PROBE (1972)
TV-Movie
Article 4683 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 11-16-2014
Directed by Russ Mayberry
Featuring Hugh O’Brian, Elke Sommer, Burgess Meredith
Country: USA
What it is: Superspy TV pilot

A high-tech spy organization embarks on a mission to locate a set of missing diamonds.

This pilot for a TV-Series did manage to yield one; it was called SEARCH and it lasted for one season. Still, that series is highly rated on IMDB, which makes me suspect that it’s fondly remembered. I’m not surprised by that however; though this TV-Movie has a few flaws, the central premise is strong enough that I could see how it would make for an interesting series; it’s basically a James Bond-style superspy variation with the central gimmick being that the spy remains in constant contact with headquarters through the use of implanted transmitters and seeing-eye gadgets that he carries on his person. I’ve not seen the series, but I do hope it jettisoned or downplayed the biggest running joke in the movie, which is that the woman who monitors the spy’s physiological reactions (as well as those of people nearby) makes jealous catty comments about the spy’s encounter with beautiful women; this joke grew old quickly. Nevertheless, the movie makes clever use of the premise. The series apparently rotated three actors as the lead spy in each episode, which almost by default made Burgess Meredith the main star of the series.