Sapphire & Steel - Assignment 6 (unedited)

[@starkRECORDINGS]

Don't read the comments - they will spoil the story - just watch, and enjoy.

[@mjrussell414]

starkRECORDINGS Thanks - I won't!

[@rhessex]

@@mjrussell414 Like a zen koan

[@gianlucaficca145]

"Ghosts of my life", the incredible essay by Mark Fisher, brought me here.

[@daisynrl8767]

same, I was looking in these comments for someone else who had read about this from Fisher

[@bencolemanart]

@@daisynrl8767 Me also, having reread Fisher's book following his untimely passing, I started at the beginning of the show and just wrapped up.

[@guugle7924]

Ídem

[@miguellsls]

hell yeah

[@alexecheverri5765]

Sameeee!!

[@JR-ld2xx]

I never had the chance, to see the show, when it was on. I've forgotten it. Busy being an adult. Only just after the Death of David McCallum, someone mentioned it. I was thinking it wasn't available. I just got Amazon. They only showed 1,2, and half of three. I guess it's where I live? I was annoyed, to say the least. I then went onto KZbin. You are a blessing. All of you. I didn't think that I would be able to see ALL unedited. Now, I can take it off my bucket list. I hope to see Mr. McCallum, when I pass on. Talk about his career. THANK YOU!

[@Veganluver]

Thanks for putting all six stories/assessments of Sapphire & Steel on KZbin. I enjoyed watching them. (Some were ghost stories while most had an element of horror thrown in. To me an underlining theme is time being the ultimate villain by stealing our youth, life, etc.) Like most I relished riding the nostalgia wave while wearing the rose-coloured glasses. Nice to see the people playing the parts in their prime. I see audio plays have been produced since the TV series with mixed reviews.

[@spacies8882]

the only way out of that trap is if silver '' who escaped '' travels back in time to warn them before it happened

[@DAGDRUM53]

This last episode was the best of all, the gas station set is brilliant. The cheap budget for the series made it a classic show.

[@cyranojohnson8771]

I love how jealous Steel is of Silver. They play it beautifully.

[@thenightowldude]

Stuck in a room forever with Joanna Lumley in her prime. Oh no.

[@vinvass2674]

Poor Steel - do you feel sorry for him, or completely envious?

[@konradblades93]

@Sarah Milo oh yeah and party till the end of time. xx

[@konradblades93]

@Sarah Milo Patsy is brilliant she'll find a way.

[@evertonporter7887]

"The universe is safe. There is of course, no escape for them, sir." "There is of course, no escape. How would it be? Trapped forever with a beautiful woman in the middle of nowhere, until time itself comes to a stop. For all eternity. How would it be...?"

[@sapphire7424]

Don't think my dad would have minded 😆

[@michellecahill1433]

Wow! What an ending!!!😮 Bleak! Really interesting show. As an American, never saw this before!!! RIP David McCallum

[@CaminoAir]

This final episode was written as a cliff-hanger. I assume this was a way of trying to force the hand of the TV company to consider another series. So interpret this last scene as something that the writer(s) would have written the characters out of.

[@jessehaaland7689]

I did not want that series to end like that!!!

[@nancyallen628]

Me neither!! Love it

[@Grayvorn]

I'd be so bold as to say that for Sapphire and Steel, nothing ever really ends.

[@gorillaau]

I would have loved to have known how Sapphire and Steal go out of that trap cafe. Too bad that we will probably never know. Unless one of the writers come out and say what the future plans were.

[@christhornley1664]

Love the ATV opening credit at the beginning, really takes me back.

[@michaelmcdonald2348]

when this asssignment was first aired in 1982 it went out with central branding - obviously added on as this was already in the can

[@johnking5174]

@@michaelmcdonald2348 This assignment was filmed in 1981 and left on the archive shelves for over a year. Central decided to air it, as they had a gap in their schedules in the late summer of 1982, and this was the reason why this finally aired over a year after it was filmed.

[@Robert_Manners]

@@johnking5174 can you explain why it was not aired straight away after being finished, did something happen at ATV?

