The Brief (1984 TV series)
A 1984 British drama series about a barrister in Germany.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Produced by Television South (TVS) at its Southampton studios, *The Brief* was a thirteen-episode British drama series that aired on ITV from 26 June to 18 September 1984. Ray Jenkins handled most of the writing, with Rex Firkin producing and James Gatward serving as executive producer. The directing duties were split among Frank Cox, Richard Martin, John Frankau, and Mike Gibbon.
The story follows barrister Lucas Hellier, played by Ray Lonnen, who travels to Germany to defend a British soldier accused of defecting to East Germany. His wife Samantha (Isobel Black) and his mistress Annika Newman (Sabine Postel) are among the other key characters.
The series has never been rebroadcast or released on DVD, likely due to ongoing rights complications. After TVS lost its ITV franchise at the end of 1992, the company underwent several takeovers, and much of its original production paperwork and sales documentation was lost. According to Kaleidoscope’s TV Brain website, the entire series has been wiped from the archives, even though the same organisation listed it as existing in full as recently as 2010 in their *British Independent Television Drama Research Guide 1955-2010*.
- field
- Television drama
- network
- ITV
- episodes
- 13
- broadcast_period
- 26 June to 18 September 1984
- production_company
- Television South (TVS)
- status
- Wiped from archives (as of 2010 listed as existing in full)
Lore & Background
The series follows barrister Lucas Hellier, played by Ray Lonnen, who travels to Germany to defend a British soldier accused of defecting to the East. Hellier's wife Samantha was played by Isobel Black, and his mistress Annika Newman was played by Sabine Postel. The series was produced by Rex Firkin and executive produced by James Gatward, with writing mostly by Ray Jenkins.
Reader's Guide
The Brief has never been repeated or released on DVD, possibly due to ongoing rights issues after TVS lost its ITV franchise at the end of 1992 and underwent a number of take-overs. This problem affects the majority of the TVS programme archive, as much of the original production paperwork and sales documentation has been lost. According to Kaleidoscope's TV Brain website, the entire series has been wiped from the archives, even though the same organization listed it as existing in full as recently as 2010 in their British Independent Television Drama Research Guide 1955-2010. The series thus represents a lost piece of British television history, its unavailability highlighting the fragility of archival preservation in the wake of corporate changes.
Did You Know?
- The series was produced by Television South (TVS) at its Southampton studios.
- The thirteen episodes were broadcast between 26 June and 18 September in 1984.
- The series has never been repeated or released on DVD.
- According to Kaleidoscope's TV Brain website, the entire series has been wiped from the archives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Brief (1984 TV series)?
The Brief is a thirteen-episode British drama that ran on ITV from late June through mid-September 1984. It was produced by Television South at their Southampton studios and falls squarely in the legal-thriller-meets-spy-drama genre.
Who plays the lead in The Brief (1984)?
Ray Lonnen stars as Lucas Hellier, a barrister sent to Germany to defend a British soldier charged with defecting to East Germany. Isobel Black appears as his wife Samantha, and Annika Newm plays his mistress.
What is the plot of The Brief (1984 TV series)?
The series centres on Hellier's legal defence of a soldier accused of crossing into East Germany, while his personal life unravels around his wife and his ongoing affair. The German setting and Cold War defection angle give the show its spy-drama tension across all thirteen episodes.
Who wrote and produced The Brief (1984)?
Ray Jenkins penned the majority of the scripts, with Rex Firkin serving as producer and James Gatward as executive producer. Directing was shared among Frank Cox, Richard Martin, John Frankau, and Mike Gibbon.
Is The Brief (1984 TV series) still available to watch?
The series is frequently listed as wiped from the archives, making it extremely difficult to find in any format. However, as of a 2010 catalogue entry it was noted as existing in full, so copies may still surface in private or institutional collections.
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