Excellent downbeat spy drama series Game Set and Match was based on a trilogy of novels by Len Deighton. The 13 parter sees semi retired secret agent Bernard Samson drawn back into active service after the agency (known as The Brahms Network) he helped set up is compromised. He finds that his old East German nemesis Werner Volkmann and his wife, KGB agent Fiona are also involved.
Based on Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match this expensive series filmed extensively in all three locations and was superbly cast. Surprisingly it failed to strike a chord with the viewing audience and was considered something of a failure.
production details
UK | ITV Network – Granada
RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes (first episode was 120 minutes) | NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12 | AIRDATES: 3 October – 19 December 1988
WRITER: John Howlett | NOVELS: Len Deighton | PRODUCER: Brian Armstrong
cast
IAN HOLM as Bernard Samson
MEL MARTIN as Fiona Samson
AMANDA DONOHOE as Gloria Kent
MICHAEL CULVER as Dicky Cruyes
PETER VAUGHAN as David Kimber-Hutchinson
JEREMY CHILD as Henry Tiptree
MICHAEL ALDRIDGE as Silas Gaunt
GOTTFRIED JOHN as Erich Stinnes
MICHAEL DEGEN as Werner Volkmann
ANTHONY BATE as Bret Rensselaer
FREDERICK TREVES as Frank Harrington
JOHN WHEATLEY as Julian McKenzie
STRUAN RODGER as Morgan
BRIGITTE KARNER as Zena Volkmann
THE EPISODES
1/2. BERLIN GAME PARTS 1 AND 2 (3 Oct 1988)
3. BERLIN GAME PART 3 (10 Oct 1988)
4. BERLIN GAME PART 4 (17 Oct 1988)
5. BERLIN GAME PART 5 (24 Oct 1988)
6. MEXICO SET PART 1 (31 Oct 1988)
7. MEXICO SET PART 2 (7 Nov 1988)
8. MEXICO SET PART 3 (14 Nov 1988)
9. MEXICO SET PART 4 (21 Nov 1988)
10. MEXICO SET PART 5 (28 Nov 1988)
11. LONDON MATCH PART 1 (5 Dec 1988)
12. LONDON MATCH PART 2 (12 Dec 1988)
13. LONDON MATCH PART 3 (19 Dec 1988)
