The Secret Service

TV Series
1969
0+
30m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

232

YOUR RATING

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Action Family Sci-Fi

A gibberish-spouting parish vicar and his gardener undertake secret missions for B.I.S.H.O.P., using a shrink ray called the Minimiser in their battles against criminals and terrorists.A gibberish-spouting parish vicar and his gardener undertake secret missions for B.I.S.H.O.P., using a shrink ray called the Minimiser in their battles against criminals and terrorists.A gibberish-spouting parish vicar and his gardener undertake secret missions for B.I.S.H.O.P., using a shrink ray called the Minimiser in their battles against criminals and terrorists.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

232

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Episodes13

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TopTop-rated Season 1969

Videos2

Trailer 1:03

The Secret Service (Trailer 1)

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Trivia
The headquarters of B.I.S.H.O.P. are in the Centre Point building at the junction of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road. An architectural icon of 1960s London, the building was deliberately kept empty by property tycoon Harry Hyams for ten years as its value soared from £5m to £20m while not being liable for taxes as it was unoccupied. Gerry Anderson obviously decided the ideal location for a secret intelligence office was an otherwise empty building.

Connections
Featured in All About 'Thunderbirds' (2008)

User reviews6

Featured review

6/10

The Man from V.I.C.A.R.A.G.E.

This is actually quite fun and, as another reviewer has pointed out, seems to reference other 1960s TV series. (I did wonder if the shot of the Centrepoint building was meant to echo the shot of the Nemesis offices in The Champions (1968). But I don't know that The Champions would have already aired when this series was being made.)

The first (*** see EDIT below ***) episode was almost psychedelic -- or at least F-A-B -- as I was only half-watching it and so didn't realise a shrink-ray was involved. The teeny-tiny car and occupants had a feel of Michael Bentine's Potty Time (1973-1980). It's only when watching the second episode that I realised the shrink-ray is an important part of their equipment.

So, do please give it a go. Like me, you might just find it a fun watch.

EDIT: it turns out that what I thought was the first episode was actually the 13th and final episode. Having subsequently watched the actual first episode, I can confirm that the shrink-ray (and suitcase) is clearly introduced in the first episode.