Top 10 Sci-Fi Shows: Number 4 - Sapphire and Steel

Sapphire & Steel is another of those science fiction shows that can only be described as uniquely British. There have been many, sci-fi series that tackle the concept of time, but none that do it the way Sapphire & Steel did. Each episode in the series began with this prologue:

All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.

In many ways this prologue typifies the series as it creates atmosphere without ever really explaining anything. All of the Sapphire & Steel stories were the same way. Drenched in atmosphere but if you're looking for detailed explanations, you'll get really frustrated. We're never really told exactly what Sapphire or Steel actually are for example.

The show ran between 1979 and 1982 in an irregular schedule. There were a total of 34 episodes in the series, each running to about 25 minutes. The series is a remarkable testament to what can be done with almost no budget, but a talented writer and actors.

An interesting side note is that there have been some additional audio adventures published for Sapphire & Steel. The audio stories were produced by Big Finish and starred Susannah Harker and David Warner in the roles of Sapphire & Steel respectively. A total of 5 audio stories were produced during 2005 all of which are set after the tv stories.

Top 10 Sci-Fi Shows