Episodes
Special Branch: Time Bomb (ITV 17 Dec 1969, with Samaan Peer)
In Time Bomb, the final episode of the first season of Special Branch, the SB are on guard duty looking after a Shaikh whose country is brokering a valuable oil deal with the UK. There is trouble though as one of the Shaikh’s sons has been killed in an explosion whilst on a sailing trip.
The Shaikh wants the English Captain of the boat dealt with – permanently or the oil deal won’t go ahead. Inman, who has been in the gulf investigating the case is convinced the captain of boat had nothing to do with and that a bomb was placed on board by a political malcontent.
Inman is determined to see that the Captain isn’t made a scapegoat for the crime, his investigations reveal that The Shaikh’s other son Omar, who was sent to Sandhurst military school as a young man, may have ambitions of taking over from his father sooner rather than later.
The boys are getting nowhere but there is a very nice twist in the tale when it’s revealed that the girl Omar has been romancing throughout the episode is actually working undercover.
production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 17 December 1969 at 9.00pm
Writer: David Gordon / Production Design: Colin Andrews / Director: Voytek
Series: Special Branch Season 1 Episode 14
cast
Derren Nesbitt as Jordan
Fulton Mackay as Inman
Keith Washington as Morrissey
Morris Perry as Moxon
Salmaan Peer as Omar Ben Ahlil
Harold Kasket as Shaikh El Ahlil
Aubrey Richards as Captain Tait
Edward Atienza as Q.C.
Gillian Hawser as Beryl
Andrew Laurence as Wrecks Assessor
Antony Brown as Dyson
Mark Elwes as Major Sandwich
Carmen Dene as Woman
Mohammad Shamsi as Arab Aide