In late May 2004, Big Finish Productions announced that they had secured the rights to produce a new series of Sapphire & Steel audio adventures for release on CD. However, neither McCallum nor Lumley reprised their roles: McCallum was working in the United States and Lumley declined to play Sapphire again. The characters were recast, with Susannah Harker and David Warner taking over the roles. The range is produced by Nigel Fairs and Jason Haigh-Ellery.
The character of Gold (played by Mark Gatiss) appears in the first adventure The Passenger and returns in Perfect Day and Zero. He is portrayed as impatient and inexperienced when dealing with both humans and the various manifestations of Time, even more detached and clinical in many ways than Steel, almost as if he is still in training. The character of Ruby (played by Lisa Bowerman) appears in the second series story Water Like a Stone, reappearing in Cruel Immortality and Second Sight. Her character has an understanding and affinity to Time within the rhythms of music, and also comes across as rather dry and sardonic, especially when interacting with Steel. David Collings reprises his role as Silver in the third and fifth stories of the first series of audio plays and then again in the third story of the third series. During the production of each season, Nigel Fairs has had to step in at late notice to write a replacement script (writing Dead Man Walking from John Ainsworth's outline in series one, replacing Gary Russell's Big Fun with Cruel Immortality in series two and replacing Joseph Lidster's Reborn with Second Sight in series three).
It was originally said by Big Finish that the new stories would be set before the climactic final story of the television series, but the released plays are actually set after assignment 6, and at the start of The Passenger, the characters comment that it has been a long time since they last worked together and, in Cruel Immortality, imply that they were freed in some unspecified way by Silver.
At the end of The Mystery of the Missing Hour, Sapphire and Steel once again find themselves trapped. The following story, Second Sight sees the characters 'reborn' once more - this time in the guise of two young Australians, played by Blair McDonough and Anna Skellern. At the end of Second Sight, however, Ruby was able to release the previous incarnations of Sapphire and Steel from their trap - with David Warner and Susannah Harker reprising their roles for the rest of the series. The range ends in Wall of Darkness with the eponymous characters learning that they never escaped the trap at the end of assignment 6, and that all their apparent escapades since then have been illusions in order to prevent their escape.
The audio dramas featured some notable guest stars - including Hugo Myatt, Muriel Pavlow, Daphne Oxenford, Lucy Gaskell, Colin Baker, Sarah Douglas, Sam Kelly, David Horovitch, Mark Gatiss and Louise Jameson.
Sapphire and Steel 01 (1.1) The Passenger
Writer: Steve Lyons
Director: Jason Haigh-Ellery
Starring: David Warner as Steel and Susannah Harker as Sapphire, with Mark Gatiss as Gold
Sound Design: Nigel Fairs and Nicholas Briggs
Music: Nigel Fairs
192K
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
A dark Winter's evening in the year 2004. Sixty-six year-old steam enthusiast and antiquarian book dealer Philip Burgess steps onto his long overdue train, unaware that Time has decreed that this will be his final journey.
An old book has given Time the trigger it needs to break its chains. As reality and fiction become intertwined, a familiar story begins to play itself out. A story that can only end in murder.
A 1930s steam train. Twelve passengers with ulterior motives. A mysterious conductor. One victim. And two detectives…
Sapphire and Steel must uncover the secrets in Burgess's past, before the story can reach its terminus. But how can they succeed, when Time has made them a part of its plans already?
Cast List
Steel David Warner
Sapphire Susannah Harker
Gold Mark Gatiss
Philip Burgess Hugo Myatt
Mrs Warburton Jackie Skarvellis
John Andrews Neil Henry
The Princess Clare Louise Connelly
02 (1.2) Daisy Chain
Writer: Joseph Lidster
Director: Nigel Fairs
Starring: David Warner as Steel
and Susannah Harker as Sapphire
Sound Design & Music: Nigel Fairs
Duration: 120 mnutes approx (double CD)
128K
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Suburbia, 2004. And it looks like rain.
Sapphire and Steel are drawn to a house apparently much like any other on the street, except that this one, and the family living in it, harbour a secret that threatens to destroy them all.
