. A full 26 episode series, at the very least, would have been nice.
I read that Lew Grade complained bitterly about Stanley Unwin's manner of speaking (as Unwin was an eccentric comedian and writer), and thus didn't want the series sent to the USA, fearing American audiences wouldn't understand the main character. Gerry countered, "I figured that if British audiences couldn't understand him either, what's the difference?!" Grade, however, was the boss and Gerry took his orders. A sad shame, as this might have been a fun hit in America.
Given how completely Bonkers "the Avengers" became, on America's wishes to make the Show "more clearly an English Show", in the Mrs Peel and Miss King Era's (and all the more endearing, fun, charming, and downright Brilliant for being so utterly Daft IMO) I think America would have actually taken quite a Shine to this Series, as it is, like "the Avengers" in those Later Era's, something that, with its off-kilter Style, frequent moments of whimsical Comedy, and thoroughly Potty Storylines, could *only* have come from England.
I suspect American audiences wouldn't have got the joke.
@@simeonyves5940 I really liked the Tara King episodes of The Avengers. True, they didn't have the charm of the Emma Peel episodes, but they were still good fun. It's a shame Thorson didn't do more episodes, but circumstances beyond her control saw to that. ABC in America didn't want anymore episodes, while our ABC who produced the series, had been merged with Rediffusion to become Thames by the time these were aired. To give Thames their due, they did offer the makers another series, but severely cut back, instead of doing it on film at Elstree, they wanted it done on video at Teddington, a bit like the early ABC episodes with Steed and Cathy Gale. The makers said no, and that was that.
The Secret Service is a lovely little curio, I can see why it alienated Lew Grade, after loads of series that relied heavily on sci-fi, this was very far removed. But, Gerry Anderson was entitled to do something different, it's just a shame Lew Grade pulled the plug prematurely.
@@stuartkenny7430 Sorry. I Had to Delete and Repost to deal with some Typo's, as the New "Edge" Explorer fouls up the Paragraphing if You "Edit"... MS needs to get that Patched..
Indeed, I enjoy the Tara King Era as well, it isn't as Charming, no, as that Extra Special Chemistry that Existed between Patrick Macnee and Dianna Rigg wasn't there, but it still has some absolutely Classic Episodes such as The Rotters (WormDoom) , Take Me to Your Leader (the Talking Dispatch Case) and "Split (Harry...Harry...KARTOVSKY!) among its Ranks.
Indeed, I always found it a Shame that Linda Thorson only Did one Series, I knew that the Americans Pulling out caused a lot of Financial Issues, as "Lord Grade" was always very insistent on getting most of His budget from United States Syndication, its why ITC was doing Colour before every other British Producer, but I did not know that ABC UK/Thames wanted to absolutely "Gut" the Series by removing its Budget almost Entirely.
Yes, the Filming on Videotape rather than on proper Cinema Film caused a lot of Issues with the Cathy Gale era, although all Episodes of Mrs Gale's Era Survive (a good thing, as there were some Corkers in Honour Blackman's Second Series, which is when the Show started to become a lot more... "Eccentric" and became the Avengers everyone Remembers, I remember one Stand out from the DVD Re-Releases with John Lawrie and William Hartnell who took the "Criminal" part of "Criminal Lawyer" a bit too Literally!) They have a Massive Amount of technical Hitches and Quality Issues that Renders them more than a bit tricky to Watch, issues the Cinema Film Recorded Mrs Peel and Tara King Era's just do not have.
I can well see why the Producers, who had gotten used to Filming on Location, having Bigger and More Grandiose Sets (Such as the Giant Hallway for the Episode with the Department Store where they Entire Building was also an Atomic Bomb!), and better Action Sequences, Costumes, and Choreography thanks to the Big Budgets and Proper Cinema Film they had for Series 4, 5 and 6 just did not want to go back to Studio Only Filming, videotape and a near Non Existent Budget, as it would have made Series 7 a pretty Severe Let Down after Series 4, 5 and 6, so I can see why they pulled the Plug now You have Explained the issues they had with Thames, which, I, actually, didn't know about! it seems even us Fans can Learn something New!
Oh well, at least Albert Fennell gave us 3 Series of "The New Avengers" to Enjoy when ITV recovered some of its old Mojo in the 1970's :)
Yes, as Lovely and as Charming as the Secret Service is, I can also see why "Lord Grade" said No, as it wasn't the Futuristic Sci Fi Series that People would Probably be Expecting, set, instead, in what seems to be some kind of Retro-Future where Heli-Jets buzz above Leafy Lanes traversed by MGB's, and the Odd Model T.
Indeed, Gerry was a massively Imaginative Man, if Anyone could have tried something new and Completely Different, and Pulled it off, it was Him, so He was entitled to Try something completely New, just a Shame it didn't quite Work as He Planned as "Lord Grade" got Cold Feet.
Still, as we now Know, The Secret Service is No longer the End for Supermarionation, just the Start of a Long Hiatus, as it Recently came back and with Wonderous Aplomb!