[@johnking5174]

@@Robert_Manners This assignment was always designed by ATV to be a filler, and was left on the shelves due to their reorganisation into Central Television from 1st January 1982. They decided to have an "in the can" assignment ready, just in case they had problems with new productions when they became Central Television. Also the new management at Central were not keen on the show, and most likely forgot about it, until they had to fill their summer schedules in 1982, and what better way to fill than with the cheap, already in the can last assignment.

[@AntarcticaTelevision]

... and I think this final assignment got some of the series's highest viewing figues.

[@bryanpalmer9660]

Watched this 💎 in the early 80s from 1st episode to the last where S&S are trapped and marooned in "Nowhere"-thoroughly enjoyed it and am pleased I can now see it on KZbin thank you Auckland New Zealand 2023

[@serenarcher]

I put this into the search bar but did not think anything would come up, so THANK YOU for your time and fantastic editing. BRILLIANT still after all of these years. Thank you again :-)

[@jezt42]

My absolute pleasure, seren archer! :)

[@thevilegrin704]

Fan-bloody-tastic. My fave sci fi ever- Brilliant casting and atmos.

[@gavinpeacock1601]

RIP David McCallum

[@pamh66]

Steels rare show of compassion was their undoing

[@vinvass2674]

Not at all. Steel knew the box sent the other two Trans back to the Triassic and he was trying to do the same to the Man. Like in all quick draw, the Man beat him to it and they got sent to the Trap "nowhere and forever". SIlver was not sent a it was "not his time"

[@pamh66]

@@vinvass2674 i mean towards the woman it distracted him.

[@srmcd1]

David Collings would've made a fantastic Doctor Who

[@sapphire7424]

Oooooh thatss soooo true! Wow they really missed a trick there.

[@Grayvorn]

Actually he did play an alternate reality version of the Doctor for Big Finish, look for the audio 'Full Fathom Five'.

[@sapphire7424]

@@Grayvorn ty! That's so cool 🙂

[@darrenkeady6570]

He was a character in Doctor Who.

[@thuggedoutsal]

amazed by the similarities with twin peaks. it is evident to me that Lynch and Frost drew inspiration from this show when coming up with twin peaks!

[@bombtwenty3867]

It also seems where the Matrix sprung from. 3 Men in suits with supernatural powers working for a higher power

[@juliefryer8498]

P

[@gianlucaficca145]

I was thinking exactly the same.

[@Edo_Marinus]

"What year is this?"

[@matiasocarez]

@@Edo_Marinus THIS! I feel Lynch was directly referencing this ending, the similarities are uncanny

[@robertfass9681]

thank you for posting. i wish that itv had made more of them. the acting is compelling especially the leads mccallum and lumley. it is the reason why i kept watching.

[@jezt42]

Robert Fass Glad you enjoyed the series, Robert. As you say, if only ATV/Central made more!

[@gkgd1519]

Big finish audio has other actors playing the leads but it is good

[@seannosecondname7946]

a weird end to a weird series ... brilliant

[@trevorbrown_artist]

sean nosecondname #agree

[@mrgobrien]

@R Tim yes i assume silver was ok (and the baddie explained that to him beforehand)

[@mrreality1187]

Brilliant show loved this in my childhood. Those transients precursors to the matrix agent smith types. This show is so way ahead of its time, no wonder they don't want to remake or continue this series today too brian stimulating in an age of non-intellectual entertainment.

[@Beautiful_Sacred_Land]

Thanks for uploading this series, thoroughly enjoyed them and thanks for leaving the intro tune and logos, etc ! :) brings me back :) So easy going.

[@jezt42]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed them. :)

[@patrickjohnson5658]

I remember this series on our family's TV set during the early 1980's, but I just saw it in passing and it looked weird so I took no notice of it. It is only since I found it again here on YT nearly 4 decades later I really got interested in it.

