History Series / TheSecretService

The series only lasted 13 episodes before being cancelled after Lew Grade saw a test screening, believing that the inclusion of Unwin's "Unwinese" had made the series impossible to sell internationally (indeed, it was a tough sell domestically, only three Creator/{{ITV}} regions aired this - ATV, Granada and Southern). As a result, Anderson shifted full-time into live-action with ''Series/UFO1970'', and wouldn't make another puppet series until ''Series/{{Terrahawks}}'' 14 years later.

The series only lasted 13 episodes before being cancelled after Lew Grade saw a test screening, believing that the inclusion of Unwin's "Unwinese" had made the series impossible to sell internationally (It was a tough sell domestically, only three Creator/{{ITV}} regions aired this - ATV, Granada and Southern. As a result, Anderson shifted full-time into live-action with ''Series/UFO1970'', and wouldn't make another puppet series until ''Series/{{Terrahawks}}'' 14 years later.

The series only lasted 13 episodes before being cancelled after Lew Grade saw a test screening, believing that the inclusion of Unwin's "Unwinese" had made the series impossible to sell internationally (It was a tough sell domestically, Aonly three Creator/{{ITV}} regions aired this - ATV, Granada and Southern. As a result, Anderson shifted full-time into live-action with ''Series/UFO1970'', and wouldn't make another puppet series until ''Series/{{Terrahawks}}'' 14 years later.

The series only lasted 13 episodes before being cancelled after Lew Grade saw a test screening, believing that the inclusion of Unwin's "Unwinese" had made the series impossible to sell internationally. As a result, Anderson shifted full-time into live-action with ''Series/UFO1970'', and wouldn't make another puppet series until ''Series/{{Terrahawks}}'' 14 years later.

The series followed Father Stanley Unwin, a character voiced by (and modelled on) the comedian of the same name, who also played the character in live-action long-shots. Ostensibly an eccentric vicar, Unwin is secretly an agent of B.I.S.H.O.P. ("British Intelligence Service Headquarters, Operation Priest"), a division of British intelligence countering criminal and terrorist threats. Aided by fellow agent Matthew Harding (who works as Unwin's gardener in TheMasquerade), the two undertake missions which require [[ShrinkRay the Minimiser]], a device used for covert operations which shrinks people to a third of their size (roughly the size of a UsefulNotes/{{Supermarionation}} puppet, which allows puppet characters to interact with live-action sets and actors whose faces are out of shot). Unwin carries the miniaturised Matthew around in a specially-adapted briefcase that can open from the inside and contains field equipment such as a periscope. During missions, the agents communicate via earpiece transceivers (with Unwin's disguised as his hearing aid). In hostile situations, Unwin regularly spouts gibberish (based on the real Unwin's nonsense language, "Unwinese") to distract his enemies. The cast is rounded out by Unwin's housekeeper, Mrs. Appleby (who is unaware of his espionage activities), B.I.S.H.O.P.'s spymaster, known only as The Bishop, and BISHOP agent Blake, who is often called in to assist Unwin and Matthew on missions.

The series followed Father Stanley Unwin, a character voiced by (and modelled on) the comedian of the same name, who also played the character in live-action long-shots. Ostensibly an eccentric vicar, Unwin is secretly an agent of B.I.S.H.O.P. ("British Intelligence Service Headquarters, Operation Priest"), a division of British intelligence countering criminal and terrorist threats. Aided by fellow agent Matthew Harding (who works as Unwin's gardener in TheMasquerade), the two undertake missions which require the Minimiser, a device used for covert operations which shrinks people to a third of their size (roughly the size of a UsefulNotes/{{Supermarionation}} puppet, which allows puppet characters to interact with live-action sets and actors whose faces are out of shot). Unwin carries the miniaturised Matthew around in a specially-adapted briefcase that can open from the inside and contains field equipment such as a periscope. During missions, the agents communicate via earpiece transceivers (with Unwin's disguised as his hearing aid). In hostile situations, Unwin regularly spouts gibberish (based on the real Unwin's nonsense language, "Unwinese") to distract his enemies. The cast is rounded out by Unwin's housekeeper, Mrs. Appleby (who is unaware of his espionage activities), B.I.S.H.O.P.'s spymaster, known only as The Bishop, and BISHOP agent Blake, who is often called in to assist Unwin and Matthew on missions.

The final UsefulNotes/{{Supermarionation}} series created by Creator/GerryAnderson[[note]]not counting Series/TheInvestigator, a 1973 failed pilot[[/note]], this series is notable among them for being a hybrid of the techniques used on Anderson's earlier work with live-action (mostly actors in long-shot and action set-pieces).

The final UsefulNotes/{{Supermarionation}} series created by Creator/GerryAnderson[[note]]not counting [[Series/TheInvestigator]], a 1973 failed pilot[[/note]], this series is notable among them for being a hybrid of the techniques used on Anderson's earlier work with live-action (mostly actors in long-shot and action set-pieces).

The final UsefulNotes/{{Supermarionation}} series created by Creator/GerryAnderson, this series is notable among them for being a hybrid of the techniques used on Anderson's earlier work with live-action (mostly actors in long-shot and action set-pieces).

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture