The Guardians (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Guardians was a television drama series of 13x60 minute episodes made by London Weekend Television
and broadcast in the UK on the ITV
network (with the exception of Northern Ireland
) between July 10, 1971 and October 2, 1971.
The opening titles and closing credits included a memorable theme tune composed by Wilfred Josephs
.
, Derek Smith, John Collin
, Cyril Luckham
, Lynn Farleigh
, David Burke, Gwyneth Powell
, Robin Ellis
The State of England
Broadcast: 10 July 1971
After a period of mass unemployment, chaos and a complete failure of the government, law and order has been restored in England. However the price of this new order is personal liberty. Dissenters soon appear, dedicated to the overthrow of the new regime.
Pursuit
Broadcast: 17 July 1971
An attempt has been made on the Prime Minister’s life, and an agent planted to root out communists within The Guardians is shot dead.
Head of State
Broadcast: 24 July 1971
A delicate situation develops when the French President, due in London for talks refuses to attend. He demands to meet the real head of state. With the Queen in self-imposed exile and the Prime Minister little more than a pawn of the General, who is the real head of state?
The Logical Approach
Broadcast: 31 July 1971
The new Home Secretary is perturbed to find out that prisoners under sentence of death are effectively “put to sleep” 48 hours before their scheduled executions to keep things quiet.
Quarmby
Broadcast: 7 August 1971
The search continues for a sniper and the Prime Minister has had enough. He decides to disband the Guardians but does he have the power?
Appearances
Broadcast: 14 August 1971
Having killed a detective in cold blood, Benedict returns to the routine of causing chaos for the Guardians and the Government. Is it time for action to be taken?
This is Quarmby
Broadcast: 21 August 1971
There have been many strikes against the regime, but now the resistance launches a new campaign to get its message across.
The Dirtiest Man in the World
Broadcast: 28 August 1971
An officer of the Guardians is being held at the rehabilitation centre and is making no effort to leave; Benedict does not underestimate the officer’s value as a pawn in the struggle against the Guardians.
I Want You to Understand Me
Broadcast: 4 September 1971
When a kidnapped member of the Guardians Is assassinated, The Prime Minister is send an ultimatum, Restore the Monarchy or face more kidnappings and chaos.
The Nature of the Beast
Broadcast: 11 September 1971
Psychiatrist Benedict has problems when a man calling himself Quarby drops into his office without an appointment, while Clare has her own problems with her drug addict husband.
The Roman Empire
Broadcast: 18 September 1971
The Prime Minister fearing for his career, rigs a show trial when a Guardian commander kills three workers during a protest.
The Killing Trade
Broadcast: 25 September 1971
Weston is alone after Clare reveals her love for Chris; any escape plan will now be difficult with such limited support.
End in Dust
Broadcast: 2 October 1971
Benedict embarks on a high-risk mission. Unaware that he is under surveillance and with anger growing in England, the time to take sides has come.
decided that the series was unsuitable to be broadcast in Northern Ireland because of its controversial political content, and also because of the possibility of a misunderstanding in relation to the name of the police force of the Republic of Ireland
Garda Síochána
which translates into English as Guardians of the Peace.
. The full 13-part series was released as a 4-disc set. This is the first time the series has ever been released in any format, and is in fact the first time the series has resurfaced since its original transmission in 1971 as it has never been repeated on television (though a single episode, ep.12 - "The Killing Trade", can be viewed at the National Media Museum in Bradford
).
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
and broadcast in the UK on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network (with the exception of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) between July 10, 1971 and October 2, 1971.
The opening titles and closing credits included a memorable theme tune composed by Wilfred Josephs
Wilfred Josephs
-Life:Born in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, Wilfred Josephs had his first musical studies in Newcastle with Arthur Milner, and showed early promise, but was persuaded by his parents to take up a 'sensible' career. He subsequently became a dentist, qualifying as a Bachelor of Dental Surgery of the...
.
Synopsis
The Guardians is a dystopian political thriller set in the 1980s. Democratic government been overthrown in a bloodless coup, the Royal Family have fled into self-imposed exile and Great Britain is ruled by Prime Minister Sir Timothy Hobson (Hobson is initially a pawn of 'the General', a military officer by the name of Roger, until Roger accepts the position of Minister of Defence), Hobson subscribes to an outwardly benevolent paternalistic fascism, based on the principle that "democracy is a form of group suicide". Political opposition is suppressed by a sinister uniformed paramilitary force called "The Guardians of the Realm" (known for short as "The Guardians" or simply "The G's").Main cast
Edward PetherbridgeEdward Petherbridge
Edward Petherbridge is a British actor. Among his many roles, he portrayed Lord Peter Wimsey in several screen adaptations of Dorothy L...
