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Episode Studies by Clayton Barr

enik1138
-at-popapostle-dot-com
Sapphire & Steel: Second Sight Sapphire & Steel
"Second Sight" Part 2
Audio drama
Big Finish Productions
Written and directed by Nigel Fairs
April 2008

 

Ruby joins our new, intrepid pair for the investigation and Sapphire is not happy about it.

 

Didja Know?

 

In the "Second Sight" storyline, Sapphire and Steel have seemingly been replaced by new individuals using the same names. The new individuals speak with what seem to be Australian accents instead of British and the pair seem to have transposed personalities, with Sapphire being impatient, stern, and often rude and Steel being more kind-hearted; but they each seem to have the same individual abilities. The mystery of this new pair is resolved in "Second Sight" Part 4, connected to the state we last saw the original pair at the end of "The Mystery of the Missing Hour" Part 3, trapped on an audio CD that had just run out its play-time.

 

This four-part storyline features a new version of the classic Sapphire & Steel theme and opening monologue, represented the altered Sapphire and Steel depicted here, perhaps also an altered organization which sends them on their missions. Listen: altered opening theme

 

Characters appearing or mentioned in this episode

 

Mary

Barry (doctor, mentioned only)

Richard (mentioned only, deceased)

Mary's daughter (unnamed, mentioned only)

Bill Clinton (mentioned only)

Harriet (mentioned only)

Shirley (mentioned only)

Steel

Polly

Davey

Sapphire

Annie

Annie's dog (mentioned only)

Annie's parents (mentioned only)

Mary's guest (unnamed)

Mary's mother (mentioned only, presumably deceased)

Ruby

Mary Jean Reynolds, née Clegg (mentioned only)

Silver (mentioned only)

 

Didja Notice?

 

At 2:31, Mary mentions the name of a town, but it's hard to understand. Possibly North Eton? North Eton is a small village in Queensland, Australia.

 

At 4:16, Mary mentions her Dyson vacuum again, as she did in "Second Sight" Part 1.

 

Mary remarks that she used to work at the grange. This likely refers to a monastic grange, land held by monasteries for food production in England.

 

During her house cleaning binge, Mary states that she's used six bottles of Domestos in as many days.

 

At 11:17, Mary hums the tune of the lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby" as she cleans house.

 

When Sapphire objects to Ruby's appearance to assist in the case, Steel calls Sapphire a drongo. "Drongo" is an Australian mild insult meaning "idiot".

 

Sapphire implies that the Transients are waging a war against the higher power she and Steel and other agents work for. She also implies the Transients have already done something to Silver, mentioning a Möbius strip, which she calls "kindy stuff." "Kindy" is a shorthand term for "kindergarten" in Australia.

 

What did the Transients do to Silver, as mentioned by Sapphire? She mentions something about a Möbius strip. Steel does also remark about whether Silver will ever get out of "that loop-de-loop". Silver is revealed to have escaped the Möbius strip in "Second Sight" Part 3. A Möbius strip is a surface with only one side. The photo to the right from Wikipedia by David Benbennick is a Möbius strip made with a piece of paper and tape. If its full length were crawled by an ant, the ant would return to its starting point having traversed both sides of the paper without ever crossing an edge.

 

In this episode, Sapphire seems to accuse Steel of being attracted to Ruby, while Steel says the same of Sapphire towards Silver. Silver remarks that it "sticks out like a shag on a rock." "Shag on a rock" is an Australian idiom related to a bird called a shag known for sitting alone on a rock; the idiom generally refers to something that is alone or isolated.

 

Steel reveals the present date to be March 13, 2008, a Thursday. March 13 did actually fall on a Thursday in 2008. But Steel and his companions soon find out they are somehow in the past, on August 31, 1997.

 

At 20:28, Steel turns on a radio and the newscaster reports that Diana, Princess of Wales is dead this day, August 31. Princess Diana did, in fact, die in a car crash on August 31, 1997.

  

Memorable Dialog

 

as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.mp3

when the Transients launch their final offensive.mp3 

 

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