This fun spy-fi show came from Lew Grade’s ITC Entertainment – the company behind some of the best telefantasy shows. It introduces the titular arm of Interpol that is tasked with investigating cases where all others have failed. Headed by Sir Curtis Seretse (Dennis Alaba Peters), they are led on the ground by American Stewart Sullivan (Joel Fabiani), the team consisted of just two others: Annabelle Hurst (Rosemary Nicols) and a crime novelist playboy named Jason King (Peter Wyngarde). It’s King who’s the real star of the show, as evidenced when he was later given his own series.
A silver-tongued Lothario, King is always watchable with a tendency to leer into the camera and quip things like “Fancy”, particularly if there’s a nice-looking lady around. The show bears all the hallmarks of an ITC production; colourful décor and equally colourful characters and an evocative score from Edwin Astley (Danger Man, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)). Modern audiences can still have fun with the kitsch aesthetics and camp interpretation that age has allowed.
A great line-up of writers and directors provide their services throughout the series including Terry Nation, the creator of the Daleks, and Hammer regulars John Gilling and Roy Ward Baker. ViaVision’s release contains an impressive array of extras, including several commentaries on some episodes and an entertaining 50-minute documentary, which is the first in a series about the wonderfully sleazy Jason King.
Department S ran for just one series, and all 28 episodes are included here over eight discs. It’s a shame ViaVision didn’t push for a Blu-ray release since all the episodes were filmed on 35mm film, but even on mere DVD, they look amazing, despite the obvious stock footage that makes up most of the location-establishing shots. Fans of the era and the show itself may already have it in their collection, but if you haven’t now’s a good chance to remedy that as it’s certainly a fun romp and highly recommended.
