List of Freewheelers episodes

Freewheelers is a British children's action / adventure television series made by Southern Television between 1968 and 1973. Each story centred around a group of teenagers who aid a British security agent to thwart the plans of a villain and avert an international disaster.

Series overview

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SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1134 April 1968 (1968-04-04)27 June 1968 (1968-06-27)
21320 November 1968 (1968-11-20)12 February 1969 (1969-02-12)
3139 July 1969 (1969-07-09)1 October 1969 (1969-10-01)
41329 April 1970 (1970-04-29)22 July 1970 (1970-07-22)
51320 January 1971 (1971-01-20)14 April 1971 (1971-04-14)
61327 September 1971 (1971-09-27)20 December 1971 (1971-12-20)
7134 September 1972 (1972-09-04)27 November 1972 (1972-11-27)
8136 August 1973 (1973-08-06)5 November 1973 (1973-11-05)

Episodes

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Each of the eight series comprised 13 x 30 minute episodes divided into two or three linked stories. All eight series were produced by Chris McMaster.

For extant episodes, the episode title and the names of director and writer are taken from the programme credits[1] (except in the case of Chris McMaster who did not take a director credit). Information for the remaining episodes is from published sources, principally contemporary listings[2] and Time Screen magazine[3] articles[4][5] and episode guides.[6][7] Air dates are from TV listings for the earliest broadcast, some ITV regions may have been later.

Under Status for the best known copy, "TR" indicates broadcast standard telerecording, "VT" indicates broadcast standard videotape, and "VHS" indicates the domestic recording format.

Series 1 (1968)

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No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
11Menace!: The SleepersChris McMasterJames Hopes4 April 1968 (1968-04-04)TR[a]
22Menace!: No SmokeChris McMasterJames Hopes11 April 1968 (1968-04-11)TR[a]
33Menace!: The CampChris McMasterJames Hopes18 April 1968 (1968-04-18)TR[a]
44Menace!: The UltimatumChris McMasterJames Hopes25 April 1968 (1968-04-25)TR[a]
55Menace!: Face To FaceChris McMasterJames Hopes2 May 1968 (1968-05-02)TR[a][b]
66Recipe for Danger: Too Many CooksJohn BraybonBarry Busbridge9 May 1968 (1968-05-09)TR[a]
77Recipe for Danger: One Man's MeatJohn BraybonBarry Busbridge16 May 1968 (1968-05-16)TR[a]
88Recipe for Danger: Trouble BrewingJohn BraybonBarry Busbridge23 May 1968 (1968-05-23)TR[a]
99Recipe for Danger: Bring to the BoilJohn BraybonBarry Busbridge30 May 1968 (1968-05-30)TR[a]
1010The Big Freeze: IcarusChris McMasterTrevor Preston6 June 1968 (1968-06-06)TR[a][b]
1111The Big Freeze: ValkyrieChris McMasterTrevor Preston13 June 1968 (1968-06-13)TR[a][b]
1212The Big Freeze: AnvilChris McMasterTrevor Preston20 June 1968 (1968-06-20)TR[a][b]
1313The Big Freeze: GotterdammerungChris McMasterTrevor Preston27 June 1968 (1968-06-27)TR[a][b]

Series 2 (1968–69)

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No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
141The Zander Plot:[i] BreakoutChris McMasterDon Douglas & Keith Miles20 November 1968 (1968-11-20)Lost[c]
152The Zander Plot: TreasureChris McMasterDon Douglas & Keith Miles27 November 1968 (1968-11-27)Lost[c]
163The Zander Plot: Master PlanPeter CroftDon Douglas & Keith Miles4 December 1968 (1968-12-04)Lost[c]
174The Zander Plot: The CodePeter CroftDon Douglas & Keith Miles11 December 1968 (1968-12-11)Lost[c]
185The Zander Plot: The LighthousePeter CroftRick Trader Whitcombe18 December 1968 (1968-12-18)Lost[c]
196The Zander Plot: The StonesPeter CroftRick Trader Whitcombe25 December 1968 (1968-12-25)Lost[c]
207The Zander Plot: Time Bomb!Chris McMasterBarry Busbridge1 January 1969 (1969-01-01)Lost[c]
218The Zander Plot: Doomsday!Chris McMasterBarry Busbridge8 January 1969 (1969-01-08)TR[a]
229The Secret Base:[i] The KeyPeter CroftRick Trader Whitcombe15 January 1969 (1969-01-15)Lost[c]
2310The Secret Base: Black KnightPeter CroftRick Trader Whitcombe22 January 1969 (1969-01-22)Lost[c]
2411The Secret Base: VulcanChris McMasterBryan Cooper29 January 1969 (1969-01-29)Lost[c]
2512The Secret Base: Double TroubleChris McMasterBryan Cooper5 February 1969 (1969-02-05)Lost[c]
2613The Secret Base: Damocles!Chris McMasterBarry Busbridge12 February 1969 (1969-02-12)Lost[c]

Series 3 (1969)