Cast List
Steel David Warner
Sapphire Susannah Harker
Gabrielle Kim Hartman
Jennifer Lena Rae
James Stuart Piper
Voice Saul Jaffe
Voice Emma Kilbey
03 (1.3) All Fall Down
Writer: David Bishop
Director: Nigel Fairs
Starring: David Warner as Steel and Susannah Harker as Sapphire with David Collings as Silver
Sound Design & Music: Nigel Fairs
Duration: 120 mnutes approx (double CD)
RRP: £14.99 (non-UK £15.50)
ISBN: TBC
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
London, a late summer morning.
The present. Sapphire and Steel investigate an area of the city that is steeped in a rich and bloody history. Artifacts are uncovered that form a dangerous link with the past.
Cast List
Steel David Warner
Sapphire Susannah Harker
Silver David Collings
Webber Michael Chance
Fleming Kate Dyson
Mary Suzanne Proctor
The Girl Linda Bartram
Policeman Neil Cole
04 (1.4) The Lighthouse
Writer: Nigel Fairs
Director: John Ainsworth
Starring: David Warner as Steel
and Susannah Harker as Sapphire
Sound Design & Music: TBC
Duration: 70 mnutes approx (single CD)
256K
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension.
Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium
atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium,
Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
A lighthouse in the middle of a thunderstorm.
Newly weds Nick and Suzy are planning to renovate the lighthouse. But the old
building is haunted by an horrific past.
Cast List
Steel David Warner
Sapphire Susannah Harker
Adrian Joseph Young
Old Man Neil Salvage
Nick Ian Hallard
Suzy Lucy Beresford
Mike Michael Adams
Young Nick Stuart Piper
05 (1.5) Dead Man Walking
256K
When Sapphire and Steel arrive at Blackledge Prison, an unexplained death proves to hold the first of an intriguing series of inconsistencies. What has happened to Time?
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Nigel Fairs & John Ainsworth
Directed By: Nigel Fairs
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); David Collings (Silver); Trevor Littledale (Michael Kent); Jo Castleton (Marian Anderson); Arthur Bostrom (Richard Hanmore); Neil Cole (Ian Jackson); Michael Chance (Hammond); Linda Bartram (Mo Jackson)
06 (2.1) The School
256K
The school has stood for 100 years, and is rightly proud of its pupils' achievements. But not everyone wants to join in with the fun.
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
What are the teachers so scared of? Why have the school's ghosts chosen now to enact their revenge? And what terrible truth is the headmaster hiding?
Sapphire and Steel could spoil the party for everyone by asking such awkward questions. Perhaps they need teaching a lesson...
Written By: Simon Guerrier
Directed By: Nigel Fairs
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); Keith Drinkel (Mr Leslie); Lisa Daniely (Mrs Leslie); Victoria Gould (Chatura); James Daniel Wilson (Max)
07 (2.2) The Surest Poison
128K
An auction of fine timepieces. A man who has lived for over 100 years. The greatest watchmaker in history. The mysterious theft of the greatest watch ever built.
These people and events are inexorably linked by Time and the results could be cataclysmic for humanity.
From London, 2006 to Jerusalem in 1983 and beyond - to 18th Century Paris - the strands are drawn together. A seemingly perfect web is forming.
Only two elements can intervene on our behalf. But when Sapphire is struck down by disease and Steel is trapped for over 20 years, who will intervene on their behalf?
"The future will be time-centric and Time will be everything."
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Richard Dinnick
Directed By: Nigel Fairs
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); Richard Franklin (Webb); Tom Bevan (Breguet); Eric MacLennan (Gerard); Helen Goldwyn (Cecile)
08 (2.3) Water Like a Stone
192K
Christmas Eve. The Present. The Capital Palace, once a popular theatre, now stands unused next to a long-abandoned graveyard.
Plans to celebrate the work of a dead playwright in the theatre draw Sapphire and Steel into a deadly maze from which there is little hope of escape.
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Nigel Fairs
Directed By: John Ainsworth
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); Lisa Bowerman (Ruby); Nicholas Briggs (Arthur); Lucy Gaskell (The Girl); Suzanne Proctor (Dolly)
09 (2.3) Water Like a Stone
256K
Christmas Eve. The Present. The Capital Palace, once a popular theatre, now stands unused next to a long-abandoned graveyard.
Plans to celebrate the work of a dead playwright in the theatre draw Sapphire and Steel into a deadly maze from which there is little hope of escape.