[@gerardsandee1520]

From an RPG nerd's perspective this (and all the former assignments) offers a lot of inspiration. Thanks for all the storylines, thrills and the dang-I-was-only-a-kid scares. Thanks to PJ, the entire cast (you know who you are), and the channel having the guts to broadcast this. And Jez, I remember once Sapphire and Steel as a simple ghost-in-a-picture-with-a-poem-thing when I was a child. Thank you for sharing, all the best, this is [expletive deleted] brilliant. Love, peace and joy, Gerard

[@takeshihiraoka5310]

finally, the transuranic elements make an appearance. pity this series ended so soon. I wish someone would either do a remake or a follow up of some kind.

[@catlover-hq4dt]

Transient beings, actually. They're not elements.

[@stephen5060]

Big Finish did do an audio range. They're very difficult to come by these days though. If you're able to get a couple, the best ones are "Remember Me", "The Passenger", "Cruel Immortality" (Which in ways is a sequel to Assignment 6, but requires you to hear "Water Like A Stone" first) and "Zero".

[@smilodontiger5675]

@@stephen5060 The perfect day was my faourite audio.

[@gkgd1519]

Big finish audio have three box sets for those who loved the show it’s a good one

[@lovelytuberoses]

so many years I wasn't sleep properly.

[@ekku1979]

"Quickly Sapphire! Take time back NOW!"

[@johnking5174]

I wish we could do that now as of April 2020 in the middle of this COVID-19 pandemic.

[@xr6lad]

@@johnking5174 it’s a virus mate. A simply virus. It’s not the Black Death. I wish people in adult bodies would actually think like adults and research what it can and can’t do.

[@psychotictactoe]

Lumley is just stunning.

[@jezt42]

In 2018, the price for petrol per litre is the same as per gallon in 1982. :(

[@Robert_Manners]

Everyday low price

[@Willy_Fisher]

Thank you for uploading this.

[@primaveral6857]

Mark Fisher brought me here.

[@jackrowland4629]

Thanks mark Fisher

[@kelvynchin1968]

Great stuff, brings back memories. Quite like this as a kid.

[@greigclement9081]

As a child watching this, I found Johhny Jack very creepy. His silhouette alone made me uneasy.

[@mrgobrien]

moxy! that actor is good at accents - he was american in a batman movie.

[@theflamingone8729]

Yes, he, and particularly that silhouette, is one of the things I recognised, watching these some 40 years later, also the soldier on the railway station, and the faceless man invading photographs. The Faceless Man series is what I was searching for.

[@nicholasjanke3476]

Years later there was a Sapphire nd Steel audio show (alas Joanna Lumley and David McCallum were unavailable) set after this episode where we learn that in an untold story between this episode and the audio show that Sapphire and Steel were rescued from the 'cafe' by Silver.

[@Wanda711]

I figured that was the reason he was allowed to escape by the writers, who weren't knowingly writing this as a final episode.

[@djasphalt1907]

Mark Fisher brought me here

[@nancyallen628]

I am so glad to find this!!

[@JasonJason210]

thanks for leaving the idents for added nostalgia

[@jezt42]

My pleasure! I had to put them back in on a couple of the adventures as they’d been lopped off! :)

[@LeopardFannyBatter]

Eternity with Joanna Lumley and brown sauce. Not so bad.

[@vinvass2674]

Yeah, some "sinners" get an eternity in Hell being tortured over and over - Steel gets this.

[@DrMezMcG]

I don't read the comments until after I have watched the programme because of spoilers, but this episode was spoiled for me in the comments after assignment TWO. Thank you whichever arsehole left me spending this entire episode waiting for Sapphire and Steel's end.

[@johnking5174]

Lesson 1 - NEVER read ANY KZbin comments before watching programmes on here. There is no Lesson 2.

[@dr.weaklicksofcrashedcurse4535]

I saw the 1st assignment on Italian TV when I was a teenager, I was not aware of six such stories and I would have never expected such an end. This show was great, although its budget was apparently very small.

[@johnking5174]

ATV being forced to become Central Television from 1st January 1982 was the kiss of death to Sapphire and Steel. This last assignment aired during the time of 19th to 31st August 1982, eight months into the new Central Television franchise.

