Around 1981-82, Sam Waterston starred in a CBS show called "Q.E.D." His character was named Quentin E. Deverill and he was an American scientist living in Edwardian England and he came up with all kinds of inventions. He battled a German named Kilkus(?) played by Julian Glover (from Indy...Last Crusade and the Star Wars movies). The show had a catchy John Addison-esque theme, though I don't think he composed the music for it. I haven't seen the show since its original and very brief) run, and was wondering if it would still be any good if I watched it today. Or was it ever good to begin with?
Only six episodes? I guess that sounds about right. A friend and I loved this show at the time and were enthralled by the steam-powered machinery ("Steampunk"? Hmm.. There's even a term for it!)
Around 1981-82, Sam Waterston starred in a CBS show called "Q.E.D." His character was named Quentin E. Deverill and he was an American scientist living in Edwardian England and he came up with all kinds of inventions. He battled a German named Kilkus(?) played by Julian Glover (from Indy...Last Crusade and the Star Wars movies). The show had a catchy John Addison-esque theme, though I don't think he composed the music for it. I haven't seen the show since its original and very brief) run, and was wondering if it would still be any good if I watched it today. Or was it ever good to begin with?
First off, you're right; John Addison didn't do it (he was living and working in America at the time and Q.E.D. was produced in England [a US/UK co-production, I believe], but it was shown in America first - it wasn't shown in the UK until 1984 on ITV at the whim of the regions; I know my region (Thames/LWT) had it on Sunday afternoons, and another one had it at 11:30 at night!); the theme and scores were by Ken Howard* and Alan Blaikley (The Flame Trees of Thika). I still have the theme music taped off a Barbadian broadcast.
The show itself passed the time, but I don't think Sam Waterston would rather be reminded of this than Law & Order.
This played briefly on ITV regions in UK around 1983 at about 11.30 at night. I remember Sam Waterson because he had played Oppenhiemmer for the BBC afew years earlier.
I remember it. I even have the theme on audio tape. I haven´t seen it since its original broadcasting here more than a quarter of a century ago but somehow I have that feeling that I shouldn´t rewatch it as I´m sure it will disappoint. Some things are to stay a good memory.
Thought I'd cheer this place up by posting some nice photos of the great Sam Waterston as Quentin E. Deverill from my holy grail of TV shows, Q.E.D. I've since seen the episodes on YouTube but they've been taken down. It's a fun show and one that has managed to survive the cruel filter of childhood nostalgia. I'd love to see this series on DVD.
With cardigans (shawl and otherwise) once again popular, it's easy to predict that Q.E.D. will dazzle an entirely new generation of tired-of-today's-pop-culture kids.
Q.E.D. 'Infernal Device'- "Anarchists discover that Professor Deverill has invented a new remote control device, and blackmail him into helping them use it to detonate a bomb at an international conference." Aired April 6, 1982.
Sounds quite similar to the plot of Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.
I've since seen the episodes on YouTube but they've been taken down. It's a fun show and one that has managed to survive the cruel filter of childhood nostalgia. I'd love to see this series on DVD.
