Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

The Sandbaggers

 The Sandbaggers
type
TVTItem
 The Sandbaggers
label
The Sandbaggers
 The Sandbaggers
page
TheSandbaggers
 The Sandbaggers
comment
British spy series that ran three series on ITV, from 1978 to 1980, written by creator Ian Mackintosh. Neil Burnside is the Director of the Operations division of the Secret Intelligence Service (aka MI6) during the Cold War. Under his supervision is the Special Section, three agents nicknamed "Sandbaggers", led by Willie Caine.Once described as "men in cheap suits dying badly in Prague," it clearly falls on the cynical side of the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism, and is about as far from James Bond as you can get (which the characters themselves are apt to point out.) Most of the plots revolve around Burnside wrestling with bureaucracy within and without, whether it's his superiors at SIS, his domestic counterparts at MI 5, or the British government.See also Greg Rucka's spy series Queen and Country, which was so heavily inspired by this series it could have been called The Sandbaggers: The Next Generation.
 The Sandbaggers
fetched
2023-08-17T19:00:08Z
 The Sandbaggers
parsed
2023-08-17T19:00:08Z
 The Sandbaggers
processingComment
Dropped link to ShaggyDogStory: Not a Feature - ITEM
 The Sandbaggers
isPartOf
DBTropes
 The Sandbaggers / int_1237828f
type
Anyone Can Die
 The Sandbaggers / int_1237828f
comment
Anyone Can Die: Sandbaggers have a high mortality rate over the course of the series. It's commented on In-Universe as well.
 The Sandbaggers / int_1237828f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_1237828f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_1237828f
 The Sandbaggers / int_133f1c12
type
The Spymaster
 The Sandbaggers / int_133f1c12
comment
The Spymaster: Burnside, obviously. Also, the chief of the CIA station in London, Burnside's opposite number at MI 5, and several foreign intelligence chiefs. Particularly amusing is the struggling head of the fledgling Norwegian intelligence service:
 The Sandbaggers / int_133f1c12
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_133f1c12
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_133f1c12
 The Sandbaggers / int_1f799027
type
Obstructive Bureaucrat
 The Sandbaggers / int_1f799027
comment
Obstructive Bureaucrat: In Burnside's mind, this describes virtually everybody, but Deputy Chief Peele most often fills the role.
 The Sandbaggers / int_1f799027
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_1f799027
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_1f799027
 The Sandbaggers / int_2737c505
type
Shoot the Dog
 The Sandbaggers / int_2737c505
comment
Shoot the Dog: Burnside, notably in "At All Costs."
 The Sandbaggers / int_2737c505
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_2737c505
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_2737c505
 The Sandbaggers / int_27a42ebc
type
Spiritual Successor
 The Sandbaggers / int_27a42ebc
comment
Spiritual Successor: Greg Rucka's love of the series led to his homage/reworking, Queen and Country.
 The Sandbaggers / int_27a42ebc
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_27a42ebc
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_27a42ebc
 The Sandbaggers / int_2985eda0
type
Prisoner Exchange
 The Sandbaggers / int_2985eda0
comment
Prisoner Exchange: Subverted when Burnside orders her shot halfway across.
 The Sandbaggers / int_2985eda0
featureApplicability
-0.3
 The Sandbaggers / int_2985eda0
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_2985eda0
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a02e5c9
type
Guile Hero
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a02e5c9
comment
Guile Hero (or maybe Guile Anti-Hero?): Burnside.
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a02e5c9
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a02e5c9
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_2a02e5c9
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a195285
type
Revolvers Are Just Better
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a195285
comment
Revolvers Are Just Better: In "A Feasible Solution", Willie Caine is armed for the first time in the series. While he states that he Doesn't Like Guns, he prefers to use a revolver. We later see that Mike Wallace also prefers them.
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a195285
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_2a195285
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_2a195285
 The Sandbaggers / int_2ae277ab
type
Mauve Shirt
 The Sandbaggers / int_2ae277ab
comment
Mauve Shirt: If your callsign is Sandbagger Two, you're not long for this world, but at least we'll have a few episodes to get to know you. Mike Wallace survives, and may have been promoted to Sandbagger One in Series 4.
