The Guardians

1971

The Guardians

8.2 | en |

The Guardians is a television drama series of 13x60 minute episodes made by London Weekend Television and broadcast in the UK on the ITV network between July 10, 1971 and October 2, 1971. The opening titles and closing credits included a memorable theme tune composed by Wilfred Josephs.

WATCH FREEFOR 30 DAYS

All Prime Video
Cancel anytime

Watch Now

Seasons & Episodes

EP13 End in Dust

Oct. 01,1971

The stage is set for the final showdown. Quarmby, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and The Guardians are all set for battle. Chris and Norman are now forced to choose sides as this series comes to its conclusion.

EP12 The Killing Trade

Sep. 24,1971

Tom is now in a coma at Benedict's apartment. Quarmby wants to get rid of him before The Guardians discover his location.

EP11 The Roman Empire

Sep. 18,1971

The government is continuing to battle public unrest and now must deal with plots from within the Cabinet itself.

EP10 The Nature of the Beast

Sep. 11,1971

Clare turns to Benedict for help in finding Tom. Benedict still has plans to use Tom as a scapegoat.

EP9 I Want You to Understand Me

Sep. 04,1971

The resistance grows as the government steps up its repressive policies.

EP8 The Dirtiest Man in the World

Aug. 28,1971

Tom is still being held prisoner and trying to escape. Benedict wants to use him as a pawn so decides to help him with his escape plan.

EP7 This Is Quarmby

Aug. 21,1971

Quarmby takes a new approach to disrupting the government by taking their campaign to the general public.

EP6 Appearances

Aug. 14,1971

Benedict kills a detective and then returns his attention to disrupting The Guardians.

EP5 Quarmby

Aug. 07,1971

The Prime Minister conducts an investigation into the shooting of Sam Wilson who was in custody for killing Hollis.

EP4 The Logical Approach

Jul. 31,1971

Sir Timothy finally uses his brains and God given skills to become an effective Prime Minister.

EP3 Head of State

Jul. 24,1971

The French President objects to Britain's participation in a united European defence force, and refuses to recognise the Prime Minister as head of state. Chris Hobson falls foul of the Guardians when he investigates the disappearance of one of their officers. Sir Tim decides to assert his authority over his cabinet.

EP2 Pursuit

Jul. 17,1971

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.

EP1 The State of England

Jul. 10,1971

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.

8.2 | en | | More Info

Released: 1971-07-10 | Released Producted By: , Country: United Kingdom Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

Stream Online

The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

David Burke , Cyril Luckham , Gwyneth Powell

Director

Producted By

Watch Free for 30 Days

All Prime Video Movies and TV Shows. Cancel anytime.

Watch Now

Cast

David Burke

The Young Messiah Harry Price: Ghost Hunter The Woman in Black Love and Distrust Number 13 Random Quest A View from a Hill Bertie and Elizabeth The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Cyril Luckham

The Barchester Chronicles The Winter's Tale The Omega Factor My Son, My Son Providence The Venturers The Doll The Guardians The Flaxton Boys

Gwyneth Powell

The Gemma Factor Echo Beach Piccadilly Cowboy Back to the Secret Garden Loophole The Guardians

Reviews

R Gregory "The Guardians" was first shown in 1971 and then largely forgotten about. It was never repeated on British television and it's release on DVD in 2010 was a wonderful surprise."The Guardians" has survived the test of time remarkably well. It's not flawless - at times it veers uneasily between serious drama and black comedy - but on the whole it's brilliantly entertaining with a cast of complex and engaging characters.By the way, "Screenman's" review gives an inaccurate account of the ending and compares the plot with "Labour's 'unofficial' manifesto". I would have thought that in view of the Conservative Party's past support for tyrants like Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot and General Pinochet, the similarity between them and fascistic regime of the Guardians is much more apposite.

jhtch I welcome the release, at last, of the series on DVD in February of 2010. When I first saw it on ITV in 1971 it struck me as a continuation of the tradition that included such as the novel and film 1984 and, albeit in a lighter vein, the later series House of Cards.It paints a desolate picture of Britain at some point in an unspecified near future where dystopia is the new civilization, and resistance to it is apparently futile. Although I recall that the grim image looked unlikely to be resolved into a happy ending, I missed the final few episodes. So, like me, you will have to watch it to find out. Another good reason for buying the DVD set when it is released in Feb 2010.Sadly, drama created in the USA seems incapable of reaching sufficiently deep to create such a powerful description of desperation and squalid futility.Finally, comments prior to this one.... draw parallels between this work and the Labour Party's "unofficial' manifesto, whatever that might be. The suggestion of such a connection is partisan and ill-founded.The series was aired in 1971, at which time Edward Heath was Prime Minister - leading the Conservative Party in its majority government.No political party these days seems immune from allegations of manipulation and control that this series portrays. It's likely that the public perception of politics is jaundiced, not only by Watergate, Iran-Contra, Patriot Act, and so on and so forth, but also by exposure to fictional drama such as this one.In that, also, it is powerful.

screenman It seems almost incredible that no other comment exists in respect to this programme.'The Guardians' was an entirely plausible and harrowing representation of leadership spinning out of control.Britain has broken up. There is public dissent and social disorder. The government introduce 'emergency measures' in order to ensure the 'rule of law'. One of those measures is the construction of a new police force called The Guardians. They are a sort of cross between America's national guard and the Nazis' gestapo. Very quickly, they become almost a law unto themselves.A group of intellectuals and media-types see what is happening and attempt to excite public attention and improve their accountability. They find themselves being victimised in lots of insidious ways, eventually uniting as a clandestine organisation under the name 'Quarmby'. A more militant splinter group begin taking direct action and simply earn for themselves the definition of terrorist.This plays directly into the Guardians' hands. Servile politicians are moved to legislate them even greater powers. With the inevitable results.The series has no happy ending. Quarmby is destroyed. The prime minister is forced to commit suicide in order to save his family. The coupe is complete.'The Guardians' was one of several highly innovative short-running programmes that appeared during the late 1960's and early 70's. 'The Prisoner' was another. Strangely, this little gem seems to have been lost. Perhaps it was too close to the knuckle. Much of 'New' Labour's 'unofficial' manifesto - that's the one where they do the opposite of what they promise (which is usually everything) could have been lifted from this programme.