2.17 Quiller

An A to Z of UK Television Drama

Andy & Martin almost meet their match in the 1975 series Quiller. But once they get past the first 10 dreadful minutes of its opening episode they find much to enjoy in this Bond-on-a-budget BBC spy series starring Michael Jayston in the title role. However, it would be lazy to say Quiller simply knocks off Bond, because Elleston Trevor's Quiller is quite different to 007. He doesn't like guns or gadgets and doesn't let women distract him from the job in hand. It's not a cheap series either. As well as some inevitable stock footage there's heaps of exotic location filming in Germany, Malta and beyond. Jayston plays Quiller with a cool and appealing detachment. He is joined by Angus Kinloch (Moray Watson) as the Controller of the mysterious Bureau, and Rosalind (Sinead Cusack) who has more agency than most women on TV in 1975. At one point she even threatens to pinch Quiller's bottom! The series boasts many familiar writers and directors of the time such as Brian Clemens, Peter Graham Scott, Anthony Read, and Viktors Ritelis. Guest stars are aplenty: Patrica Hodge, Shane Rimmer, Celia Gregory, Ed Bishop, and Lalla Ward to name just a few. Andy & Martin select 5 of the 13 episodes to review in depth and find much to enjoy in this largely forgotten series that they believe deserves to be much better known. Next Time: Rockliffe's Babies