 The Sandbaggers / int_2ae277ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_2ae277ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_2ae277ab
 The Sandbaggers / int_3126c34a
type
Insufferable Genius
 The Sandbaggers / int_3126c34a
comment
Insufferable Genius: Burnside is a draconian boss, but superhumanly dedicated to his job and the safety of his agents. Likewise, he regularly lies to his superiors and schemes under their noses, but he's just that good at deception, and it usually serves the interest of the Service.
 The Sandbaggers / int_3126c34a
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_3126c34a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_3126c34a
 The Sandbaggers / int_3266ed59
type
Incredibly Obvious Tail
 The Sandbaggers / int_3266ed59
comment
Incredibly Obvious Tail: Played straight (but justified) in the first ten minutes of the series: Burnside and Caine easily spot tails on their way to the office, but it turns out they're being followed by green Norwegian agents on a training exercise.
 The Sandbaggers / int_3266ed59
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_3266ed59
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_3266ed59
 The Sandbaggers / int_362bdb30
type
Out-Gambitted
 The Sandbaggers / int_362bdb30
comment
Out-Gambitted: Wellingham thoroughly outmaneuvers Burnside in the season 2 finale.
 The Sandbaggers / int_362bdb30
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_362bdb30
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_362bdb30
 The Sandbaggers / int_3ee5fd12
type
One-Letter Name
 The Sandbaggers / int_3ee5fd12
comment
One-Letter Name / Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep" - The head of SIS is always referred to only as "C"; it takes an entire season to learn his real name and even after that nobody other than Wellingham uses it.
 The Sandbaggers / int_3ee5fd12
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_3ee5fd12
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_3ee5fd12
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f0b2f50
type
Make It Look Like an Accident
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f0b2f50
comment
Make It Look Like an Accident: Arranged by the protagonists a few times, when there's a KGB mole who's prominent enough that their trial or suspicious death would cause a scandal.
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f0b2f50
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f0b2f50
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_3f0b2f50
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f7a958b
type
Secret Test of Character
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f7a958b
comment
Secret Test of Character: Wellingham administers one to Peele in the season 2 finale.
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f7a958b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_3f7a958b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_3f7a958b
 The Sandbaggers / int_48126ac0
type
CIA Evil, FBI Good
 The Sandbaggers / int_48126ac0
comment
CIA Evil, FBI Good: Inverted. The CIA are generally portrayed as helpful, and in particular Burnside has a very close working relationship with the CIA's London section chief, Jeff Ross. The show has a Conspiracy Theorist view of American domestic politics that looks peculiar to American eyes, and the FBI is part of it. According to Ross (and apparently, this was really according to Mackintosh), the FBI was behind the Kennedy and King assassinations.
 The Sandbaggers / int_48126ac0
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_48126ac0
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_48126ac0
 The Sandbaggers / int_50b1855d
type
Spy Fiction
 The Sandbaggers / int_50b1855d
comment
Spy Fiction: Extremely Stale Beer.
 The Sandbaggers / int_50b1855d
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_50b1855d
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_50b1855d
 The Sandbaggers / int_569a95e9
type
The Teetotaler
 The Sandbaggers / int_569a95e9
comment
The Teetotaler: Burnside doesn't drink alcohol, having once made a disastrous decision while drunk. But he drinks Coke by the gallon.
 The Sandbaggers / int_569a95e9
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_569a95e9
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_569a95e9
 The Sandbaggers / int_588d766f
type
BlackAndGreyMorality
 The Sandbaggers / int_588d766f
comment
Black-and-Grey Morality: His stated goal, "the destruction of the KGB," justifies Burnside's ruthlessness.
 The Sandbaggers / int_588d766f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_588d766f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_588d766f
 The Sandbaggers / int_62907b90
type
Bottle Episode
 The Sandbaggers / int_62907b90
comment
Bottle Episode: SIS office politics play a huge role in the show, and occasionally the entire episode takes place in that environment (though likely including a few London exteriors.)
 The Sandbaggers / int_62907b90
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_62907b90
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_62907b90
 The Sandbaggers / int_664bc28f
type
British Brevity
 The Sandbaggers / int_664bc28f
comment
British Brevity: Seven episodes in the first and last series, and six in the second.