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No.
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No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
271"Rammed!"Peter CroftChris McMaster9 July 1969 (1969-07-09)Lost[c]
282"The Banshee"Peter CroftJohn Cannon16 July 1969 (1969-07-16)Lost[c]
293"Minded"Chris McMasterBarry Busbridge23 July 1969 (1969-07-23)Lost[c]
304"Trapped"Chris McMasterJohn Cannon30 July 1969 (1969-07-30)Lost[c]
315"Tanks!"Peter CroftBarry Busbridge6 August 1969 (1969-08-06)Lost[c]
326"Caged!"Peter CroftBarry Busbridge13 August 1969 (1969-08-13)Lost[c]
337"The Tower"Chris McMasterJohn Cannon20 August 1969 (1969-08-20)Lost[c]
348"Triton"Chris McMasterChris McMaster27 August 1969 (1969-08-27)Lost[c]
359"Kidnapped"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson3 September 1969 (1969-09-03)Lost[c]
3610"The Voyage"Peter CroftPaul Erickson10 September 1969 (1969-09-10)Lost[c]
3711"The Island"Peter CroftKeith Miles17 September 1969 (1969-09-17)Lost[c]
3812"Blockade"Peter CroftKeith Miles24 September 1969 (1969-09-24)Lost[c]
3913"Thunderbolt!"Chris McMasterChris McMaster1 October 1969 (1969-10-01)Lost[c]

Series 4 (1970)

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No.
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No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
401"Not In Jest"Chris McMasterBryan Cooper29 April 1970 (1970-04-29)Lost[c]
412"A Thing Like Death"Chris McMasterRick Trader Whitcombe6 May 1970 (1970-05-06)Lost[c]
423"Package Deal"Chris McMasterBryan Cooper13 May 1970 (1970-05-13)Lost[c]
434"Spartika"Chris McMasterRick Trader Whitcombe20 May 1970 (1970-05-20)Lost[c]
445"Merely Players"Chris McMasterRick Trader Whitcombe27 May 1970 (1970-05-27)Lost[c]
456"Agincourt"Chris McMasterChris McMaster3 June 1970 (1970-06-03)Lost[c]
467"Microdot"Peter CroftPaul Erickson10 June 1970 (1970-06-10)Lost[c]
478"Kythera!"Peter CroftPaul Erickson17 June 1970 (1970-06-17)Lost[c]
489"The Dictator"Peter CroftPaul Erickson24 June 1970 (1970-06-24)Lost[c]
4910"Petrov"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson1 July 1970 (1970-07-01)Lost[c]
5011"Decoy"Chris McMasterKeith Miles8 July 1970 (1970-07-08)Lost[c]
5112"Firing Squad"Peter CroftKeith Miles15 July 1970 (1970-07-15)Lost[c]
5213"Explosion"Chris McMasterKeith Miles22 July 1970 (1970-07-22)Lost[c]

Series 5 (1971)

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No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
531"Sniper!"Peter CroftRichard Montez20 January 1971 (1971-01-20)Lost[c]
542"Spin Off"Peter CroftRichard Montez27 January 1971 (1971-01-27)Lost[c]
553"The Mill"Peter CroftRichard Montez3 February 1971 (1971-02-03)Lost[c]
564"Blackmail"Peter CroftRichard Montez10 February 1971 (1971-02-10)Lost[c]
575"Zukov"Peter CroftRichard Montez17 February 1971 (1971-02-17)Lost[c]
586"Russian Roulette"Peter CroftRichard Montez24 February 1971 (1971-02-24)Lost[c]
597"Destruct"Chris McMasterRichard Montez3 March 1971 (1971-03-03)Lost[c]
608"Zyton!"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)Lost[c]
619"Entombed"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson17 March 1971 (1971-03-17)Lost[c]
6210"Roll Up"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson24 March 1971 (1971-03-24)Lost[c]
6311"Booby Trap"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson31 March 1971 (1971-03-31)Lost[c]
6412"Pipeline"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson7 April 1971 (1971-04-07)Lost[c]
6513"The Answer"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson14 April 1971 (1971-04-14)Lost[c]

Series 6 (1971)

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[ii]

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
661"Nero"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson27 September 1971 (1971-09-27)VT[d][e]
672"Operation Seagull"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson4 October 1971 (1971-10-04)VT[d][e]
683"Medusa"Dave HeatherPaul Erickson11 October 1971 (1971-10-11)VT[d][e]
694"Mayday"Dave HeatherPaul Erickson18 October 1971 (1971-10-18)VT[d][e]
705"Pirates"Dave HeatherPaul Erickson25 October 1971 (1971-10-25)VT[d][e]
716"The Threat"Dave HeatherPaul Erickson1 November 1971 (1971-11-01)VT[d][e]
727"Doomsday"Chris McMasterPaul Erickson8 November 1971 (1971-11-08)VT[d][e]
738"Black Box"Chris McMasterRichard Montez15 November 1971 (1971-11-15)VT[d][e]
749"Cypher"Chris McMasterRichard Montez22 November 1971 (1971-11-22)VT[d][e]
7510"The Parcel"Chris McMasterRichard Montez29 November 1971 (1971-11-29)VT[d][e]
7611"The Race"Chris McMasterRichard Montez6 December 1971 (1971-12-06)VT[d][e]
7712"Red Herring"Chris McMasterRichard Montez13 December 1971 (1971-12-13)VT[d][e]
7813"Pay Off"Chris McMasterRichard Montez20 December 1971 (1971-12-20)VT[d][e]

