The Sandbaggers: Difference between revisions

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* [[Acronym and Abbreviation Overload]] The dialogue uses so many acronyms that the DVDs have an acronym glossary as a bonus feature.

* [[Anti-Hero]]: Burnside.

* [[Anyone Can Die]]: Sandbaggers have a high mortality rate over the course of the series. It's commented on [[In Universe]] as well.

* [[Anyone Can Die]]: Sandbaggers have a high mortality rate over the course of the series. It's commented on [[In-Universe]] as well.

* [[Author Existence Failure]] - Series creator and head writer Ian Mackintosh vanished in a small airplane flight near Alaska, while series three was being shot. Three [[Fanon Discontinuity|poorly regarded]] episodes were written to fill out the series, but the producers decided to end the show rather than turn it into a [[Franchise Zombie]].

* [[Black and Grey Morality]]: His stated goal, "the destruction of the KGB," justifies Burnside's ruthlessness.

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* [[Double Meaning Title]] - "Special Relationship"

* [[Double Reverse Quadruple Agent]] - [[Defied]]; {{spoiler|Tyler says he considered becoming a triple agent after the KGB turned him, but decided it wouldn't help his situation any.}}

* [[Fun ~~With~~ Acronyms]] - None are particularly funny, but the sheer number of them can choke segments of dialogue. The PA to D.Ops might relay a message that the PUSS at the FCO needs a favor for the DCDS.

* [[Fun with Acronyms]] - None are particularly funny, but the sheer number of them can choke segments of dialogue. The PA to D.Ops might relay a message that the PUSS at the FCO needs a favor for the DCDS.

* [[Guile Hero]] (or maybe Guile Anti-Hero?) - Burnside.

* [[He Who Must Not Be Seen]] - Burnside's ex-wife and Wellingham's daughter, Belinda. Burnside's relationship with her (and by extension, Wellingham) is a plot point in several episodes, but we never see her except in photographs.

* [[I Did What I Had to Do]] - Burnside personifies this trope, and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.

* [[Incredibly Obvious Tail]] - Played straight (but justified) in the ''first ten minutes'' of the series: Burnside and Caine easily spot tails on their way to the office, but it turns out they're {{spoiler|being followed by green Norweigan agents on a training exercise.}}

* [[Inherent in ~~The~~ System]] - Most of the intelligence community is bent towards maintaining the status quo as a result of the governments and bureaucracies each agency serves.

* [[Inherent in the System]] - Most of the intelligence community is bent towards maintaining the status quo as a result of the governments and bureaucracies each agency serves.

* [[Instant Death Bullet]] - Brutally and tragically subverted in "At All Costs".

* [[Insufferable Genius]] - Burnside is a draconian boss, but superhumanly dedicated to his job and the safety of his agents. Likewise, he regularly lies to his superiors and schemes under their noses, but he's just that good at deception, and it usually serves the interest of the Service.

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* [[Shoot the Dog]] - Burnside, notably in "At All Costs."

* [[Shown Their Work]] - Perhaps showing a bit ''too'' much - one of the second series episodes was censored for contravening the Official Secrets Act.

* [[Spiritual Successor]] - [[Greg Rucka]]'s love of the series led to his homage/reworking, ''[[~~Queen and Country (Comic Book)|~~Queen and Country]]''.

* [[Spiritual Successor]] - [[Greg Rucka]]'s love of the series led to his homage/reworking, ''[[Queen and Country]]''.

* [[Spy Fiction]] - Extremely Stale Beer.

* [[The Spymaster]] - Burnside, obviously. Also, the chief of the CIA station in London, Burnside's opposite number at [[MI 5]], and several foreign intelligence chiefs. Particularly amusing is the struggling head of the fledgling Norweigan intelligence service:

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* [[The Teetotaler]] - Burnside doesn't drink.

* [[Tyrant Takes the Helm]] - John Tower Gibbs in season 3 falls somewhere between this trope and [[Bait and Switch Tyrant]].

* [[What the ~~Hell, Hero?|What The~~ Hell, Hero?]] - Burnside commits some truly despicable acts, including threatening to blackmail a Sandbagger's girlfriend {{spoiler|which drives her to suicide}} and ordering the assasination of {{spoiler|one of his own agents, who is also his lover.}} Willie Caine's otherwise rock-solid loyalty is severely shaken by the latter, although his dedication to the job brings him back.

* [[What the Hell, Hero?]] - Burnside commits some truly despicable acts, including threatening to blackmail a Sandbagger's girlfriend {{spoiler|which drives her to suicide}} and ordering the assasination of {{spoiler|one of his own agents, who is also his lover.}} Willie Caine's otherwise rock-solid loyalty is severely shaken by the latter, although his dedication to the job brings him back.