Line #25 Characters/TheProfessionals


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14	! Main characters of ''The Professionals''
15
16	!!George Cowley
17	!!! Portrayed by: Gordon Jackson
18	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cowley.jpg]]
19	[[caption-width-right:300: "I have progressed to triple think."]]
20	\
21	The head of [=CI5=], Cowley is the undisputed genius of tactical thinking.
22
23	!! Tropes:
24	* BadassBureaucrat: He can play the political game as well as anyone and sometimes joins the younger guys in the action and can handle himself in the fight.
25	* TheChessmaster: Often to the aggravation of Bodie and Doyle as he doesn't always explain his plan to them beforehand. Even the KGB regard him as a "wily old fox".
26	* CoolOldGuy: He fought against the fascists in the Spanish Civil War, served as a [[ElitesAreMoreGlamorous commando]] during World War 2 and in [=MI5=] after the war. He demonstrates that he’s still handy with a weapon and is a very cool boss to Bodie and Doyle.
27	* DaChief: An acerbic Scot often shown barking at Bodie and Doyle, but only to get the best out of them.
28	* DrinkingOnDuty: Cowley can [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem afford to ignore the rules]], and anyway his single malt Scotch is famous for smoothing relationships with Whitehall mandarins who visit his office just to sample it. Now and then he drops the gruff Scot act and lets the lads have a QuickNip as well.
29	* AFatherToHisMen: He rides his men hard but will back them to the hilt. A MeanBoss who isn't above sharing a glass of Scotch with our heroes. And God help you if you kill a [=CI5=] agent.
30	-->'''Cowley:''' You betrayed my trust. Maybe that's not so important. But you also caused the death of one of my men. I can never forgive that. I think I'd like you to run, Peter...so I can shoot you in the guts!
31	* GlassesPull: One of his CharacterTics.
32	* GoodIsNotNice: Cowley is definitely not a nice man, considering what he puts his agents through for the good of the Realm, but he does put other people before himself and works in the best interests of the public.
33	* InSeriesNickname: "The Cow" to his agents (but not to his face), and "Morris" to his old army friends.
34	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: The Cow being a MeanBoss is played up in the earlier episodes, but he genuinely cares about his men even while putting them in danger.
35	* MajorlyAwesome: He served as an officer in the British Army, where he attained the rank of major.
36	* MeanBoss: Though something of a JerkassFacade.
37	-->"If you could [[TryNotToDie avoid getting yourself killed]] I'd be grateful. [[BaitAndSwitchComment Replacements can be very expensive.]]"
38	* NotSoAboveItAll:
39	** He claims not to have noticed the attractive legs of his SexySecretary, but after catching Bodie and Doyle using a sniper scope for NaughtyBirdwatching, he corrects their estimate of the girl's dimensions.
40	** Although firmly opposed to racism, he can't help being thrown on seeing his OldFlame Annie Irvine now has a black boyfriend.
41	* NotSoStoic: He's usually very deadpan and doesn't show his emotions. However, he is visibly upset when he fails to save several witnesses from hitmen in "Heroes". He is also angered by Barker taking a hospital full of sick people hostage.
42	* RevolversAreJustBetter: Carries a snubnose S&W .38 revolver.
43	* ThriftyScot: Complains about this stereotype despite making Bodie return the suit he's bought for an assignment, and pay for his overdue library books that he gave to Bodie as 'cover'.
44	* WoundThatWillNotHeal: A leg injury that he got during the Spanish Civil War still aggravates him, fueling his acerbic nature. Later seasons however have Cowley ThrowingOffTheDisability to give his character a more active role in the field.
45
46
47	!! Raymond Doyle
48	!!! Portrayed by: Creator/MartinShaw
49	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/doyleshotgun.jpg]]
50	[[caption-width-right:350: "Never use ingenuity when brute force and ignorance will do. It only saps the brain cells and you need to save all of yours!"]]
51	\
52	One of the best agents in [=CI5=], ex-cop Doyle is partnered with Bodie. He's the nicer of the two and a bit of a bleeding heart.
53
54	!! Tropes:
55	* AfroAsskicker: Well, technically a perm…
56	* BadgesAndDogTags: Though Doyle is the ex-cop and Bodie the ex-soldier, some comments Doyle makes indicate that he saw some military service too.
57	* BadassInDistress: Doyle gets kidnapped or tied up several times during the show, although he does tend to become a [[DamselOutOfDistress Badass out of distress]].
58	* CarpetOfVirility: He has a hairy, manly chest. It was the 70's...
59	* CoolShades: He often wears sunglasses.
60	* DeadPartner: His cop partner and father-figure, Syd Parker was killed during a routine patrol after ensuring that Doyle would be kept out of harm's way.
61	* DeathSeeker: He's seriously wounded in "Discovered in a Graveyard", and his AdventuresInComaland imply that he's had enough of the violence and just wants an end to it. After recovering however [[StepfordSmiler Doyle just acts like his normal self.]]
62	* {{Delinquents}}: He described himself as a "right tearaway" as a teenager, "cutting up another kid when he was just a kid" himself.
63	* HeroicAmbidexterity: He fairly often draws with his left hand and fires before switching to his right.
64	* HotBlooded: So much that Bodie occasionally has to hold him back.
