The Professionals
"ANARCHY, ACTS OF TERROR, CRIMES AGAINST THE PUBLIC. TO COMBAT IT WE'VE GOT SPECIAL MEN..."
The lives of Bodie and Doyle, top agents for Britain's CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), and their controller, George Cowley. The mandate of CI5 was to fight terrorism and similar high-profile crimes. Cowley, a hard ex-MI5 operative, hand-picked each of his men. Bodie is a cynical ex-SAS paratrooper and mercenary whose nature ran to controlled violence, while his partner, Doyle, comes to CI5 from the regular police force, and is more of an open minded liberal. Their relationship is often contentious, but they are the top men in their field, and the ones to whom Cowley always assigned to the toughest cases.
Series 1
The first series set the standard for five successful years, milking the dramatic potential of a rich gamut of scenarios, from international espionage to racism and religious evangelism; Bodie and Doyle usually being called upon to protect a controversial figure from the assassin's bullet. Shaw would later dismiss The Professionals for its stereotypical violence and for a long time refused to allow reruns. In fact, as cult television goes, it has weathered well. Many of its themes are as relevant today as they were then. The constantly elliptical script ("I want you to see that he's… well taken care of") is tremendous fun. And despite the macho drive, the whole thing has a camp archness which betrays its Avengers pedigree. Great for a nostalgic wallow.
Season 2
In series two, Doyle is assigned to test a new laser-beam rifle, Bodie's girlfriend is critically injured in a terrorist bombing, and the team go up against a rogue agent.
Season 3
In series three, CI5 is targeted by a series of bombings and assassination attempts, the team investigates the murder of a defector, and Bodie and Doyle begin to suspect that their boss is selling weapons to the East Germans.
Season 4
In series four, the CI5 protect the daughter of a visiting South American president after his son is assassinated, and the team uncover a silver bullion smuggling operation being controlled from behind the Iron Curtain.
Season 5
More running around action from the popular 1970s action series. In 'Hunter/Hunted', a hi-tech rifle is stolen from CI5, and the boys have to track it down before its deadly force can be unleashed. In 'Stakeout', a CI5 agent is murdered before he can pass on details of a major crime. Bodie and Doyle soon discover a case of Plutonium poisoning.
Cast (774)
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Directors
William Brayne
Director
Ages 42-47
Martin Campbell
Director
Ages 34-39
Dennis C. Lewiston
Director
Ages 43-48
Anthony Simmons
Director
Ages 55-60
David Wickes
Director
Ages 39-44
Ian Sharp
Director
Dennis Abey
Director
Douglas Camfield
Director
Ages 46-51
Christopher King
Director
Chris Burt
Director
Ages 35-40
Ray Austin
Director
Ages 45-50
Phil Meheux
Director
Ages 36-41
Roger Tucker
Director
Ages 32-37
Horace Ové
Director
Ages 38-44
John Crome
Director
Ages 38-43
Ernest Day
Director
Ages 50-55
Sidney Hayers
Director
Ages 56-61
Charles Crichton
Director
Ages 67-72
Francis Megahy
Director
Ages 42-47
Raymond Menmuir
Director
Ages 47-52
Peter Medak
Director
Ages 40-45
Tom Clegg
Director
Ages 43-48
Benjamin Wickers
Director
Pennant Roberts
Director
Gerry O'Hara
Director
Ages 53-58
Pat Jackson
Director
Ages 61-66
James Allen
Director
Ferdinand Fairfax
Director
Ages 33-38
Writers
Brian Clemens
Screenplay
Ages 46-51
Brian Clemens
Writer
Ages 46-51
Ranald Graham
Writer
Ages 36-42
Gerry O'Hara
Writer
Ages 53-58
Anthony Read
Story
Ages 42-47
Anthony Read
Writer
Ages 42-47
Roger Marshall
Writer
Ages 43-48
Christopher Wicking
Writer
Ages 34-40
Dennis Spooner
Writer
Ages 45-50
Don Houghton
Writer
Ages 47-53
Tony Barwick
Writer
Ages 43-48
Edmund Ward
Writer
Ages 49-54
Stephen Lister
Writer
Ted Childs
Writer
Ages 43-48
Simon Masters
Story
Peter J. Hammond
Writer
Jeremy Burnham
Story
Ages 46-51
Michael Armstrong
Writer
Ages 33-38
Dave Humphries
Writer
Michael Feeney Callan
Writer
John Goldsmith
Writer
Ages 30-35
Paul Wheeler
Writer
Ages 43-48
Robin Estridge
Writer
Ages 57-62
John Kruse
Writer
Ages 58-64
Douglas Watkinson
Writer
Ages 32-37
Cinematographers
Dusty Miller
Director of Photography
Ernest Steward
Director of Photography
Ages 67-72
Norman G. Langley
Director of Photography
Vernon Layton
Director of Photography
Phil Meheux
Director of Photography
Ages 36-41
Frank Watts
Director of Photography
Ages 48-53
Graham Edgar
Director of Photography
Michael J. Davis
Director of Photography
Barry Noakes
Director of Photography
Tony Imi
Director of Photography
Ages 40-45
Original Language
en
Spoken Languages
English
Production Countries
GB
Production Companies
LWT