The Professionals

Originally conceived as London Weekend Television’s gritty riposte to the swaggering popularity of The Sweeney, The Professionals arrived on our screens in the late 1970s as a punchy, fast-paced crime drama from the assured hands of Brian Clemens, already a celebrated figure in British television thanks to his pioneering work on The Avengers.

Alongside fellow New Avengers executive producer Albert Fennell, Clemens pitched a bold new concept to LWT head Brian Tesler in early 1977. Out of two proposals — one a tale of undercover police officers — the green light was given to the second: a series centred around an elite government unit taking on the rising tide of organised crime and domestic terrorism. Initially dubbed The A-Squad, it was soon rebadged with iconic simplicity as The Professionals.

Produced under the newly minted banner of Avengers Mark1 Productions, the show quickly assembled its lead cast. Martin Shaw was cast as the wiry, street-smart ex-copper Ray Doyle, while Lewis Collins brought stoic charisma to the role of Bodie, a former SAS man with a penchant for action. Both were recruited into CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5) under the command of the formidable George Cowley, portrayed by the venerable Gordon Jackson (a man viewers then best knew as the dignified butler Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs). There was poetic symmetry in the casting: just months earlier, Collins and Shaw had appeared together in a New Avengers episode, with Collins' character prophetically suggesting they should "work together again sometime – a good team!" Prophetic indeed.

From its debut, The Professionals struck a chord with viewers. While eschewing the eccentricity and camp flourishes of The Avengers, it delivered instead a relentless diet of bullet-laden action, roaring car chases, and blunt dialogue. It was a world where machismo reigned, and the moral grey zones of policing were unapologetically explored. With its Ford Capris and tight leather jackets, it became an enduring symbol of a particular brand of British 1970s masculinity.

However, it wasn’t without controversy. The show's overt use of violence drew complaints from the outset, leading to periodic tempering of content, and in one notorious instance, the complete shelving of the episode The Klansman. Perhaps more damaging to its long-term reputation was Martin Shaw’s vocal disapproval of his role, which he described as little more than that of a "violent puppet". His refusal to allow repeats until 1992 only deepened the show’s cult mystique.

Yet for all its dated stylings and now rather tame "violence" (practically genteel compared to modern soap operas like EastEnders), The Professionals retains a rugged charm. It presents a nostalgic portrait of a time when crime-fighting was personal, national security threats involved lone gunmen and balaclava-clad robbers, and glamour was measured in ski-jumps and sun-tinted aviators. The show’s appeal lies in its lack of polish—its authenticity, energy, and the electric chemistry between its leads.

After five successful series, the show bowed out in 1983, victim to rising production costs. A 1999 revival, fronted by Edward Woodward and broadcast on Sky One, failed to capture the original's magic or audience, largely due to a shift in television tastes and its unfortunate placement on a still-nascent satellite channel.

Today, The Professionals offers more than nostalgia—it’s a cultural artefact, capturing a distinct moment in British television when action, attitude, and unflinching grit ruled the airwaves. It remains a classic, and for all its rough edges, it’s still a damn good watch.