"Department S" (1969)TV series 1969-1970

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

9 March 1969 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An elite department within Interpol, Department S inherited those cases which the other member groups had failed to solve...

Cast

Peter Wyngarde	...	Jason King (28 episodes, 1969-1970)
Joel Fabiani	...	Stewart Sullivan (28 episodes, 1969-1970)
Rosemary Nicols	...	Annabelle Hurst (28 episodes, 1969-1970)
Dennis Alaba Peters	...	Sir Curtis Seretse / ... (16 episodes, 1969-1970)

Runtime:

USA:60 min (28 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Betchworth Quarry, Betchworth, Reigate, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

Kate O'Mara successfully tested for the role of Annabelle Hurst and was then offered it by Monty Berman. According to her memoirs however the American backers refused to cast her after describing her as too 'exotic'.

Quotes:

Jason King: Stealing? Its a sure sign of frustration in a woman.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wanna Watch a Television Series? Chapter One: Variations on a Theme (2008) (V)

They don't make them like that any more

Like NIGHT STALKER and then X-FILES, the show set up a fantastic situation and the main characters had to sort it out. Unlike these, the hero(es) weren't left holding an empty bag at the end. They had usually tangible results. It was also made clear that the 'good guys' were in a dirty profession where they occasionally had to pull some nasty things. Imagination, wit, acting which didn't always take itself too seriously ... I miss it. One reason being, I'm hard pressed to think of too many shows - BANACEK aside - which did as good a job of taking the viewer and grabbing their attention right off the bat. The writers excelled at setting up hugely improbable, if not downright impossible situations which the characters then had to find an explanation to. explanations which often took 90 degree turns into the clearly unexpected yet, for all that, still made sense. Too, I agree with another reviewer that the Anabelle character was somewhat underused, but when she was on screen, it wasn't just for eye candy. She was quite competent in her own right and stood up to the two male leads when she felt the point she was making warranted it. A rarity in those days. Sullivan? If he wasn't in the Department, he'd be working for the KGB or CIA. He's that sort of coldly efficient, ruthless type. He knows how the world works and realizes what it can take to get the job done. King? It's clearly a game to him. One he excels at and which he parleys into ideas for the detective/spy novels he writes as his ostensible 'real' job. He's probably the most fun to watch of the three, although they all have their moments and often, too. I do agree that the eventual spin-off series featuring only his character lacked the interest of the original, however.