'Sapphire & Steel': Tube Talk Gold

In the late 1970s, writer Peter J (or 'PJ') Hammond was recruited by Thames Television to create a new series, a fantasy story for children that bore the working title of The Time Menders.

Hammond's project - later rejected by Thames and subsequently picked up by ATV (Associated Television) - eventually developed far beyond this original notion, becoming Sapphire & Steel - a television classic that remains one of the most bizarre, imaginative shows to have hit the airwaves.

Sapphire & Steel: Originally broadcast from July 10 1979 to August 31 1982

"All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned."

Hammond's show followed the exploits of Sapphire (Joanna Lumley) and Steel (David McCallum), a pair of mysterious operatives who appeared at various points in history to fix problems in time. Their origins remain a mystery throughout the 34 produced episodes, which are divided into six 'assignments'.

It's probably fair to say that Sapphire & Steel relies more heavily on atmosphere than plot. Frequently, the viewer is offered only a garbled explanation as to what exactly has gone wrong with time. In the first episode, Lumley delivers the following mouthful while straining to explain the threat they face...

"There is a corridor, and that corridor is time. It surrounds all things and it passes through all things. You can't see it - only sometimes and it's dangerous. You cannot enter into time, but sometimes time can try to enter the present." - You'd be forgiven for feeling more than little confused.

Yes, the plots are often baffling, but where Sapphire & Steel absolutely thrives is in its mood and ambience. It's difficult to believe that this creepy, moody show was ever intended for younger viewers, so stuffed is it with horrific imagery. Many horror-themed pieces have been branded "nightmarish", but Sapphire & Steel, with its combination of surreal visuals and frequently wild narratives, truly merits the description.



Like the most terrifying nightmares, the show preys on childhood fears, playing with notions of the familiar becoming unfamiliar. Nursery rhymes take on a terrifying power, the still images in photographs spring to life and trusted figures - parents, police officers - are replaced by sinister impostors.

In later life, Hammond confessed that he still received dozens of letters from adults who had been spooked by Sapphire & Steel as children - images such as the faceless man from 'Assignment 4' remained vivid in their memories.

The show's tight budget also lent it an intense, claustrophobic feel. Each 'Assignment' took place in a single, contained setting - a spooky house, a train station, a café - and featured a small cast of, usually, no more than three or four major characters.

And unlike most paranormal drama, we don't even have a strong, heroic figure to guide us through the darkness. Sapphire and Steel are remote, otherworldly, distant - their true motives remaining a mystery even to the viewer.



Which brings us to our leads. Both Steel and Sapphire are perfectly cast - Lumley is glamorous and playful, a perfect partner for the severe, sour-faced McCallum. The show's recurring stars don't disappoint either - Val Pringle is terrific as the grinning gentle giant Lead, while David Collings is perfectly suave and mischievous as red-haired dandy Silver.

Sapphire & Steel drew to a close after three years, with the final 'Assignment' ending on a cruel cliffhanger - our heroes were outfoxed and left trapped, seemingly for all eternity. Though a seventh adventure was planned, it never materialised, with various explanations emerging over the years for the show's abrupt axe.

Some have cited declining viewer interest, while others have claimed that McCallum and Lumley had decided to move on from the series. Whatever the reason, Sapphire & Steel was at an end, with those behind it moving on to even greater success.

PJ Hammond's writing career continued to flourish, with the scribe penning two episodes of Torchwood in 2006 and 2008, while David McCallum currently stars in America's highest-rated drama series NCIS and Joanna Lumley... well, she's Joanna Lumley.

If you're a fan of science-fiction or dark fantasy, we'd strongly recommend you check out Sapphire & Steel - a complete series box-set is available on DVD for you to enjoy! Just don't watch it alone, in the dark, with the curtains drawn...

Were you a Sapphire and Steel fan? Share your memories of the show below!