Series 7 (1972)

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No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
791"Traitor!"Dave HeatherRalph Wright4 September 1972 (1972-09-04)VT[d][e]
802"The Race"Dave HeatherRalph Wright11 September 1972 (1972-09-11)VT[d][e]
813"Framed!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright18 September 1972 (1972-09-18)VT[d][e]
824"Vertigo!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright25 September 1972 (1972-09-25)VHS[e][iii]
835"The Knot"Dave HeatherRalph Wright2 October 1972 (1972-10-02)VT[d][e]
846"The War Game"Dave HeatherRalph Wright9 October 1972 (1972-10-09)VT[d][e]
857"Helga!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright16 October 1972 (1972-10-16)VT[d][e]
868"Helga![iv]"Chris McMasterPeter Lover23 October 1972 (1972-10-23)VT[d][e]
879"Midsummer"Chris McMasterPeter Lover30 October 1972 (1972-10-30)VT[d][e]
8810"The Mine"Chris McMasterPeter Lover6 November 1972 (1972-11-06)VT[d][e]
8911"Tricked!"Chris McMasterPeter Lover13 November 1972 (1972-11-13)VT[d][e]
9012"Ares!"Chris McMasterPeter Lover20 November 1972 (1972-11-20)VT[d][e]
9113"Archimedes"Chris McMasterPeter Lover27 November 1972 (1972-11-27)VT[d][e]

Series 8 (1973)

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No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAvailability
921"Contact!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright6 August 1973 (1973-08-06)VT[d][e]
932"Libra!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright13 August 1973 (1973-08-13)VHS[e]
943"The Auction"Bob LengRalph Wright20 August 1973 (1973-08-20)VHS[e]
954"The Third Man!"Bob LengRalph Wright3 September 1973 (1973-09-03)VHS[e]
965"Rapids!"Chris McMasterDavid Stevens10 September 1973 (1973-09-10)VHS[e]
976"Darkness at Noon"Chris McMasterDavid Stevens17 September 1973 (1973-09-17)VHS[e]
987"Double-Cross"Bob LengDavid Stevens24 September 1973 (1973-09-24)VHS[e]
998"Impasse!"Bob LengDavid Stevens1 October 1973 (1973-10-01)VHS[e]
1009"The Crypt"Chris McMasterDavid Stevens8 October 1973 (1973-10-08)VHS[e]
10110"Switched!"Chris McMasterDavid Stevens15 October 1973 (1973-10-15)VT[d][e]
10211"Break-Up!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright22 October 1973 (1973-10-22)VHS[e]
10312"The Think Bank"Chris McMasterRalph Wright29 October 1973 (1973-10-29)VHS[e]
10413"The Hoist!"Chris McMasterRalph Wright5 November 1973 (1973-11-05)VHS[e]


Archive status

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n A telerecording of the full episode is held at the Wessex Film and Sound Archive (collection AV763)
  2. ^ a b c d e A copy of the full episode is held in the British Film Institute collections (reference number 786172)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay Missing episode, no copies of the full episode are known to exist.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa The episode video master held by Renown Pictures Ltd Archived 14 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am A copy of the full episode is held at Wessex Film and Sound Archive (collection AV763).

53 of the 104 episodes exist: 27 as broadcast masters, 14 as telerecordings and 12 in domestic formats (e.g. VHS). The remaining 51 episodes are missing.

The telerecordings include all 13 episodes of Series 1. The only series for which a complete set of video masters is held is Series 6, which was released on DVD in 2009.[ii]

The location film segments for all episodes are at Wessex Film and Sound Archive (collection AV763).

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The main story names for series two were listed in the TV Times but did not appear on screen.
  2. ^ a b Series 6 was released on DVD in 2009 by Simply Home Entertainment
  3. ^ A restoration of episode 82 was performed by Talking Pictures TV from a domestic recording and the original location films, and first broadcast by them on 24 July 2017.
  4. ^ Episodes 85 and 86 have the same name due to a production error[4]

References

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  1. ^ On screen credits from the episode as broadcast.
  2. ^ TV Times – Independent Television Publications Limited.
  3. ^ Time Screen, The Magazine of British Telefantasy – Publisher David Nightingale.
  4. ^ a b Freewheelers: Calling White Knight by Mark Harris. Time Screen issue 15 (Spring 1990), p4-p8.
  5. ^ Freewheelers: Doomsday! by Mark Harris. Time Screen issue 19 (Autumn 1992), p10-p14.
  6. ^ Freewheelers Episode Guide series 1–3 compiled by Andrew Pixley and Mark Harris. Time Screen issue 15 (Spring 1990).
  7. ^ Freewheelers Episode Guide series 4–8 compiled by Andrew Pixley, David Auger and Mark Harris. Time Screen issue 19 (Autumn 1992).
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