[@jezt42]

Thanks for the info, John. I always suspected that Central had no interest in keeping the show going. At least we have the 30-odd episodes. What has surprised me is how little it's repeated (no terrestrial telly repeats, I think?) and yet the programme still remains a favourite amongst a lot of people. :)

[@johnking5174]

In this episode, I was wondering at the very end, you have any idea where "Silver" went? Sapphire and Steel are the ones trapped, where did Silver go? Was he let go by the evil ones? Thanks.

[@evonne_okafor]

John King Probably

[@johnking5174]

@@jezt42 Hi again, I get the feeling in this modern aged, a show where is a lot of dialogue and little special effects or action would not suit most broadcasters. Look at Doctor Who now. ITV could repeat it on ITV3 or ITV4, but they chose not to, or even to sell it. They must think it has dated badly and would not be of interest to a modern audience sadly. Thank God for KZbin.

[@jezt42]

I think you’re on the money, John. About 20 years ago, there would have been scope for BBC2 to repeat it at say 6pm, as they had a spate of retro telly seasons. Nowadays, more likely to be shown on lesser well known sci-fi channels or ITV3/4.

[@adriansherlockdamondark.1094]

I never got over this!

[@theweirdchannel653]

Wonder how many games of chess they've played since being in there lol

[@PiggyWiggyO]

They must be grand grand grand masters now.

[@PappyMandarine]

Enough to beat Stockfish

[@jezt42]

I suspect they moved onto: “I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with… C”. “Chess set.” “Your go.”

[@Wanda711]

I think Steel doesn't play games; remember, he couldn't play bridge in Assignment 5. Sapphire will have to teach him.

[@oddities-whatnot]

I wished they had made another story after this. Superb, creepy TV at its best.

[@michaelmcdonald2348]

So many places this series could have gone. I'm surprised no one has picked the idea up in the 21st century, though a remake would probably not have the same atmosphere. This scared the crap out of me at the time, I was 11 when it was made.

[@starkRECORDINGS]

Absolute excellence. Assignment 6 was the best.

[@cosmicwartoad2587]

I wondered why my DVD of Sapphire And Steel which I ordered last week hasn't arrived.

[@nancyallen628]

Thank you so much for this!!

[@mrpolitepolite5570]

they should have given lead a call he'd have sorted them out. Poor steel being imprisoned forever with sapphire. feel really sorry for him, not.

[@briscoethecollie1510]

I get what you mean... ;-)

[@secretmermaidgirl2878]

just realised David Collings who played Silver died on the first day of lockdown March 23rd 2020 - very sad. I remember him playing Mr Oakapple in the adaptation of Joan Aiken's wonderful book MIDNIGHT IS A PLACE - - - I have simply loved watching this series - - thanks for Jez T for uploading.

[@stephenbrady4829]

I didn't know he was dead. That's very sad. A fine actor

[@sapphire7424]

Thats so sad, I was just imagining him as an 80s Dr Who (thanks to whoever suggested that above). Goodbye lovely man, RIP

[@mrgobrien]

wikipedia says he was the english voice of monkey if you remember that japanese series.

[@Wanda711]

I remember him best as Cassius in the BBC's 'Julius Caesar', and he was a very fine actor indeed.

[@jeanjimenez4633]

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and say to myself... "they're still there"

[@droctober33]