 The Sandbaggers / int_664bc28f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_664bc28f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_664bc28f
 The Sandbaggers / int_6a61050e
type
The Only One
 The Sandbaggers / int_6a61050e
comment
The Only One: Diplomacy won't work. The CIA can't get an agent there in time. The Prime Minister refuses to authorize military action. Any number of elements force the Sandbaggers into the line of fire.
 The Sandbaggers / int_6a61050e
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_6a61050e
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_6a61050e
 The Sandbaggers / int_7d89315b
type
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
 The Sandbaggers / int_7d89315b
comment
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: John Tower Gibbs, Peele and Wellingham all try this on Neil at various points and it doesn't really take. Marianne finally gives a well-deserved one to him in the penultimate episode. Whether it would have got through to him, we'll never know.
 The Sandbaggers / int_7d89315b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_7d89315b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_7d89315b
 The Sandbaggers / int_7dbfa45b
type
Spy Speak
 The Sandbaggers / int_7dbfa45b
comment
Spy Speak: Played straight, but usually not overdone. A typical example uses the "Metaphor" approach, with Burnside in the role of a manager talking to two salesmen in the field.
 The Sandbaggers / int_7dbfa45b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_7dbfa45b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_7dbfa45b
 The Sandbaggers / int_84fa1d7d
type
Disposable Woman
 The Sandbaggers / int_84fa1d7d
comment
Disposable Woman: Alan Denson's girlfriend.
 The Sandbaggers / int_84fa1d7d
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_84fa1d7d
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_84fa1d7d
 The Sandbaggers / int_950bbfa7
type
Take a Third Option
 The Sandbaggers / int_950bbfa7
comment
Take a Third Option: Burnside is handed a Sadistic Choice in "Special Relationship": leave Laura Dickens imprisoned by the East Germans, who will break her in interrogation and blow the cover of half of Hungary, or buy her freedom through a deal with the French, which will destroy the Special Relationship with the CIA. Burnside comes up with a nasty alternative: he deals with the French for Laura's release via a prisoner exchange, then has her killed during the exchange so he doesn't have to follow through on his end of the bargain.
 The Sandbaggers / int_950bbfa7
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_950bbfa7
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_950bbfa7
 The Sandbaggers / int_a754fa9a
type
Instant Death Bullet
 The Sandbaggers / int_a754fa9a
comment
Instant Death Bullet: Subverted in "At All Costs".
 The Sandbaggers / int_a754fa9a
featureApplicability
-0.3
 The Sandbaggers / int_a754fa9a
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_a754fa9a
 The Sandbaggers / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 The Sandbaggers / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Just about everyone gets a turn, but particularly Burnside, his secretary and Sandbagger One, Willie Caine.
 The Sandbaggers / int_ae3d6438
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_ae3d6438
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_ae3d6438
 The Sandbaggers / int_b17f6a27
type
I Did What I Had to Do
 The Sandbaggers / int_b17f6a27
comment
I Did What I Had to Do: Burnside personifies this trope, and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.
 The Sandbaggers / int_b17f6a27
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_b17f6a27
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_b17f6a27
 The Sandbaggers / int_babc974
type
Sadistic Choice
 The Sandbaggers / int_babc974
comment
Sadistic Choice: In "Special Relationship", a mission goes wrong and Laura Dickens is captured in East Germany. If left in jail, she'll break under interrogation and destroy several operations. Burnside can only get her released by getting the French to release one of their prisoners, in exchange for unpermitted access to American intelligence information. So, Burnside can leave his girlfriend in prison, or doom the Special Relationship with the CIA. This leads Burnside to Take a Third Option (see below).
 The Sandbaggers / int_babc974
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_babc974
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_babc974
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbe740e2
type
Tyrant Takes the Helm
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbe740e2
comment
Tyrant Takes the Helm: John Tower Gibbs in season 3 falls somewhere between this trope and Bait-and-Switch Tyrant.
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbe740e2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbe740e2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_bbe740e2
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbfaa837
type
Knight Templar
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbfaa837
comment
Knight Templar: Burnside does not hesitate to take matters in his own hands and has a fanatical anti-Communist streak.
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbfaa837
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_bbfaa837
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_bbfaa837
 The Sandbaggers / int_beb9a361
type
Anti-Hero
 The Sandbaggers / int_beb9a361
comment
Anti-Hero: Burnside.