Now, I am just waiting to see what Stephen La Riviere's Resurrected Century 21'st Productions are going to get up to with the Next Batch of Episodes for Nebula-75, and I am really Hyped to find out what the new Series, Filmed, of Course, In Supermarionation, they are working on for Netflix and which was Hinted at in BBC's "Front Row" Interview, is going to be!
Supermarionation is Back! :)
In my opinion, it was the best supermarionation with real human hands close ups. It's interruption after less than 10 episodes, was a great childhood deception. I was watching it in french in Canada in 1972-73.
Thank you so much. I have never seen this and absolutely love stop motion
No stop motion in this show - all puppetry and modelwork, along with the live actor shots.
I loved it. And, I couldn't wait to see more...
A piece of trivia, and perhaps an in-joke on the producers' and model-makers' part: the pulpit from which Father Unwin preaches towards the end of this video (and several of the series' episodes, usually with a cryptic reference to the day's adventure) is a near-perfect replica of that in the church of the opening titles (St Michael and All Angels, Hughenden, Bucks). Very few people outside the crew would have realised at the time, but a quick web-search will show you.
I actually enjoyed it when it was first shown on ATV.
I’ve never seen this show. I’ll have to try to find this series to watch it
This is causing me some weird flashbacks. I remember seeing this as a kid, but since then when I have asked people about it, they have been telling me I have made it up. I was convinced this was some fever dream I had created in my own imagination. Secret priest spies, a little man in a suitcase (in fact, I thought the series was called Man in a Suitcase, which is why I couldn't find it). Now that I have found out that it is real, I am beginning to question what else is real that I thought was made up....
The Secret Service, with the
legendary Professor Stanley Undwin, is the most underated of all of Gerry Anderson's tv shows, highly
original and a great theme
tune by Barry Gray and I think The Mike Sammes singers.
Paul Bacchus esq
The great professor Stanley giving some help to The Small Faces as well..during his time here...(Ogdens nut gone flake)
@@sarasarah1810 Yes that's wright, The Sall Faces (Ogdens nut gone flakes)
a part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and a tv show to himself (Secret Service)
1968 must have been
a good year for Mr Undwin.
It may not be Gerry Anderson greatest show
but it was orginal and fun.
Paul Bacchus esq
My first contact with TSS was a cartoon story that appeared in the Countdown Annual for 1972. It was about four years later when channel 7 Brisbane got hold of the series, and I watched all the episodes like the Anderson show fan that I was. I remember taking the puppet/live actor transitions in my stride, and I hardly remember the Unwinese, but the thing that jarred the most with me was the use of stock footage from other Anderson shows (e.g. Angel interceptors firing on either the tank or Father Unwin in Gabriel).
Fascinating. I had no idea this show existed. I thought I knew GA's work but The Secret Service never aired in The States as far as I know. I wonder if it's on UA-cam...
It’s on Tubi TV.
It was aired in Lagos, Nigeria, in the early 80s
8:31 words of wisdom to live by :D
FATBRUCELOL APPLEBEE Agreed. 😄😄😄😄
I saw the first episode of this show and my first reaction was, "What The F**K is this? What was Gerry Anderson on when he created this show?"
I first thought that about Terrahawks, not having seen the Secret Service. I think his medications were slightly better later on.
@@neilwilson5785 I thought Terrahawks was horrible. That show was definitely NOT Gerry Anderson at his best.
The on-screen titles credit Sylvia Anderson as the one who devised the series.
This is what you make after 10 years of smelling modelling glue ! They showed a few episodes of TSS in the Anglia region when I was a kid. I can tell you that this was the show that broke my tiny brain !
Never seen this and for that will be forever thankful
I only ever saw the pilot in my 47 years on this planet..........on youtube earlier this year. I've been waiting and watching out for other episodes to surface as I thoroughly enjoyed it. So where are the rest of the 13 episodes?
Available on DVD! 😉
@@GerryAndersonTV sadly only listed for region 2 which includes Europe, on your website. Being in North America (region 1), that is not helpful to me.
They've been showing it on MeTV Toons along with Joe 90 at around 5:00 AM recently.
OMG.. This is another Anderson series that I have never seen... A Vicar as a secret agent! Smashing!. Where can I watch!!!
Tubi TV has it for free.
@@timepoet77 FAB will watch Thanks :)
@@timepoet77 Tubi has a lot more too.. WOW! Thanks mate! Thunderbirds, Joe90, Captain Scarlet, Stingray, Fireball XL5, and Supercar...
Southern ran it, so I was lucky to see it, loved it, and when UFO came along saw it as the bridge.
This show would have been a hit in the U.S.A.
Despite being well-versed in Anderson shows (or so I thought) I didn't even know this series existed until just a couple of years ago!
I took a chance and bought it on DVD not knowing what to expect and.....really enjoyed it. The extremely limited format of the show and small cast really distinguishes it from the conceptual tropes typical of Anderson's other marionette shows. Mostly positively too imo.
Unfortunately the aforementioned limited format meant that the show was never likely to last much beyond its dozen or so episodes. Indeed, by the time I'd reached the final, thirteenth instalment I wasn't exactly left wanting more...