Sapphire: 'Can I see it? Like a fortune tellers' crystal. That's how she described it.' Silver: 'You really want to look into the future?' Sapphire: 'Yes' Silver: 'It's best not to know' So, Sapphire looks into the box - sees a vision of endless space, and her and Steel's eventual fate: '...and years will become thousands of years'. Afterwards, Silver just looks her in the eyes and says 'yes...' which is pretty much an admission of his own guilt and involvement in the higher authority's plan to trap Sapphire and Steel - which would be one of the most chilling moment sin the series except... Sapphire and Steel weren't exactly adept at their jobs were they? In Assignment One, they had to use a child as bait to lure the poetry-thing down from the attic - in Assignment Three, they just sent the creature that was causing all the trouble back into the future with the time travellers, ('let them sort it out' I'm sure Sapphire or Steel said at some point) - Assignment Four, they trapped the Shape into a Kaleidoscope on a ship that was going to be entombed in ice for 70 odd years - not really a permanent solution, and just told Liz to destroy every photograph of her ever taken' without actually telling her why... (and surely she';d be dead by the time The Shape got released) - and then, worst of all - in Assignment Two, they get rid of The Darkness, by creating as resentment against time itself. Sapphire and Steel - amateurs - thank god the higher authority stepped in and used the Transient Beings (much more professional!) to get rid of the highly dangerous Sapphire and Steel duo...

[@brendasorrelles3253]

Interesting point of view not to be dismissed…

[@xr6lad]

Ummm their job was to repair time! End of story. So most of your comments while correct demonstrate them doing their job. It wasn’t to save individuals: that was an irrelevance almost. It was to save time and if people died or they needed to use people to do so, so be it. The Transient Beings were worse. They wanted to destroy order.

[@stainedglasssparrow9636]

Quite possible. In effect, you are saying this assignment was a clever setup by the higher-ups to get rid of the two.

[@droctober33]

@@stainedglasssparrow9636 That's the way I see it now. They were also quite puzzled (if I remember rightly) why Silver turned up in Assignment 3 as well - as if he'd been sent to keep an eye on them.

[@carl7697]

Jings, crivens, help m'boab! This remains glorious, terrifying and so weird! I wanna be Silver, by the way.

[@johnking5174]

Same here, he can create anything out of thin air. I wish I could turn my newspapers into cash notes!!

[@TomthatiscalledTom]

At least at the end they'll be safe from the coronavirus.

[@jezt42]

Every cloud...!

[@xr6lad]

Most people were so they’d have no problem. Another that thinks it was the Black Death.

[@Blackwater_House]

They didn’t know Where and they didn’t know When, so they didn’t know whether to go Forward or Backward in Time and they didn’t know in Which Direction to Travel thus Escape, although Possible, was virtually Impossible.

[@sarabrown3821]

i remember this very well

[@gordonjohnson3265]

Here because of Mark Fisher (RIP)

[@thisravenhasflown010]

Oh no! This cannot be! My whole imagination is left with so many questions 😮😮 I'd like to write "The 7th Assignment" and include the rest in the beginning helping bring Sapphire and Steel back.

[@TheChefski333]

Sonic screwdriver! Are sapphire and steel agents of timelords?

[@SusanAmberBruce]

Looks peaceful forever

[@Sally-c8y]

I never knew Sapphire and Steel was edited.

[@baska4786]

The harmonica sounds like it's being played by toots thielemans (of midnight cowboy fame).

[@xr6lad]

Together with Blake’s 7, and Series 1 of Space 1999, S&S is one of the most underrated sci-fi series made in 50 years in the U.K. Don’t you worry about Dr Who etc. Only wish there were more episodes made: well written and entertaining. And the characters tightly developed. Wish they had got out of this one though.

[@ShamrockParticle]

The children on Johnny's back... not just little dolls, but trapped beings? What might be going through their minds?

[@steveedwards1205]

I mean it should not of ended this way, seems as shocking to me as the end of Blake 7.

[@lightworker5456]

The Blake's 7 ending was worse, very traumatizing.

[@Retro-Future-Land]

@@lightworker5456 At least one or possible two survived that bloodbath though.

[@randyyoshi6780]

Steve Edwards she could’ve went back in time

[@TomthatiscalledTom]

Have you betrayed us...have YOU betrayed ME? I set all this up! YES!!! Avon I was waiting for YOUUUUUU BLAST!!!! BLAST!!!!!! Avonnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!! (Falls dead on floor)

[@abbamanic]

They meant to be another series. As in all thinks British, the cash runs out...I loved this series, there was so much potential

[@MarkFoster321789]

If it wasn't for ITC/ATV chief Lord Lew Grade throwing £40 million of his own money into investing a big, bloated Hollywood epic about raising the Titanic we would have indeed another season of S&S, a third (13 episode run) of Space:1999, and more of Return of the Saint and Hammer House of Horror. Big mistake, Lew...