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Nigel Fairs
Directed By: John Ainsworth
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); Lisa Bowerman (Ruby); Nicholas Briggs (Arthur); Lucy Gaskell (The Girl); Suzanne Proctor (Dolly)
10 (2.5) Perfect Day
320K
Sapphire, Steel and Gold are uninvited guests at a wedding on board a boat, the Perfect Day. Quite why they are there soon becomes very apparent…
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Steve Lyons
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); Mark Gatiss (Gold); Victoria Carling (Lydia); Philip McGough (The Captain); Daniel Weyman (Richard); Matthew Steer (James); Caroline Morris (Jennifer)
11 (2.6) The Mystery of the Missing Hour
256K
The Cairo Hilton. December 1926.
An archaeological expedition arrives from England, ready to uncover the secrets of a long-lost Pharaoh's tomb.
But someone on the expedition isn't what they appear to be.
It's therefore lucky that when the first impossible murder takes place, two of the other hotel residents turn out to be quite the detectives…
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Joseph Lidster
Directed By: Nigel Fairs
Cast
David Warner (Steel); Susannah Harker (Sapphire); Colin Baker (Narrator); Sarah Douglas (Lady Marjorie); Ian Hallard (Arthur); Cate Debenham Taylor (Jane); Ian Brooker (Cornelius); Nigel Fairs (MC)
12 (3.1) Second Sight
128K
Sapphire and Steel have gone.
Sapphire and Steel are here.
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Nigel Fairs
Directed By: Nigel Fairs
Cast
Blair McDonough (Steel), Anna Skellern (Sapphire), Lisa Bowerman (Ruby), Patience Tomlinson (Mary), Clare Calbraith (Polly), Duncan McInnes (Davey)
13 (3.2) Remember Me
128K
A faded sitcom star wanders through the darkness of a deserted pier, haunted by the ghosts of his dead colleagues.
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: John Dorney
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman
Cast
David Warner (Steel), Susannah Harker (Sapphire), Sam Kelly (Eric), Joannah Tincey (Kate), David Horovitch (The Nostalgia)
14 (3.3) Zero
320K
The Space Shuttle Aspirant is in a decaying orbit, its engines dead. Time is running out.
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Steve Lyons
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman
Cast
David Warner and Susannah Harker
15 (3.4) Wall of Darkness
128K
An abandoned shopping centre in the middle of the night.
Is the journey at an end?
All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic, heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned.
Written By: Nigel Fairs
Directed By: Nigel Fairs
Cast
David Warner (Steel), Susannah Harker (Sapphire), Louise Jameson (Sally), Ian Hallard (Justin), Robert Maloney (Russell), Timothy Watson (Jason), Joannah Tincey (Miranda)
I found another copy of Second Sight that is over an hour and a half long. I am reasonably certain that it is all here now. It is 4 files, 2 for each CD. Enjoy it, it was very hard to find because almost all my sources had the messed up copy that was only 2 files and 6 minutes long. LOL --------------- R
Replies
Thank you!
A quick word of thanks for these wonderful productions. I had never heard of them before now. Sounds really interesting! Larry
Got the new upload Rick. Haven't had the chance to listen to the whole piece, but it looks and sounds correct, despite the irony that the usual stars Warner and Harker are barely in it, but that's story Iine as summarized, "S&S are gone S&S are here".
The fourth part starts kinda of funny though like it's got drop outs and cut offs. Only at the very beginning from what I've been able to tell.
Not sure if it's deliberate or a BF mistake or what, But it's very short lived.
Anyway, again wanted to thank you so much for your kind efforts to first put the entire series on line and for your relentless determination to make sure everything is ok for everything on your great site. Which I'm so grateful for your initial invite, it's been a real boon to my collecting.
As always, appreciate everything you've done.
Another classic series from my childhood! Thanks as always Rick:) Much appreciated!!
David
Hi Rick,
Dude, your a pal, thanks so much for this great upload.
But, I'm sorry to say there's again a problem with the Second Sight show, all I got when I DLed it was a cover, notes, and just 2 files (tracks) from I'm presume the episode.
I can't even tell which tracks they were.
Zero, DLed ok though, hopefully all the others did too.
Could you fix Second Sight please.
Thanks again.
You are the man Rick, as always!