Arthur Travers

Frederick Travers

Lady Marjorie

Sixpence (Sapphire)

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Major Cornelius Haute (dies in this episode)

Mark Shuffle (Steel)

Steven Travers (mentioned only, deceased since 1912)

Ruby Travers (mentioned only, deceased since 1912)

Betty

newspaper boy (unnamed)

Dr. Lipscomb (mentioned only, deceased)

Ranjit

Steven Bunnings

Nigel Fairs

Kate

Sarah Douglas

Ian Hallard

Arthur Bunnings (mentioned only)

Alice (mentioned only)

Margaret (aka Maggie, mentioned only)

Didja Notice?

At 5:42, Frederick Travers says "Water like a..." and then trails off. It seems likely he was about to say "Water Like a Stone", the title of a previous Sapphire & Steel adventure.

During the flashback to August 23, 1911, a newspaper boy announces that the famous Mona Lisa painting has been stolen. The Mona Lisa is a famous painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, painted in the 16th Century. It was actually stolen from its home in the Louvre on the night of August 21 and its absence noticed the next day, the 22nd, hence newspapers reported the theft on the 23rd. The painting was recovered a little over two years later.

During the flashback to 1911, Major Haute remarks to his wife that the prime minister fears they may soon be at war with the Krauts. "Kraut" is an English derogatory term for a German. Haute is making a foreshadowing of WWI which was waged from 1914-1918 between the Triple Alliance led by Germany and the Triple Entente led by France and the United Kingdom. The prime minister referred to was H. H. Asquith in 1911.

During the flashback to 1911, Betty claims she has the "second sight" (clairvoyance) due to being the second daughter of a second daughter. The "second daughter of a second daughter" aspect of this paranormal ability appears to be a fictitious legend made up for the production, based on the "seventh son of a seventh son" legend in folklore that such a person will have special powers.

As Shuffle and Sixpence gather all the murder suspects in the bar of the hotel, Shuffle remarks to Sixpence on how baffling the case has been, "...almost as baffling as that time we found your voice recorded on a phonograph from 1892." This is a reference to events in a previous adventure of Sapphire and Steel, "All Fall Down". Sixpence says she doesn't remember that one and Shuffle then asks her about the time they stopped the serial killer at Pembruth Point lighthouse and the time where they helped Jennifer Sowersby. These are references to "The Lighthouse" and "Daisy Chain", respectively.

When Steel tells Sixpence she's just a fictional character, she's not real, Sixpence responds to him, "How do you know you're real?" The meta-irony, of course, is that Steel isn't real, he's a fictional character himself created by PJ Hammond for a TV series and portrayed by David McCallum on TV and by David Warner in the audio dramas.

When the fictional character Sixpence senses her true self, Sapphire, inside her and Sapphire's relative lack of feelings, she says to Steel, "You never feel anything...no passion...no nothing..." and Steel responds they don't have time for it.

Sapphire and Steel recall that Arthur told them Steven disappeared on January 3, 1987. This refers to Arthur Bunnings and his missing father as related in "Water Like a Stone" Part 1, which also featured characters named Jane and Ruby whose namesakes appear in this serial.

    Sarah Douglas tells Sapphire and Steel that Steven Bunnings took the whole cast of the radio play to lunch at some place in Soho. Soho is an area of West London featuring upmarket restaurants and media offices.

    Sarah also mentions Murder, She Wrote and how everywhere Angela Lansbury went, people got murdered. Murder, She Wrote was a 1984-1996 American crime drama TV series starring Lansbury as a mystery writer and amateur detective.

    Despite having Sarah Douglas talking to them in their dark prison on a CD disc, Sapphire tells Steel that Sarah is dead. Sarah Douglas plays herself here and is also the actress who portrays Lady Marjorie in this audio drama. She is probably best known as Ursa in Superman: The Movie and Superman II and PopApostle readers may remember her as Squadron Commander Pamela in V.

    Actor Ian Hallard also plays himself as well as Arthur and Fredrick.

Steven Bunnings is said to be the author of the radio play Sapphire and Steel find themselves trapped in. This is a fictitious character portrayed by Colin Baker, best known as the Sixth Doctor on Doctor Who. The actual author of this serial is Joseph Lidster.

The creature from outside of time recites several incidents from Sapphire and Steel's recent adventures, "...the dead girl on the train...Jennifer Sowersby's CD player...Dr. Weber's phonograph...Ruby and her sons..." These are references to the serials "The Passenger", "Daisy Chain", "All Fall Down", and "Water Like a Stone", respectively.

The creature from outside of time that has been tormenting the humans and Sapphire and Steel is raveled to be a child of some kind. Learning this, Steven asks, "If that was a child, what can its parents be?" and Sapphire responds simply, "You don't want to know." Does she know? Is Time the parent or one of the parents?

When Sapphire suggests to Steel that they risk themselves to save Steven, Steel begins to object, but Sapphire interjects, "There is only one Steven Bunnings. There will always be a Sapphire and Steel." Does this mean they'll be replaced with a new Sapphire and Steel if they die? The episode ends with Steven saved, but Sapphire and Steel trapped on the CD until it stops playing. The next episode, "Second Sight" Part 1, opens with a new Sapphire and Steel in place.

When Sapphire and Steel realize they are still trapped, Sapphire comments, "We seem to be making a habit of this." The pair have been trapped a number of times in the past, most notably in "The Man Without a Face" Part 4, "The Trap" Part 4, and "Daisy Chain".

Memorable Dialog

someone who could see the future.mp3

Shuffle and Sixpence, the time travelling murderers.mp3

we're trapped in a radio play.mp3

can you hear me?.mp3

you're a fictional character.mp3

how do you know you're real?.mp3

we're in a trap.mp3

trapped in a piece of fiction.mp3

that's very human of you, Steel.mp3

the play wasn't that good.mp3

creatures that exist outside of time.mp3

what can its parents be?.mp3

I think we're trapped in a compact disc.mp3

someone's listening to us right now.mp3

what about the person listening to this?.mp3

there will always be a Sapphire and Steel.mp3

you almost sound like you cared.mp3