[@filthyweedog1388]

No there wasn't meant to be another series.....the creator and author of the series had had enough by the end of assignment 6, Silver was supposed to be trapped in there with them as a way to get out should another series be mooted but David McCallum scrubbed that concept saying it was better to leave just Sapphire and Steel in there by themselves, with that and no way to escape the series had a definite end.

[@theflamingone8729]

I read elsewhere that David and Joanna were getting too much work on other projects.

[@Jasonm25870]

what's the Glenn Miller tune called that's played at the end. It's really bugging me, I've forgotten the title. And yes, stuck in a cafe with Joanna Lumley, 2 chess sets and a bottle of brown sauce, the possibilities are endless. And maybe unlimited coffee

[@jezt42]

Hi, Jason. The music at around 1hr 34 min mark is "Moonlight Magic" by Alan Moorhouse. The music used in Assignment 2 (The Railway Station) used to drive me bananas until I found out what it was. "Lover" by Rodgers & Hart, as it happens!

[@Jasonm25870]

Great, I knew it was a Glenn Miller thing. I used to be subjected to old films when I was a kid, every Saturday afternoon on BBC2 in the 70's. On they would go and wouldn't come off until the footy results were put on at 4.35. Then it would be Jim'll Fix It, Generation Game, Doctor Who and The Two Ronnies on afterwards. In the summer when there was no football , Jim'll Fix It would be replaced by The Pink Panther Show and Seaside Special

[@moonfaeriemagick]

Moonlight Magic was apparently written in the 1970s , it had me going for a while too thinking it was a 1940s song..

[@Jasonm25870]

OMG.....totally stunned at this, it sounds so 1940's

[@moonfaeriemagick]

The same song featured in the film The Fog and an episode of Goodnight Sweetheart so its done the rounds....

[@htershane]

It’s bizarre. But gripping.

[@nedd.8479]

There's a certain Black Mirror episode that ends on a very similar note to this.

[@cynthiapaolatomsich5750]

I AM IN SHOK TOO UNFAIR TO LEAVE THEM IN THE NOTHING I AM FAN OF SAPHIRE AND STELL I USED TO SEE IT WHEN I WAS A KID AND NOW I AM WATCHING WITH MY DAUGHTER AND IT IS HORRIBLE YOU LEAVE OUR HEROS IN THE NOTHING I DID NOT REMEMBER THE AUWFULL ENDING OF MY HEROS

[@xr6lad]

@ 59:30. This is where this excellent story goes a little awry for me. Sapphire ‘brings back and has shown to her the 3 guys yet never says what she saw to the others immediately. The fact that it was the 3 guys in their true form and all in suits should have alerted her to at least think and say to Steele that they look involved and part of the time bubble. It was pretty obvious. It kind of lets me down that she just let that revelation fade away for the moment.

[@pamh66]

Silver was spared by the transients as he was standing directly in the blast of the timebox and should have been zapped with Steel.

[@Retro-Future-Land]

They didn't have a beef with silver, or were unable to affect him as silver doesn't break down and is more pure than steel.

[@johnryan8173]

Why didnt silver use the time box on the higher authority men when he found the box under the car

[@theflamingone8729]

Why didn't he switch it for a replica? One he had preset.

[@streetvictor7102]

🌺🌸😎Hi👋 Sapphire and Steel ❤️❤️it’s a nice series to watch ❤️❤️ Staring = David McCallum and Joanna Lumley ❤️❤️ each story is a different Assignment ❤️❤️and this one was Assignment 6❤️❤️V.S.- Saturday 8th June 2019 Time 10:40 🌺🌸😎

[@BWinced]

Ah, a Blake's 7 kind of ending.

