The first two episodes were posted on the site
in November and December 2002. Episode Three was delayed until
early 2004. At the time it was the only non Doctor Who adventure
on the AFT though several other 'shows' had been planned
including Blake's 7. Unlike the Doctor Who stories, there was no
'cover'.
The roots of this story can probably be traced
back into every Sapphire and Steel story. A simple tale told in
one setting with very few guest cast. A creature from outside
time that is hiding within artefacts is reminiscent of the
'Shape' a creature that moves within photographs in the TV
'Adventure Four'. The bleak ending where Steel sacrifices Jake
is a direct steal from 'Adventure Two' where Steel sends Sully
to his death in a bargain with the ghosts. The dialogue and pace
are intended to evoke the pace of the TV stories.
The set is very simple- a 'brick' wall mounted on
to cardboard and dressed with various paintings and artefacts
held on with blutac. Given the simple nature of the story, it
was shot virtually in sequence with episodes one and two being
posted almost as soon as they were shot. A lack of enthusiasm
for the story meant that filming stopped after Episode Two and
wasn't resumed until after Christmas 2003. Episode Three
appeared on the site shortly after.
The format of the story follows that of the TV
series with a 'pre titles' episode recap. It also marks an early
(for the AFT) use of speech bubbles, here used in different
colours to denote who is speaking. The story was originally
posted as "Adventure A" in keeping with the TV series lack of
episode titles.
Sapphire and Steel is gloriously unbound by
continuity. As such this story is very much stand alone and
doesn't refer to any other Sapphire and Steel adventure. It
presumably takes place sometime prior to Adventure Six, the last
televised story where the
agents are trapped forever in space and time.
