The Sandbaggers

Name: The Sandbaggers
Released: 1978-09-18
Rating: 8.25

The best spy series in television history.

1978 · 51m · TMDB 8.3/10 (12 votes)

Drama War & Politics

The Sandbaggers is a British television drama series about men and women on the front lines of the Cold War. Set contemporaneously with its original broadcast on ITV in 1978 and 1980, The Sandbaggers examines the effect of the espionage game on the personal and professional lives of British and American intelligence specialists.

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About The Sandbaggers

The Sandbaggers is a British television drama series about men and women on the front lines of the Cold War.

Set contemporaneously with its original broadcast on ITV in 1978 and 1980, The Sandbaggers examines the effect of the espionage game on the personal and professional lives of British and American intelligence specialists.

Status: Ended
TMDB rating: 8.3/10 from 12 votes
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 20

Seasons and episodes

The latest season with aired episodes is shown first. Specials are kept separate.

Latest aired season

Series 3

View season page

S3 E1Jun 9, 198060 min

All in a Good Cause

CIA Head of London Station Jeff Ross asks for Burnside's help when Ross' marriage is in trouble, but then Burnside starts to suspect that the KGB and MI5 have an interest in that marriage as well.

S3 E2Jun 16, 198060 min

To Hell with Justice

SIS Director of Intelligence Edward Tyler meets a suspicious woman while on holiday in Malta, so Burnside secretly sends the Sandbaggers to keep an eye on him.

S3 E3Jun 23, 198060 min

Unusual Approach

'C' orders Burnside to go on a working holiday in Rhodes, and while he's gone, Ross asks Caine for some risky backup in the USSR, but as Acting D.Ops., Caine would have to send Wallace.

S3 E4Jun 30, 198060 min

My Name Is Anna Wiseman

Burnside tries to get approval to plant a woman in the Soviet Union as a long-term double agent, but he neglects to mention that her real mission is short-term human rights propaganda.

S3 E5Jul 7, 198060 min

Sometimes We Play Dirty Too

When a British intelligence source is killed in an accident in Prague, Caine is sent in to find out what really happened while Wallace and Burnside look for clues at home.

S3 E6Jul 14, 198060 min

Who Needs Enemies

When a rival for Burnside's job gets hold of a CIA document that describes Burnside as a divisive influence, SIS upper management contrives to promote Burnside ``sideways'' to Madrid.

S3 E7Jul 28, 198060 min

Opposite Numbers

Burnside is opposed to an East-West arms treaty being negotiated in Malta, so he and the Sandbaggers conspire to scuttle the talks by encouraging a Soviet double agent to defect.