The Sandbaggers

"The Sandbaggers" is the best spy drama ever made for TV, and is certainly the most realistic. Focusing on a group of special agents of the British SIS, it shows spies as they probably really are: overworked, underpaid, under-appreciated and expendable.

The acting in the series is top notch by all of the cast, particularly Roy Marsden as the workaholic Burnside and Ray Lonnen as the amiable Caine. There's also particularly good work by Alan MacNaughton as the wily Wellingham. The plots rely less on action and more on intrigue, with battles won and lost in "drab dusty corridors in Whitehall", as Burnside puts it. There isn't any real gunplay until the sixth episode, in fact.

The first season of the series, with all episodes written by series creator Ian MacIntosh, is the best. It follows a rough story arc involving the introduction of troubled agent Laura Dickens (well-played by Diane Keen). It leads up to the powerful season finale "Special Relationship", which is a stunner.

The second season isn't as good. Other writers besides MacIntosh are involved and there are some ill-advised plot developments. Also, there are less-than-successful changes in some characterizations. But, still, it remains a superior and thoughtful drama.

I highly recommend this series. It's well-worth tracking down on video or on PBS. Just remember what Burnside says in the first episode: "If you want James Bond, go to a library."

I completely agree with the astute reader comments. This was a brilliant show. Good 'spy' drama without gun fights and fiery explosions.

Even the British portrayal of the American agent -- slovenly, incessantly eating and talking with his mouth full, crude -- nice one Brits!

I rate this English drama show right up there with I, Claudius and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Just proves what the Brits and Japanese know -- riveting drama doesn't require car chases and cleavage.

Thank you London and PBS!

This is probably the best TV series I have ever seen.

I also accidently stumbled upon the series while watching PBS. It caught my attention and I could not quit watching. My favorite episodes are "Decision by Committee" and "Who Needs Enemies". I particularly liked Burnside's dedication to his principles and also, the dedication of his fellow Sandbaggers to him. Anyone who admires the theme of "competence versus political influence" will enjoy this series. Glad to see that all of the series is now available on DVD.

A previous commenter noted that the series seemed to end abruptly and wondered if our British friends were holding out on us. The reality is that the series was supposed to continue for at least another season, but there was one problem: the producer/writer of the series died at the end of the first season. This was one of those rare situations where the originator of the series also wrote all of the episodes. That intimacy with the characters and the ability to weave various plot lines over multiple episodes was one of the characteristics that made Sandbaggers so enjoyable. But it also made it vulnerable to disaster because only the producer/writer knew all the plot lines he had planned for the second season. Most of that was in his head. With few notes to go on, the production company staff found it impossible to figure out what to do with the series, so the second season was never produced. It's a tragedy because Sandbaggers was so wonderfully done. We can only guess whether Willie survived and how Burnside dealt with his ex-wife.

Brilliant series : well-written and well-performed. Sophisticated plots that didn't strain credulity and rarely ended up neatly resolved. The best spy/international intrigue series ever produced, in my book.