Sapphire And Steel

[stuartdg]

Don't think there's been a thread for the tv show and theres no better time with the rerelease of the dvd set and final audio adventures imminent.Anyway,detectives in time,chilling,unsettling,enthralling and all transmitted in the 7pm slot now occupied by Emmerdale.

The dvd is presented across 6 discs in 3 cases.Adventure 2 is broken up episode 1 is on disc 1 and the remainder on disc 2.Adcaps are present from Adventure 3 onwards,as are the ATV front/end caps.The first and last episodes feature commentarys from PJ Hammond and Shaun O'Riordan,and the new documentary Counting Out Time ticks the right boxes,although it is only a talking heads piece in essence,minus the lack of David Collings alas.Picture quality is also superior to the carlton release...

Now on to the Adventures themselves...

[Ralph]

I sold my old set in readiness for the new one which should arrive any time now

[Wayne]

I'm sticking with my old copies. It's good, but not that good.

[Si Hunt]

Am I alone in thinking the picture quality was perfectly acceptable on the first release? I'm not buying them again just for a documentary.

Si.

[Ralph]

The postie just delivered mine - as for S&S, it's got Joanna in it which is a major plus for me plus in this release she gives an interview. Actually I was peeved last weekend as I missed her interview on Parky

[Ralph]

The picture quality is definitely better

Plus you get a lovely viewing notes booklet to cherish with your collection

[stuartdg]

This is as near a definitive release as we're likely to get I reckon

[Jonno]

Having stuck with my videos up to now, I'll be looking to get this when the price is right!

[MacNimon]

I'm with you, Jonno...I've only got these on video and haven't watched them for a while, so I think this'll be worth investing in soon!

[Dino]

If you wait long enough... it will fall! (In price)

£19.34 from Amazon. I've yet to see Assignment 4 (Although I had that on VHS) and Assignment 6, but yes, it's an excellent box.
I can remember the odd bit from it's original broadcast. The Manchild from Assignment 3 touching Silver and "Brass" with his melting face (well that's how it seemed to me when I saw it). Considering Assignment 5 is meant to be the weakest of the series, I really enjoyed it. At one point it seemed like Steel's inability to pass the port was going to be the cliffhanger!
Seriously love Assignment 2. I've heard about how great it was, and it didn't disappoint.

And best of all, I love the documentary as the leads are still friends. I know that's not uncommon for leads from shows to still be on speaking terms, but there's also the ego of some other shows (George Peppard refusing to speak to Mr T for example) where things weren't as rosy.

So if your reading this and have put off getting this box, I'd recommend it.
(Despite some technical freezes on the odd disc. I'm not replacing it, I can live with it)

[Perry Vale]

Seriously love Assignment 2. I've heard about how great it was, and it didn't disappoint.

Just going through it at the moment, having done the first six episodes.

It's brilliant, isn't it? Tully is a great supporting character, and McCallum really bounces off him well, shining in a way that he doesn't in assigment 1.

[Dino]

Just going through it at the moment, having done the first six episodes.

It's brilliant, isn't it? Tully is a great supporting character, and McCallum really bounces off him well, shining in a way that he doesn't in assigment 1.

Let me know when you've seen the rest. It has to be discussed! I'm biting my arm off waiting to talk about it!

EDIT: Even though most of my responses will be "Duuude!!" and "Wooooah!"

[Nyder]

I've got the boxed set but not got round to watching them yet. Now is a good time to start. Well maybe not right now .. I have to go to work :-)

[Rob McCow]

Time has been taken back.

I'm re-watching Assignment One, or "Woah! Creepy House and Children, The Premiere Adventure!" Episode 1 last night, Episode 2 tonight.

What's most striking is how magnificent McCallum and Lumley are. They are astonishing together, whether sharing a joke over the psychic wavelength or standing very still on a staircase. In fact, I've never seen two characters standing still on a staircase with such gravitas. The two children, Rob and Helen fit in with the chemistry and their naive responses to these terrifying Medium Atomic Weights all adds to the creepiness. Even with Sapphire's illusions and time bending, they come across as an aunt and uncle.

The direction is great too, with lots of subtle camera moves, lingering shots and cross-fades. Nothing too intrusive, but enough to be unsettling. Possibly the most terrifying moments are when the camera slowly pans across to a boarded up door, with light streaming out from underneath and strange noises growing in volume.

At the end of Episode Two it looks as though Rob is about to free whatever it is from the room. It's used the voice of his mother to trick him into freeing it. 'Kneel down and put your face to the door' - chilling!

[Simon R]

The little girl is amusingly bad bless her. "Pictures. Saw pictures!"

[Andrew Curnow]

Imagine trying to pitch this show to a network nowadays - we don't know who the title characters are, most of the stories leave you wandering what on Earth has happened, and it's all just very baffling... and yet, incredibly watchable!!

[Nyder]

As a youngster, I was terrified and fascinated in equal measures by S & S. And yes, that boxed set is still there waiting for me!

[Rob McCow]

Ah yes, the little girl... She's in it quite a lot, which must have been quite demanding for a 6 or 7 year old. She's not bad all the way through, but she's not a little Starlet Actress by any means. Fortunately it doesn't ruin the story. Something about the way she acts is kind of 'real', if you see what I mean.

Sapphire and Steel is magical, it draws you in with it's atmosphere and then scares the pants off you!

[Rob McCow]

Assignment One - Episode 3 tonight. This continues to be thrilling, as the 'light' escapes from the room. The little girl Helen is effectively sidelined by being sent to bed, but when she wakes up she's a right liability the poor dear.

As ever, there's a huge amount of mileage from very little. Steel does something with a fridge that isn't entirely clear, but it gives him the ability to try to rescue Sapphire at one point. The only effects we get to see are a bit of frost on Steel's hands, Sapphire's eyes turning blue and the blobs of light escaping from the room. Great atmosphere though.

[Paul Clement]

It's one of the few shows that both Treena and I like. Kieran & Rhiannon have watched them too and both liked them. In fact, I think Kieran picked up a copy of the dvd from a charity shop.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[Rob McCow]

It's incredible that it casts it's spell on so many people, given that it's essentially such a creaky, slow and old-fashioned TV show. Yet there's that magic something about it...

[Dirk Gently]

Ah yes, the little girl... She's in it quite a lot, which must have been quite demanding for a 6 or 7 year old.... Something about the way she acts is kind of 'real', if you see what I mean.

That's pretty much what I told Angela. I've convinced Angela to start watching the original series, Assignment I, 2 episodes in.
Verdict so far..."It's alright, a bit drawn out & slow". Well at least she's watching it. "Atmospheric" is the watch word I'm using, with the lack of incidental music & the pacing.

[Rob McCow]

It is damn atmospheric, but you need to ensure that it's dark outside and that you've turned off your phone or other distractions.

Up to Part 4 of Assignment One now and - heh heh heh, Old Lead has turned up, heh heh heh! Like the element himself, he's pretty useless except as insulation. This is a bit more of a reflexive episode, a little bit of treading water, but the tension is building up and the cliffhanger is pretty superb as the door to the locked room is torn open.

[Nyder]

The story at the train station was the one that scared (or should that be scarred) me most!

[Jonno]

I love Sapphire and Steel - Assignment One is probably my favourite as I saw it on original transmission and it was very spooky - I have very fond memories of that one.

On the other hand, Assignment Two is probably the best one - never saw it at the time as I was out of the country but having first seen it on VHS circa 1991, I guess that's long enough now to be mildly nostalgic too!