Department S (TV series)

Department S
Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	1969
Founder	Dennis Spooner, Monty Berman
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Products	Television series
Parent	ITC Entertainment

Department S is a British spy-fi adventure television series produced by ITC Entertainment, consisting of 28 episodes broadcast between 1969 and 1970. The show features Peter Wyngarde portraying author Jason King (who later stars in the spin-off series Jason King), Joel Fabiani as field operative Stewart Sullivan, and Rosemary Nicols as the computer specialist Annabelle Hurst. These characters operate within a fictionalized special branch ("S") of Interpol, overseen by Sir Curtis Seretse (Dennis Alaba Peters).

Production

Created by Dennis Spooner and Monty Berman, the series includes scripts from regular ITC writers such as Terry Nation and Philip Broadley. Many directors had prior experience with other ITC shows like The Saint, Danger Man, and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

Filmed on 35mm film stock, the program was tailored for American audiences. Episodes open with a cold start following the 'S' emblem, with title, writer, and director credits displayed before the main opening sequence. Most principal cast scenes were filmed in studio sets, while exterior shots often utilized studio buildings or second-unit footage featuring doubles. Location filming was primarily confined to the Hertfordshire countryside near Borehamwood; international settings—such as scenes with Peter Wyngarde in Vienna—were generally created using stock footage or limited on-location shooting.

Synopsis

Department S operates as a specialized unit within Interpol, led by Sir Curtis Seretse (Dennis Alaba Peters) from its Paris headquarters. The team tackles complex international investigations that surpass the capabilities of other agencies.

Field operations are headed by American ex-FBI agent Stewart Sullivan (Joel Fabiani), recognized for his practical and direct approach. Adventure novelist Jason King (Peter Wyngarde) offers creative insights and field assistance, funding his indulgent lifestyle through his writing career. Annabelle Hurst (Rosemary Nicols) functions as the team's computer analyst and frequently participates in fieldwork. The narrative subtly suggests a romantic connection between Stewart and Annabelle.

Cast

Peter Wyngarde as Jason King
Joel Fabiani as Stewart Sullivan
Rosemary Nicols as Annabelle Hurst
Dennis Alaba Peters as Sir Curtis Seretse

Episodes

Produced from April 1968 until June 1969, the series was broadcast on ATV Midlands, with airing dates and episode order varying across different ITV regions.

Production codes align with the ITC synopsis guide and Network DVD release sequence.

Re-runs

Reruns of Department S were shown on ITV4 starting November 2005, alongside other ITC titles. The series also aired on London Live during March–April 2022 and commenced broadcasting on Rewind Television's DTT channels in December 2024.

Home media

In the UK, the initial two episodes of Department S were released on DVD by Carlton Television (now part of ITV plc). In Australia, a region-free PAL box set was issued by Umbrella Entertainment. Network released the complete series on DVD in the UK, featuring exclusive extras such as commentaries and a documentary titled Jason King: Wanna Watch a Television Series? Chapter One: Variations on a Theme.

The first high-definition Blu-ray appearance of Department S was with the episode "A Small War of Nerves," which includes Anthony Hopkins, featured in Retro Action Volume 1 (Network, 19 September 2011).

Starting in 2017, Network began issuing new HD transfers of the entire series on Blu-ray, beginning with Volume 1 released on 27 February. The six-volume collection contains four episodes each in Volumes One and Two, and five episodes each in Volumes Three through Six. A comprehensive Blu-ray box set compatible with all three regions was made available on 2 October 2017.