 The Sandbaggers / int_beb9a361
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_beb9a361
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_beb9a361
 The Sandbaggers / int_c25c7890
type
Fun with Acronyms
 The Sandbaggers / int_c25c7890
comment
Fun with Acronyms: None are particularly funny, but the sheer number of them can choke segments of dialogue. The PA to D.Ops might relay a message that the PUS at the FCO needs a favour for the DCDS. (Translation: The Personal Assistant to the Director of Operations says that the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office needs a favour for the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff. Simple.)
 The Sandbaggers / int_c25c7890
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_c25c7890
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_c25c7890
 The Sandbaggers / int_c9e5a0db
type
Legacy Character
 The Sandbaggers / int_c9e5a0db
comment
Legacy Character: "C" is the code name for the head of the SIS. The position is held by Sir James Greenley (Richard Vernon) in Series 1 & 2, and John Tower Gibbs (Dennis Burgess) in Series 3.
 The Sandbaggers / int_c9e5a0db
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_c9e5a0db
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_c9e5a0db
 The Sandbaggers / int_cdd676a3
type
Hyper-Competent Sidekick
 The Sandbaggers / int_cdd676a3
comment
Hypercompetent Sidekick: Jill Ferris, Willie's temporary aide in "A Feasible Solution". This tips Willie off to the fact that she's not the newly-trained, inexperienced agent she's supposed to be. He later learns she's actually a Russian agent sent to silence a defector.
 The Sandbaggers / int_cdd676a3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_cdd676a3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_cdd676a3
 The Sandbaggers / int_d3422f70
type
Overt Rendezvous
 The Sandbaggers / int_d3422f70
comment
Overt Rendezvous: Burnside and Jeff Ross tend to meet while strolling through the park.
 The Sandbaggers / int_d3422f70
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_d3422f70
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_d3422f70
 The Sandbaggers / int_d39e327f
type
What the Hell, Hero?
 The Sandbaggers / int_d39e327f
comment
What The Hell, Hero?: Burnside commits some truly despicable acts, including threatening to blackmail a Sandbagger's girlfriend which drives her to suicide and ordering the assassination of one of his own agents, who is also his lover. Willie Caine's otherwise rock-solid loyalty is severely shaken by the latter, although his dedication to the job brings him back.
 The Sandbaggers / int_d39e327f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_d39e327f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_d39e327f
 The Sandbaggers / int_d45c0b86
type
Refuge in Audacity
 The Sandbaggers / int_d45c0b86
comment
Refuge in Audacity: Perhaps most notably when Burnside wins a bureaucratic argument by moving the capital of Venezuela. (It Makes Sense in Context.)
 The Sandbaggers / int_d45c0b86
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_d45c0b86
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_d45c0b86
 The Sandbaggers / int_d54b9eb3
type
Inter-Service Rivalry
 The Sandbaggers / int_d54b9eb3
comment
Interservice Rivalry: SIS and MI 5 don't get along.
 The Sandbaggers / int_d54b9eb3
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_d54b9eb3
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_d54b9eb3
 The Sandbaggers / int_dc3b74bc
type
Pointy-Haired Boss
 The Sandbaggers / int_dc3b74bc
comment
Pointy-Haired Boss: Deputy Chief Peele, who is more of a career man than an intelligence officer, although he does show glimpses of competence once or twice. (He is fluent in Chinese, for example.) The Prime Minister and the rest of the government usually are treated as Pointy Haired Bosses, as well.
 The Sandbaggers / int_dc3b74bc
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_dc3b74bc
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_dc3b74bc
 The Sandbaggers / int_dcdde3b
type
Inherent in the System
 The Sandbaggers / int_dcdde3b
comment
Inherent in the System: Most of the intelligence community is bent towards maintaining the status quo as a result of the governments and bureaucracies each agency serves.
 The Sandbaggers / int_dcdde3b
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_dcdde3b
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_dcdde3b
 The Sandbaggers / int_deecc9eb
type
Awful Wedded Life
 The Sandbaggers / int_deecc9eb
comment
Awful Wedded Life: How Burnside thought of his marriage, made even more awkward by the fact that her father is the Permanent Undersecretary of the Foreign Office.