[@livethink1625]

Sapphire & Steel (TV Series 1979-1982) The secrets Sapphire, Steel and their colleagues find include people trapped in photos, ghosts lost in time and a retro dinner party. - imdb

[@rhessex]

And they're still there ...

[@muffinman9462]

amazing

[@johnpece7585]

good way to end a ironic show left it open for a reboot

[@trevorbrown_artist]

Simple jealousy bought down Sapphire & Steel. #😕

[@TheZeofobic73Channel]

Such a shame this was the final assignment

[@Qscrisp]

What kind of car is that? A Bentley? I thought they said somewhere, but I can't seem to find it now.

[@625tvroom]

Curiously when this story was shown recently, the main title sequence had changed... The music ended differently and the voiceover called out mercury as the second 'element' instead of lead. I've uploaded the alternate sequence here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJyUeHl-fJt0l6c. It seems it was also used for the photos story and you can see that here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/a56voWSrYtZpfaM. But your uploads stick with the original titles all the way through. I wonder when these were edited and why? Can you tell us whether these are from a DVD release? (The stories I've seen recently on Forces TV also had a cleaned up ATV animated ident and had the 'end/start of part' captions missing, even though commercials were inserted.) Curious!

[@jezt42]

625tvroom You’re only the 2nd person in 3 years that has actually noticed this! Forgive me, but for quickness, I’m just going to copy/paste the answer I gave below. “The “Mercury” version was also used in episode 3 of Assignment 4, strangely. I dubbed that and the episodes here for a couple of reasons: there was always an awkward jump cut to the start of the “Mercury” version. Also, the horns and double basses are slightly out of tune, which set my teeth on edge(!). Lastly, I think the Lead version was used in the original dub, but the Mercury theme pasted on afterwards (if you have the DVDs and listen closely on some of the Assignment 6 episodes, you should be able to hear both versions layered on top of each other, just as the intro ends). Not sure what Shaun O’Riordan was thinking to be honest! All in all, it sounded a bit of a mess and IMO needed tidying up. Thank you for spotting my bit of touching up: it was done for the best of reasons, I promise!” Hope it didn’t spoil your enjoyment. 🙂👍

[@andrewwiseman4861]

​@@jezt42 Thanks for your reply. So when you bill these as unedited, you mean "mostly unedited" :-) :-) :-) It is bizarre that someone at ITV has basically pasted the closing title theme over the opening one - it doesn't really work with the horns in there. But you've done a good job restoring the titles (and idents). So now we know the dodgy 'mercury' titles were used on the DVDs and on the showings on ForcesTV (and presumably are also being used on BritBox). I wonder if they were used in the original broadcast versions? Anyway, I have enjoyed watching some of the later stories on TV and will catch up on those I missed by watching them on your channel.

[@johnking5174]

@@andrewwiseman4861 You have to remember when this assignment was filmed, ITV was in the midst of major change in many regions, including ATV Midlands which produced this series. ATV Midlands was forced to restructure and become Central Television from Jan 1st 1982. During 1981 management and staff were in turmoil and change, with post production work delayed and disturbed. This could be the reason for the mix up.

[@johnking5174]

@@andrewwiseman4861 You have to remember when this assignment was filmed, ITV was in the midst of major change in many regions, including ATV Midlands which produced this series. ATV Midlands was forced to restructure and become Central Television from Jan 1st 1982. During 1981 management and staff were in turmoil and change, with post production work delayed and disturbed. This could be the reason for the mix up.

[@geoffreylee5199]

Sound ahead of picture, makes more interesting...

[@briscoethecollie1510]

I still don't understand who the Transient Being s are, are they like another group entirely, if Sapphire, Steel, Silver and Lead etc. are a bit like MI5 and the other group are opposed to them like the KGB, or are they more like a rival fringe of MI6, still working for the same side but jealous of their independence and abilities so they decide to work against them?

