Strange Report

The Strange Report is nowadays quite forgotten compared to the other ITV adventures like The Saint, Danger Man etc. Only one season was ever made. This isn't however, because the series flopped; in fact the truth is quite opposite. The Strange Report was an ambitious series, starring Anthony Quayle as a master detective utilizing top science and psychological skill instead of fists and guns. It got good reviews and was very popular in the UK. ITV got so excited, they thought they had a break at the US market and decided to film the second season in the States. As Strange as it may sound, Quayle and his female sidekick, Anneke Wills, decided they didn't feel like traveling, and the series was axed! How does the series, killed by its popularity, look now? It has a nice swinging 60's look, but it has it's problems. Kaz Garas as the male sidekick Hamlyn Gynt(?) is quite a bland character, and although Anthony Quayle does a competent job, mr. Strange isn't extremely charismatic. It is, however, a quality show, good scripts, good acting, decent production values. The Strange Report genuinely favors wit over action. Strange can talk the criminal to put down his gun instead of the usual shooting and chasing. Definitely a show worth checking out.

This was a decent action series, but isn't as fondly remembered as, say, Randall & Hopkirk or The Saint (though it was somewhat better made, with higher production values). The premise was that Adam Strange, together with two young sidekicks, would solve unusual crimes, not through routine thick-ear violence, but rather with skill, science and psychology. The scripts were intelligent, and even (as for example in the episode with Julian Glover playing a psychotic on a revenge spree) moving. And an excellent theme tune also helped.

So far, so good. But it never quite made classic status. There are a couple of possible reasons for this. Firstly, the cast was not super-charismatic. Anthony Quayle as Adam Strange is somewhat cerebral, and Kaz Garas as Ham was not terribly engaging, with his earnest manner, strangely stooping gait and persistent references to Minnesota. Both look as if the swinging sixties were about to pass them by. On the other hand, Anneke Wills, fresh from Dr Who, continued her posh dolly bird act with her usual panache, but - as in Dr Who - was too often relegated to making the tea.

Secondly, the cases fell between several stools. It is easier to say what they are not, than what they had in common. They were not surreal. They were not glamorous. They were not spooky or supernatural. They were not action-packed. They were not comedic. They were not police procedural. They were largely, but not exclusively, restricted to Britain, and often took their premises from the headlines. The title 'Strange Report' was an unfortunate misnomer - it does lead the viewer to expect something odd or off the wall, which they rarely were.

Some sort of methodical and painstaking science or data checking was usually brought in. A typical scenario would involve Ham having to stay up all night going through the telephone directory finding all the people called Smith whose houses had North-facing aspects, forty years before mashups and Google Maps would have solved all his problems.

They were certainly enjoyable, but just fail to stick in the mind. But well worth seeing, and give a much better sense of what life was actually like in the 60s and 70s than was usual in the genre.

That was probably their problem - too real and too intelligent!

I remember watching this series as a young boy in the late 60s. It was a excellent series then and, still is, now. What a shame they never went on to make a second run. What a great roll model Anthony Quayle was both as Adam Strange and as him self. Anneke Wills was/is great attired in the fashion outfits of the day and Kaz Garas was full of great fun without being too over the top, I thought his character was great. All three characters interacted so well that the presence of other actors is almost an intrusion.

As for DVD box set - It was great to see the present day Anneke and Kaz speaking of the series on the DVD extras disc. Appearances are made by other actors, like Martin Shaw, talking about the program just prior to the episode that they appear in. The quality is stunning, having been digitally remastered, far better than when I originally watched it. What a treat to see it again after all these years.

Funny, but a few series have come to light recently where some bright executive has thought that it does well on Britain so we should try the 'States, and got it sunk mid Atlantic.

I did not see The Strange Report first time, as I didn't have a television in 1968, so I am glad to be able to see it now. The stories are good as is the acting, and it is all clean, so clean that when I saw the first episode from half way through, I knew it wasn't 'modern'.

This particular episode, set in a hospital was roughly contemporary with one of my spells as a hospital porter. I remember the considerable precautions that the radiologists took to ensure that patient details were recorded on the film. A small stencil was made by writing with a stylus to remove radio-opaque wax, and this was then clipped onto the negative carrier so that the stencil wax showed up white and the patient details in black writing.

Of course, different hospitals had different methods.

Nevertheless, I still like the series.

I couldn't agree more with John Hughes. What an excellent series, and such a shame they never continued it. The other night I caught an episode on ITV 4 and it brought back several happy memories of being 12 in swinging sixties Britain.

Those were the days all right, and Strange Report captures them perfectly.

In terms of raw atmosphere it has oodles in common with other well-known series from the same period like: The Baron, Man in a Suitcase, Gideon's Way and The Champions. Yet, Strange Report was 'different' in a way I can only attribute to the level-headed, avuncular personality of Adam Strange himself, played brilliantly by Anthony Quayle. I guess he was the vital essence that distinguished the series from the rest.

But hey! There was a raft of other stupendous acting talents in there too – people like: John Thaw, Robert Hardy, Martin Shaw, Ian Ogilvy, Richard O'Sullivan, Julian Glover, Bernard Lee, Kenneth Griffith, Peter Vaughan, Keith Barron and Sylvia Syms. In fact, a veritable potpourri of contemporary British stardom by any measure.

Also, Roger Webb's outstanding theme tune deserves special mention. It was up-front, very catchy and eminently arresting. A classic of the genre – and of the era.

So, all in all, if you're a die-hard sixties fan like me, I reckon Strange Report is a fab way to relive the wonder years for not a lot of dosh. You'll love this one to bits.

Honest!