 The Sandbaggers / int_deecc9eb
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_deecc9eb
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_deecc9eb
 The Sandbaggers / int_e52a0cac
type
He Who Must Not Be Seen
 The Sandbaggers / int_e52a0cac
comment
He Who Must Not Be Seen: Burnside's ex-wife and Wellingham's daughter, Belinda. Burnside's relationship with her (and by extension, Wellingham) is a plot point in several episodes, but we never see her except in photographs.
 The Sandbaggers / int_e52a0cac
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_e52a0cac
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_e52a0cac
 The Sandbaggers / int_e70127
type
The Mole
 The Sandbaggers / int_e70127
comment
The Mole: Several, including a prominent cabinet minister as well as Edward Tyler, Director of Intelligence.
 The Sandbaggers / int_e70127
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_e70127
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_e70127
 The Sandbaggers / int_e890e381
type
Acronym and Abbreviation Overload
 The Sandbaggers / int_e890e381
comment
Acronym and Abbreviation Overload The dialogue uses so many acronyms that the DVDs have an acronym glossary as a bonus feature.
 The Sandbaggers / int_e890e381
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_e890e381
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_e890e381
 The Sandbaggers / int_e9e35e8f
type
Exact Words
 The Sandbaggers / int_e9e35e8f
comment
Exact Words: In "Special Relationship", Willie asks Burnside if he's sleeping with Laura. Burnside answers that if he means sleeping, the answer is yes. If he means anything else, the answer is no.
 The Sandbaggers / int_e9e35e8f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_e9e35e8f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_e9e35e8f
 The Sandbaggers / int_f3f1a9e2
type
Not My Driver
 The Sandbaggers / int_f3f1a9e2
comment
Not My Driver: Wellingham gets kidnapped this way in "Enough of Ghosts".
 The Sandbaggers / int_f3f1a9e2
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_f3f1a9e2
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_f3f1a9e2
 The Sandbaggers / int_f4379d92
type
Double Reverse Quadruple Agent
 The Sandbaggers / int_f4379d92
comment
Double Reverse Quadruple Agent: Defied Trope; Tyler says he considered becoming a triple agent after the KGB turned him, but decided it wouldn't help his situation any - he reflects sadly that at least somebody trusts a double agent, but nobody trusts a triple.
 The Sandbaggers / int_f4379d92
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_f4379d92
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_f4379d92
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffa0483f
type
Cut Short
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffa0483f
comment
Cut Short: Mackintosh's disappearance ended the series on a cliffhanger, with Willie Caine mortally wounded. Rumours suggest Caine would have returned as a wheelchair-bound D. Ops in Series Four, presumably with Mike and Neil similarly promoted. A partially competing rumour has Neil return to his previous job as Sandbagger One in Mike's place.
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffa0483f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffa0483f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_ffa0483f
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffad4e9f
type
Shown Their Work
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffad4e9f
comment
Shown Their Work: Perhaps showing a bit too much - one of the second series episodes was censored for contravening the Official Secrets Act.
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffad4e9f
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffad4e9f
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_ffad4e9f
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffb1df90
type
Perpetual Poverty
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffb1df90
comment
Perpetual Poverty: On an institutional level. The SIS is perpetually under pressure to make budget cuts. Neil, who thinks his Sandbaggers are already underpaid for risking their lives and liberty on a regular basis, is constantly fighting to stop his Sandbagger complement being reduced to just two, and frequently has to call in favours in from the CIA during operations.
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffb1df90
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_ffb1df90
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_ffb1df90
 The Sandbaggers / int_name
type
ItemName
 The Sandbaggers / int_name
comment
 The Sandbaggers / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 The Sandbaggers / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Sandbaggers / int_name
 The Sandbaggers / int_name
itemName
The Sandbaggers

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Acronym and Abbreviation Overload / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Career-Building Blunder / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Checkpoint Charlie / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Cold Sniper / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Definite Article Title / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Fourth-Date Marriage / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Government Agency of Fiction / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
He Who Must Not Be Seen / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Not My Driver / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Overt Rendezvous / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Paralyzing Fear of Sexuality / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Prisoner Exchange / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Revolvers Are Just Better / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Series of the 1970s / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Spy School / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Spy Speak / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Spymaster / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
The Teetotaler / int_e90cee59
 The Sandbaggers
hasFeature
Video Inside, Film Outside / int_e90cee59