Overview - The Professionals

Overview

The lives of Bodie and Doyle, top agents for Britain's CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), and their controller, George Cowley. The mandate of CI5 was to fight terrorism and similar high-profile crimes. Cowley, a hard ex-MI5 operative, hand-picked each of his men. Bodie is a cynical ex-SAS paratrooper and mercenary whose nature ran to controlled violence, while his partner, Doyle, comes to CI5 from the regular police force, and is more of an open minded liberal. Their relationship is often contentious, but they are the top men in their field, and the ones to whom Cowley always assigned to the toughest cases.

Seasons

• Name: Season 1

  Episode: 13

  The first series set the standard for five successful years, milking the dramatic potential of a rich gamut of scenarios, from international espionage to racism and religious evangelism; Bodie and Doyle usually being called upon to protect a controversial figure from the assassin's bullet. Shaw would later dismiss The Professionals for its stereotypical violence and for a long time refused to allow reruns. In fact, as cult television goes, it has weathered well. Many of its themes are as relevant today as they were then. The constantly elliptical script ("I want you to see that he's… well taken care of") is tremendous fun. And despite the macho drive, the whole thing has a camp archness which betrays its Avengers pedigree. Great for a nostalgic wallow.

  Date first aired: 1977-12-30

• Name: Season 2

  Episode: 10

  In series two, Doyle is assigned to test a new laser-beam rifle, Bodie's girlfriend is critically injured in a terrorist bombing, and the team go up against a rogue agent.

  Date first aired: 1978-10-07

• Name: Season 3

  Episode: 8

  In series three, CI5 is targeted by a series of bombings and assassination attempts, the team investigates the murder of a defector, and Bodie and Doyle begin to suspect that their boss is selling weapons to the East Germans.

  Date first aired: 1979-10-27

• Name: Season 4

  Episode: 15

  In series four, the CI5 protect the daughter of a visiting South American president after his son is assassinated, and the team uncover a silver bullion smuggling operation being controlled from behind the Iron Curtain.

  Date first aired: 1980-09-07

• Name: Season 5

  Episode: 11

  More running around action from the popular 1970s action series. In 'Hunter/Hunted', a hi-tech rifle is stolen from CI5, and the boys have to track it down before its deadly force can be unleashed. In 'Stakeout', a CI5 agent is murdered before he can pass on details of a major crime. Bodie and Doyle soon discover a case of Plutonium poisoning.

  Date first aired: 1982-11-07