65	* HeroicBSOD: Briefly shuts down emotionally in "The Rack" after possibly killing a suspect in custody. Bodie snaps him out of it.
66	* TheIdealist: In "Discovered in a Graveyard", Cowley notes this about Doyle, and that it makes him a useful operative in a [[BlackAndGrayMorality complicated world]], but also leaves him vulnerable to burn-out.
67	* InformedAbility: He's apparently an artist, but we never even see him pick up a pencil during the course of the series.
68	* IJustWantToBeNormal: He frequently considers resigning in order to live a normal life, but it's implied that he would miss [[ThrillSeeker the excitement of the job.]]
69	* ImprobableAimingSkills: Noted to have been the best shot with a handgun in the Met. and pulls off several near impossible shots.
70	* InSeriesNickname: Mostly called Ray, but also notably ‘Angelfish’, ‘Sunshine’, ‘Sherlock’, ‘Goldilocks’ and ‘Batman’.
71	* KidAnova: When Bodie jibes him about putting up a plaque in a back alley where he made out with a girl for the first time, Doyle retorts: "What d'ya mean 'first time?' I was nearly fifteen!"
72	* RealMenCook: He's a good cook and maintains a healthy lifestyle that Bodie often jibes him about.
73	* RightHandedLeftHandedGuns: Doyle has a habit of drawing his Walther with his left hand, even though it's worn in a shoulder holster on that side, meant for a right-handed crossdraw.
74	* SignificantNameOverlap: Doyle seems to have a thing for girls called Ann. His first blonde was called Ann, he considers marrying Ann Holly, he's implied to have been involved with Ann Seaford, and when working with another HighClassCallGirl chooses to call her Ann as well.
75	* TradingBarsForStripes: He joined the Metropolitan Police to "get some discipline" after a mispent youth of delinquency. He rose to the rank of detective and was their pistol shooting champion.
76
77	!! William Andrew Phillip Bodie
78	!!! Portrayed by: Lewis Collins
79	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bodiediscombobulate.jpg]]
80	[[caption-width-right:350: "I believe in me because I was born tall, dark and beautiful... and engagingly modest of course."]]
81	\
82	An ex-mercenary and now member of [=CI5=], Bodie is charismatic, violent and happy to play the 'Bad Cop' to Doyle's 'Good Cop'.
83
84	!! Tropes
85	* BadassInDistress: He's a hero and badass most of the time, but gets held hostage and StrappedToABomb by some German terrorists in "The Fugitive".
86	* BigEater: Often seen chowing down on fast food (to Doyle's annoyance).
87	* BloodKnight: He loves to fight and clearly revels in being as destructive and scary as possible.
88	* CarpetOfVirility: Has a manly, hairy chest. It was the 1970's...
89	* TheCasanova: In his own words he'll bed any woman "under fifty, still warm and comes across".
90	* CulturedBadass: He can smash down doors and quote Keats at the drop of a hat.
91	* DarkAndTroubledPast: He was a mercenary and apparently spent some time in an Angolan prison at some point. In "Where the Jungle Ends", we find out that one of his first loves was murdered by his old mercenary group.
92	* DrinkingOnDuty: Often tries to sneak in a drink when Doyle and Cowley aren't looking over his shoulder.
93	* EmbarrassingFirstName: William Andrew Philip Bodie only ever went by Bodie. "William" isn't a bad first name, but it's the combination with the others that does it.
94	* EmbarrassingMiddleName: Andrew Phillip--all the princes (he was such a regal-looking baby).
95	* {{Expy}}: His backstory is identical to that of Mike Gambit from ''Series/TheNewAvengers'', although Gambit would rise to officer rank in the Army, while Bodie was a Sergeant. Both shows were created by Brian Clemens.
96	* FormerBigot: In "Klansmen", he displays some casual racism, further exacerbated by being stabbed by two black attackers. He later overcomes his prejudice after being saved by black hospital staff.
97	* MrFanservice: In his own words: tall, dark and beautiful. And shows off that hairy chest of his.
98	* HiddenDepths: Appears as a thug to most, but is actually surprisingly cultured and poetic.
99	* HeterosexualLifePartners: The closest person for him in the world is his buddy Doyle. Touch Doyle and Bodie will END you.
100	* ImprobableAge: He was a sailor, a mercenary in Angola, a soldier, an SAS sergeant and then a [=CI5=] agent by the age of twenty-five.
101	* LastNameBasis: Doyle is Doyle or Ray, but Bodie is only ever Bodie--never William, Bill, etc. We only know it because his full name was stated once, in "The Rack".
102	* TheNicknamer: Has a cornucopia of nicknames especially for Doyle.
103	* OverlyLongName: William Andrew Phillip Bodie. No other main character has a middle name, but Bodie has TWO.
104	* RealMenWearPink: Bodie quotes poetry, [[AgentPeacock dresses well,]] knows how to wine and dine and...wears pink occasionally. He also drinks a lot of milk. This led to the fandom meme ‘Real Men Drink Milk’.
105	* TallDarkAndHandsome: He's tall and has a dark colouring. However, in his own words, he's tall, dark and beautiful, actually.
106	* TheRunaway: He ran away from home at the age of fourteen, joined the Merchant Marine and then jumped ship to become a mercenary in Angola.

Context Characters / TheProfessionals