The lowdown: 'Special Branch' is a British drama series that featured the work of an elite division of Scotland Yard that tackled
national security issues such as terrorism, people-trafficking, treason and political assassinations. A total of 53 episodes were
broadcast on ITV1 between 17 September 1969 and 9 May 1974. The first two seasons were produced by Thames Television, 
and starred Derren Nesbitt as Detective Chief Inspector Jordan, Wensley Pithey as Detective Superintentent Eden and Fulton
Mackay as DS Inman. The series was revamped for the two subsequent seasons when Euston Films took over production, and
starred George Sewell as DCI Alan Craven, Roger Rowland as DS Bill North and Patrick Mower as DCI Tom Haggerty. The scope
of the series was also broadened, with Special Branch team often called upon to investigation more mundane crimes such as
murder and armed robbery. The fourth and final series saw the addition of two new actors to the regular cast: Frederick Jaeger as
Commander Fletcher and Paul Eddington as an MI5 officer, Strand. The final two seasons set the tone for Euston Films' next cop
show, 'The Sweeney'.

The episode: 'Alien' was the 11th episode of the fourth season, and was broadcast on 25 April 1974. Craven and Haggerty are
ordered to keep an eye on Gunter Hellman, a German student activist who has been allowed to study in England on the condition
that he does not get involved in politics. The powers that be believe that Hellman is breaching the conditions of his visa, and want
Craven and Haggerty to gather sufficient evidence to justify his deportation. Their investigations lead them to a number of Hellman's
associates, including his university professor, Frederick Denny (Patrick Troughton), who is having an affair with Hellman's wife, 
a and local political activist Steve Ryman, played by Gareth Thomas of 'Blake's 7' fame.

Who connections:  Many of the regular cast members appeared in the original 26-year run of 'Doctor Who'. George Sewell played
the role of Ratcliffe in 'Remembrance of the Daleks', while Fulton Mackay was Dr Quinn in 'The Silurians'. Frederick Jaeger is best
known to Who fans as Professor Marius in 'The Invisible Enemy' and Sorensen in 'Planet of Evil', but he also appeared as Jano in 
'The Savages'. Likewise, Derren Nesbitt was Tegana in another lost classic, 'Marco Polo'. Other actors who appeared in both shows
include Roger Lloyd-Pack, Geoffrey Bayldon, Dennis Lill, Rula Lenska and Michael Sheard, amongst many others.

Video Clips:   Professor Denny        5.3mb
                      Denny and Gunter      6.2mb
     
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