[@stephen5060]

According to the audio series, they were an organisation who also tried to keep time in check, but their ways were extreme. It's a spoiler, but the range is difficult to find these days so I think it's worth saying? In Zero they had a final solution to stop break-outs occurring: wiping out the human race. No more triggers, no way for time to break free. It's also worth noting in Cruel Immortality steel described them as "leeches". They seemed to feed on pain in that one. The audios are very different at times though, so that probably wasn't anywhere near what P.J.Hammond envisioned.

[@Retro-Future-Land]

Mossad basically, they even have the year of Israels formation 1948 as a clue.

[@steveedwards1205]

Got the full series, should of ended this way anyways it didn't there's an audio series as a cotinuation................... You can't end it this way, S & S Looked in a Box!

[@jezt42]

As series endings go, it’s definitely up there with “The Prisoner”!

[@gkgd1519]

Just listened to the new big finish audios Love it too bad the leads had to be recast but humans don’t last as long as elements I guess

[@siratsumethkul3516]

assignment 7 is the best there has Jet Diamond Mercury Silver Nitro Topaz Lead Plutoniam Sapphire and Steel

[@jezt42]

Not forgetting Wood, Concrete and AstroTurf.... ;)

[@vinvass2674]

Or Lino, Hosepipe and Trousers.

[@hannahringel4892]

9:28 What’s that music called?

[@libbyreesbarresi7459]

I wonder if that number plate was ever registered to a car? CYP 959P

[@mrgobrien]

yes it was - about 3 years before - regarchive.com/plate/platedetails

[@Captain-Cardboard]

29:44: Don't watch that; watch this!

[@htershane]

Is this re-edited? Noticed the opening intro still refers to Lead whereas it had changed to Mercury for some reason and just for this story.

[@jezt42]

htershane 3 years since I uploaded this and you’re the first to notice! The “Mercury” version was also used in episode 3 of Assignment 4, strangely. I dubbed that and the episodes here for a couple of reasons: there was always an awkward jump cut to the start of the “Mercury” version. Also, the horns and double basses are slightly out of tune, which set my teeth on edge(!). Lastly, I think the Lead version was used in the original dub, but the Mercury theme pasted on afterwards (if you have the DVDs and listen closely on some of the Assignment 6 episodes, you should be able to hear both versions layered on top of each other, just as the intro ends). Not sure what Shaun O’Riordan was thinking to be honest! All in all, it sounded a bit of a mess and IMO needed tidying up. Thank you for spotting my bit of touching up: it was done for the best of reasons, I promise!

[@htershane]

Ah, I didn’t realise this was your own work rather than copied from another source. A friend mentioned these were on here so rather than hike to the attic to dig out my ?? year old dvds I figured this would be easier! I noticed the “mercury” difference when I last watched the 6th story on dvd (that was the first release so I thought subsequent releases might’ve tweaked things a little) thinking that might indicate another element turning up a la Silver or Lead, obviously it was not meant to be. Strange curio though, if S&S had the same following and devotion as Doctor Who that mystery would have been solved long ago😂 I do appreciate the effort; the idents, ad breaks it’s the truest version I’ve seen to date👍🏻

[@maroseltamondong8949]

Kailan ang assignment 7

[@johnking5174]

They only made 6 assignments, sorry.

[@manuelodabashian]

How old is joanna kirby in here?

[@fenian21]

They are trapped for ever??? At least joanna is there...

[@sugarbabylove1000]

Oh dear!

[@spirit6134]

Knowhere..?

[@Sonia39333]

Who is the last element ? Didn't get his name😮

[@Sonia39333]

Silver, Argento.

[@manuelodabashian]

Why did they only have six assignments?

[@mrgobrien]

wikipedia says the itv region (atv) lost the franchise and the new owner (central) wasn't interested in it - tiswas and crossroads etc were carried on though.

[@andrewwiseman4861]

@@mrgobrien Well... Tiswas didn't last much longer. (It was on air when ATV became Central.) Pipkins also got the chop - but that was made at Elstree, which ATV sold as part of the commitment to the Midlands region. I presume Sapphire & Steel was also made at Elstree? Crossroads did survive for a while, before being killed off and then coming back and then ending again :-)

[@maryelizabeth6797]

Noooooooooo......