Introduction

The one thing that drew me to writing a guide to “Sapphire and Steel”, a series which I fell in love with the moment I saw the first episode a few years ago, was a chance to revisit and chronicle the strange World it exists in, with each mention of its curious nature on-screen. What’s interesting about P.J. Hammond’s series, which remains well remembered but was oddly never cited for TV resurrection, is that it appears unfinished. Ironically the initial pitch of the series surrounded the mystery of Sapphire and Steel – who were they? Were they human or alien… or something else? Where did they come from? The answers to these questions were hinted at during the series, but never truly resolved, and the nearest it got to doing so (in the final episode) asks more questions than it answers. Imagine Doctor Who had finished before they’d made “The War Games” and you’ll have some idea of the intrigue drawn from watching “Sapphire and Steel”. It’s this mystery I hope to make clearer as I re-watch each of the episodes in turn.

This won’t be a purely sound bite or list based episode guide, although I will note the “Creepy Moments” for those with a passing interest and in “Mystery Dissolved” highlight the rare times when the show missed the mark either with daft costumes or acting gaffs. Most of all I will be pouring over what we actually find out about Sapphire and Steel, Time and other interesting concepts, in an attempt to get to the bottom of this wonderful and mysterious series…

Si.