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The Professionals has to be one of the most ridiculous tv series ever....some episodes were actually very good - like 'In The Public Interest' about a Police Force using brutal, zero tolerance means to police an unnamed 'City' and Bodie and Doyle go to investigate and it does raise questions over how much power the Police should have, and when and when not to enforce it - and moreover, how far could it go before we end up with a twisted 'Police State'...? 'Klansmen' was also brilliant - rarely shown on ITV as it was banned for its racialist tones and language - especially Bodie calling Black people 'Spades'....but the twist at the end is very apt, and actually funny. But, overall, it was ridiculous - the show peaked in terms of plots and fell quickly - there was only so much it could do really....and then theres the antagonistic Gordon Jackson as Cowley, HEAD of CI5, always grumpy, berating his best operatives and then quick as a flash offering them a glass of 'best malt'...I'd tell him to sling his hook if I'd been Bodie - who was the cooler of the pair really, admit it - you'd rather be **** sure and 'ard' than bubble permed Doyle...even Martin Shaw seems embarrassed by that choice of hairstyle now...something I'd love to ask him about...
But what really made the show stupid was CI5 itself - their remit was:
instructed by the home secretary to use any means to deal with crimes of a serious nature that go beyond the capacity of the police, but are not tasks for the security service or military.
What a load of tosh - repeatedly there were episodes featuring 'Cold War' plots, spies, defectors, moles, corruption in the actual Security Services MI5 and 6 to investigate, assassination threats to prevent, bomb plots, coups etc - oh and one episode where they were assigned to test a new rifle that could pick off a target from miles away - Ray Doyle being stupid enough to simply store it in his closet at home wrapped in the sort of wool covers removal men used to use to cover large furniture in the past - Only for it to get nicked - what a great idea Doyle!
So what was CI5 then? To me, it was just THREE blokes - one old and grumpy, one cocky and pouty and one posing and 'aren't I beautiful' - (I'll leave you to decide whom is whom out of the ones the ladies fancied back then
). Then there were the 'offices' - apparently, CI5 was given carte blanche to recruit and budget enough to probably give the faceless, bean - counting mandarins in the corridors of the Civil Services at the Home Office acid indigestion when over - seeing the bills, but the offices were naff, training grounds were literally derelict areas laid waist, or ruined former factories highlighting the decay of the UK blue collar industrial past...and then there was the weaponry - old, outdated and well, naff....So to me, CI5 - where were the other two?! If there were '5' that is! 
Yes, its rubbish, but its watchable rubbish...I'm actually watching it right now on ITV4...lol.
I will admit, a toy company like Palitoy or their subsidiary, Denys Fisher certainly missed a trick in not obtaining a licence to make figures and vehicles and 'mission kits' for the characters - it would have been brilliant. I can imagine the dolls being 8 inches high, like Muton and Cyborg, with removable clothing, accessory kits - outfits with equipment for 'missions', the cars - the Capri, the Escort RS2000 and perhaps Cowley's Granada? Even an 'Assault Training Course' for the men to train - perhaps even villains for them to fight?
Shame...perhaps if I were at Palitoy eh...
But what really made the show stupid was CI5 itself - their remit was:
instructed by the home secretary to use any means to deal with crimes of a serious nature that go beyond the capacity of the police, but are not tasks for the security service or military.
What a load of tosh - repeatedly there were episodes featuring 'Cold War' plots, spies, defectors, moles, corruption in the actual Security Services MI5 and 6 to investigate, assassination threats to prevent, bomb plots, coups etc - oh and one episode where they were assigned to test a new rifle that could pick off a target from miles away - Ray Doyle being stupid enough to simply store it in his closet at home wrapped in the sort of wool covers removal men used to use to cover large furniture in the past - Only for it to get nicked - what a great idea Doyle!
So what was CI5 then? To me, it was just THREE blokes - one old and grumpy, one cocky and pouty and one posing and 'aren't I beautiful' - (I'll leave you to decide whom is whom out of the ones the ladies fancied back then
). Then there were the 'offices' - apparently, CI5 was given carte blanche to recruit and budget enough to probably give the faceless, bean - counting mandarins in the corridors of the Civil Services at the Home Office acid indigestion when over - seeing the bills, but the offices were naff, training grounds were literally derelict areas laid waist, or ruined former factories highlighting the decay of the UK blue collar industrial past...and then there was the weaponry - old, outdated and well, naff....So to me, CI5 - where were the other two?! If there were '5' that is! Yes, its rubbish, but its watchable rubbish...I'm actually watching it right now on ITV4...lol.
I will admit, a toy company like Palitoy or their subsidiary, Denys Fisher certainly missed a trick in not obtaining a licence to make figures and vehicles and 'mission kits' for the characters - it would have been brilliant. I can imagine the dolls being 8 inches high, like Muton and Cyborg, with removable clothing, accessory kits - outfits with equipment for 'missions', the cars - the Capri, the Escort RS2000 and perhaps Cowley's Granada? Even an 'Assault Training Course' for the men to train - perhaps even villains for them to fight?
Shame...perhaps if I were at Palitoy eh...
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