Apologies if someone has already mentioned this but, when this show was originally aired on TV, there was a weekly TV listings magazine for kids called Look-In that featured ongoing illustrated stories featuring Sapphire & Steel (as well as Space 1999 and Robin of Sherwood). I was a big fan at the time.and couldn't wait for the next issue to come out each week.
I love seeing your reaction to this Assessment and the series as a whole, Alexa. Sadly, it seems that the days are gone when really different and challenging TV is made, we were fortunate that in the U.K. from the '60s through to the '80s we had unusual TV series that didn't speak down to its audience or overly explain things and relied upon the intelligence of the viewer to work it out.
@alexachipman You could well be right, Alexa, I'm well aware of the current generations lack of attention span, but it's a sad situation none the less.
Yes, this is definetely the most distuirbing story so far - its amazing to think that a programme involving, essentially, families taking their own lives was shown at 7:00pm on a weekday evening. Oddly, one of the things thatr eally gets me about this story is the lighting (particularly in the other capsules) - it has all the texture of some kind of nightmare.
In support of what @robmissen wrote "Look-In" magazine included cartoon strips based on other Gerry Anderson shows. They included "UFO", "The Protectors" (which was between "UFO" and "Space: 1999") and which "Terrahawks" made in the early 1980s. Except "UFO" and "The Protectors" might have been in "Countdown"/"TV Action" instead of "Look-In". There was a comic in the 1960s called "TV21" which had comic strips based on Gerry Anderson's series of the era. Many of the comic strips from these magazines have been republished by Anderson Entertainment which is run by Jamie Anderson.
The fact that you now feel you'd be on safer ground going a few rounds with Killer BOB's anger-devouring reality-warping cousin from Assignment 2 is a good indication of just how distressing this series can get...
In a way, this is the most scary S&S story so far because of the sealed off nature of the capsule. If I was involved in either of the first two adventures, if I got too scared I'd be able to run away from the house or the train station. But there's no obvious way out of that capsule once you're in it. Effectively sealed up in a metal box with an unknown menace. That would be truly scary.
I remember this back in the day in early 1981. We finally had a colour tv when this and the next tale went out. Believe me this and the next tale mantain the standard for scares. To me colour made the difference. Good viewing for the future. Glad you're enjoying this series. Keep up the good work. X❤
Silver likes Sapphire and flirts with her on a superficial level, but he seems to look down on her as an agent. As a 'Specialist' Silver seems to imply Sapphire is not very experienced. A bit like a Surgical Consultant looking down on Nursing Staff.
You may be right, but I prefer to see it as Silver being very, very good at just one thing (better than S & S), but when he steps outside his area of expertise (like here) he's often a bit lost.
It's quite a powerful image, if you think a show with a low budget would just say there was a family in the bed, but no as Sapphire looks down the camera follows and there five people in that bed. Not props real people most likely crew members or extras but real people non the less. It the little things like that lift this show up to be more that just a silly science fiction thing.
I don't want them to remake any old shows tbh. I'd prefer if they came up with some new ideas. Although, there's a theory that we're running out of them 😏❤️
Big Finish made some audio dramas a few years ago. I don't have any of them yet, so I can't say how good they are. But BF are generally pretty good at respecting the source material.
Apologies if someone has already mentioned this but, when this show was originally aired on TV, there was a weekly TV listings magazine for kids called Look-In that featured ongoing illustrated stories featuring Sapphire & Steel (as well as Space 1999 and Robin of Sherwood). I was a big fan at the time.and couldn't wait for the next issue to come out each week.
I love seeing your reaction to this Assessment and the series as a whole, Alexa.
Sadly, it seems that the days are gone when really different and challenging TV is made, we were fortunate that in the U.K. from the '60s through to the '80s we had unusual TV series that didn't speak down to its audience or overly explain things and relied upon the intelligence of the viewer to work it out.
I think it is because today people are scrolling on their phones half paying attention, so shows lowered their writing to match.
@alexachipman You could well be right, Alexa, I'm well aware of the current generations lack of attention span, but it's a sad situation none the less.
Yes, this is definetely the most distuirbing story so far - its amazing to think that a programme involving, essentially, families taking their own lives was shown at 7:00pm on a weekday evening. Oddly, one of the things thatr eally gets me about this story is the lighting (particularly in the other capsules) - it has all the texture of some kind of nightmare.
In support of what @robmissen wrote "Look-In" magazine included cartoon strips based on other Gerry Anderson shows. They included "UFO", "The Protectors" (which was between "UFO" and "Space: 1999") and which "Terrahawks" made in the early 1980s. Except "UFO" and "The Protectors" might have been in "Countdown"/"TV Action" instead of "Look-In". There was a comic in the 1960s called "TV21" which had comic strips based on Gerry Anderson's series of the era. Many of the comic strips from these magazines have been republished by Anderson Entertainment which is run by Jamie Anderson.
The fact that you now feel you'd be on safer ground going a few rounds with Killer BOB's anger-devouring reality-warping cousin from Assignment 2 is a good indication of just how distressing this series can get...
In a way, this is the most scary S&S story so far because of the sealed off nature of the capsule. If I was involved in either of the first two adventures, if I got too scared I'd be able to run away from the house or the train station. But there's no obvious way out of that capsule once you're in it. Effectively sealed up in a metal box with an unknown menace. That would be truly scary.
Hi Alexa this episode is well awesome and Silver is a superb character too, he has a tie like some of the old style school ties from when I was a lad.
I remember this back in the day in early 1981. We finally had a colour tv when this and the next tale went out. Believe me this and the next tale mantain the standard for scares. To me colour made the difference. Good viewing for the future. Glad you're enjoying this series. Keep up the good work. X❤
Great video 😊
Silver likes Sapphire and flirts with her on a superficial level, but he seems to look down on her as an agent. As a 'Specialist' Silver seems to imply Sapphire is not very experienced. A bit like a Surgical Consultant looking down on Nursing Staff.
You may be right, but I prefer to see it as Silver being very, very good at just one thing (better than S & S), but when he steps outside his area of expertise (like here) he's often a bit lost.
It's quite a powerful image, if you think a show with a low budget would just say there was a family in the bed, but no as Sapphire looks down the camera follows and there five people in that bed. Not props real people most likely crew members or extras but real people non the less. It the little things like that lift this show up to be more that just a silly science fiction thing.
I don't want them to remake any old shows tbh. I'd prefer if they came up with some new ideas. Although, there's a theory that we're running out of them 😏❤️
I would so love to see Sapphire and Steel remade
As long as they keep the sfx budget low and writing budget high!
@@alexachipman And delusional modern politics out
Big Finish made some audio dramas a few years ago. I don't have any of them yet, so I can't say how good they are. But BF are generally pretty good at respecting the source material.
@greedycapitalist8590 I have them and some are pretty good, others not so good
Most disturbing ending in this episode. Remembering that adult child look scary attacking with her hand.😯
yeah oh yeah ;) i rewatched it from the dvd. and yeah
Great job 😊
Of course Sapphire and Silver are actually *both* right, just not putting two and two together which is what's happening here.