, Derek Smith, John Collin
John Collin (actor)
John Collin was a British actor frequently seen on UK television during the 1960s and 1970s mainly in supporting roles. John Collin's best known role was as Detective Sergeant Haggar in the long running BBC police series Z-Cars...
, Cyril Luckham
Cyril Luckham
Cyril Luckham was a British film, television and theatre actor.Luckham played the White Guardian in the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. He appeared in The Ribos Operation, the first serial in The Key to Time season, and Enlightenment...
, Lynn Farleigh
Lynn Farleigh
-Television and film:Lynn Farleigh is perhaps best known for playing: Helen Wycliffe in Wycliffe; Krupskaya opposite Patrick Stewart's Lenin in the historical BBC drama Fall of Eagles; and the glamorous Vivien Ashton in the second series of the LWT secret agent series Wish Me Luck broadcast in...
, David Burke, Gwyneth Powell
Gwyneth Powell
Gwyneth Powell is an English actress who is most known for her portrayal of headmistress Bridget McCluskey in the BBC television series Grange Hill for eleven series between 1981 and 1991.-Career:...
, Robin Ellis
Robin Ellis
Robin Ellis is an English actor best known for his role as Captain Ross Poldark in 29 episodes of the BBC classic series Poldark, adapted from a series of books by the late British author, Winston Graham...
Episode list
Original UK transmission dates are shown below.The State of England
Broadcast: 10 July 1971
After a period of mass unemployment, chaos and a complete failure of the government, law and order has been restored in England. However the price of this new order is personal liberty. Dissenters soon appear, dedicated to the overthrow of the new regime.
Pursuit
Broadcast: 17 July 1971
An attempt has been made on the Prime Minister’s life, and an agent planted to root out communists within The Guardians is shot dead.
Head of State
Broadcast: 24 July 1971
A delicate situation develops when the French President, due in London for talks refuses to attend. He demands to meet the real head of state. With the Queen in self-imposed exile and the Prime Minister little more than a pawn of the General, who is the real head of state?
The Logical Approach
Broadcast: 31 July 1971
The new Home Secretary is perturbed to find out that prisoners under sentence of death are effectively “put to sleep” 48 hours before their scheduled executions to keep things quiet.
Quarmby
Broadcast: 7 August 1971
The search continues for a sniper and the Prime Minister has had enough. He decides to disband the Guardians but does he have the power?
Appearances
Broadcast: 14 August 1971
Having killed a detective in cold blood, Benedict returns to the routine of causing chaos for the Guardians and the Government. Is it time for action to be taken?
This is Quarmby
Broadcast: 21 August 1971
There have been many strikes against the regime, but now the resistance launches a new campaign to get its message across.
The Dirtiest Man in the World
Broadcast: 28 August 1971
An officer of the Guardians is being held at the rehabilitation centre and is making no effort to leave; Benedict does not underestimate the officer’s value as a pawn in the struggle against the Guardians.
I Want You to Understand Me
Broadcast: 4 September 1971
When a kidnapped member of the Guardians Is assassinated, The Prime Minister is send an ultimatum, Restore the Monarchy or face more kidnappings and chaos.
The Nature of the Beast
Broadcast: 11 September 1971
Psychiatrist Benedict has problems when a man calling himself Quarby drops into his office without an appointment, while Clare has her own problems with her drug addict husband.
The Roman Empire
Broadcast: 18 September 1971
The Prime Minister fearing for his career, rigs a show trial when a Guardian commander kills three workers during a protest.
The Killing Trade
Broadcast: 25 September 1971
Weston is alone after Clare reveals her love for Chris; any escape plan will now be difficult with such limited support.
End in Dust
Broadcast: 2 October 1971
Benedict embarks on a high-risk mission. Unaware that he is under surveillance and with anger growing in England, the time to take sides has come.
Northern Ireland
The Independent Television AuthorityIndependent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
decided that the series was unsuitable to be broadcast in Northern Ireland because of its controversial political content, and also because of the possibility of a misunderstanding in relation to the name of the police force of the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
which translates into English as Guardians of the Peace.
DVD release
The Guardians was released on DVD in the UK on 1 February 2010 by Network DVDNetwork DVD
Network DVD is a DVD publishing company that specialises in classic British television. In particular, it has the rights to a number of well-known ITV programmes...
. The full 13-part series was released as a 4-disc set. This is the first time the series has ever been released in any format, and is in fact the first time the series has resurfaced since its original transmission in 1971 as it has never been repeated on television (though a single episode, ep.12 - "The Killing Trade", can be viewed at the National Media Museum in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
).
External links
- The Guardians at Screen Online
- National Media Museum (Bradford)
- The Guardians at OldFutures