Still recommended though!
My number one Supermarionation series.
I have the entire series on DVD
I hope this show and Four Feather Falls get the deluxe Blu-ray treatment. This is one of the few of these shows that I haven't gotten on home video yet.
Right now is literally the first time I'm knowing of this show.
I wish we had much adventures of Father Stanley Unwin, just as much as Lavender Castle
Caught the show recently on -Cartoon Network- SuperDrama TV, where it had the full Full HD treatment. It was quite fun, if a little confusing - I must've missed the part that explained why the priest kept control of the shrinking machine, rather than handing it over to the government. I never realized it was the last of the puppets, though admittedly it didn't have the polish of Joe 90 or Captain Scarlet.
I don't live in a region where it was originally shown, and didn't know of it's existence - until I bought an old annual at a jumble sale. One of the strips within was 'The Secret Service', and it drove me mad not knowing what this was - no internet, or anything close, in the early 1970's. No 'Cult TV Show' listing books, either. As time went on, I actually managed, years later, through magazines such as 'S.I.G.', and 'Starburst', etc., to find out what it was. I got my hands on the DVD set a few years back, and loved every second of it. I find that it has the same sort of off-kilter weirdness that shows like 'The Avengers', 'Department S', and 'The Prisoner' had about them, which was not off-putting for me at all. I think that it's as beautifully made, charming and clever as the shows that preceded it. Oh, and on the subject of 'Target Audience'? Joe 90 - a nine year old boy who manages to kill an awfully large number of people during the series. Kid's show? Good luck if you could get it commissioned today, that's all I'm saying. (And it's still one of my favourite shows). And saying that, I believe that the seed of 'The Secret Service' was the beautifully odd Joe 90 episode, 'The Unorthodox Shepherd', written by Tony Barwick, and which features a seemingly deaf vicar - who turns out to be an ex secret agent. The episode features lots of location work, and life size stand ins for characters, and is different than any other Joe 90 episode, both in tone, and appearance.
I have all of Jerry Anderson’s series on DVD starting with Four Feather Falls. They bring back great childhood memories! Although Secret Service is certainly not my favorite, it needs to be on the shelf with all the others. FYI .... I live in the US now, and I have never attempted to show them to friends. I just don’t think they would understand!!!
so so good.
I love this
Oh deep joy!
This series was never given a propper chance, with the much unneeded interfearance of Lew Grade. The promblems of the few regions picking it up was mostly the fault of Lew Grade. The Secret Service could have been a gem if it had been handled much much better.
Agreed. Lew Grade really fumbled the ball on this.
Now looky here, Lewy Gradulum may have had imperfectum tasty wasty into the dialogski but he maybe have a pointer that could makey sensey.
It really didn’t work and yet it was rather fascinating.
fine atmosphere scoring that was recycled into space 1999 in 1975
My effective introduction to this was on DVD (so) many decades after its broadcast premiere. It was as much my introduction to Stanley Unwin. No, it most definitely would not have worked Stateside, no more than a series starring "Professor" Irwin Corey, who I am convinced had the goal to confuse you while Unwin chose only to challenge you. But if you want to view Supermarionation driving in a different gear, this series will deliver. It also drives the point home at least to me that the production technique wasn't easy then, and is even less easy now.
Here's something to think about: did "Doctor Who" steal the yellow-and-black roadster idea from "The Secret Service"? Jon Pertwee did become the Third Doctor shortly after "The Secret Service" aired its last episode. Discuss. :D
Antique and custom cars were a bit of a thing in UK TV back in the 60s. Remember the Avengers, The Prisoner? The A steals from B thing doesn't work when both are following a trend.
I knew Chris Dale was not the biggest secret service fan but he dose a good job
like this should show in america and canada
Iam a huge fan of gerrys work,,never frightened to try the ,,let's say,,slightly different..in his programmes,,,I do remember the secret service 1st time round,,not sure if ITV granada,took it from the off tho...but,,different it was,,but nevertheless a firm favourite from me,,,and it's great to see that gerrys live action series are still shown...ufo,space1999,,etc...
I don’t know what Gerry Anderson had been smoking when he was dreaming up the concept for his next show, but it must have been some reallllly strong shit.
Have you checked out The Investigator?
Thomas R. Skidmore
Just looked it up, I’ve Never heard of it.
Great show still cool
I've never heard of this before. It's rather weird but looks very, very clever.
I've never seen 'Secret Service' but would love to! The Priest looks like famed actor Denholm Elliot to me for some reason...
I remember watching it when on bluray the collector's edition of filmed in SuperMarionation but it was not my cup of tea especially when it cuts from the puppets to live action wich took me right out of it
I saw Filmed in Supermarionation on the big screen in York with other Anderson fans. The laughter when that woman puppet changed to a live action figure was incredibly. Everyone was just hysterical.
日本ではロンドン指令Ｘのタイトルで放送してました
Supermarionation went downhill after Captain Scarlet. Joe 90 was tolerable but the Secret Service did nothing for me as a 7 year old.