Underground

Here's a 250-ish point cast for 7TV.

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
DI Trevor Hammersmith			Hardened Investigator		Star	67
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
6	4	3	4	3	4	6
Special Effects
Leader (1) (activate ally within 6”) Luck (4) (re-rolls/game – max 1/turn) Vehicle (Jaguar XJ 12 – typical car) Heroic Surge (free, extra, activation 1/game) A Good Offence (re-roll 1 to-hit 1/turn) Rage (when charging, win opposed morale check to get extra melee attack) Inspirational (allies within 6” re-roll failed morale 1/turn)
Intimidating Put Down (morale vs opponent within 6” – forces immediate retreat)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Brawl		Melee	3+	4	Stuns
Pistol		12”	3+	3	Pistol

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
DS Chris Pinner			Dependable Deputy		Co-Star	27
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
7	4	2	3	4	3	4
Special Effects
Luck (1) (re-rolls/game – max 1/turn) Sidekick (Hammersmith) (activation if within 6” of activating ally) Snap Shot (free shooting action at -1) Concealment (cannot be targeted > Int*2” if in cover) Daring Leap (add +1D6” to Move action when crossing gap) Tumbling (count falls as -1 lvl, or -2 if Agi test made)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Brawl		Melee	4+	3	Stuns
Pistol		12”	4+	3	Pistol

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
Dick Temple			Dependable Deputy		Co-Star	36
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
6	4	2	3	3	4	5
Special Effects
Luck (3) (re-rolls/game – max 1/turn) Eagle Eyes (after Aim increase range by 6” or ignore long range -1 penalty) Military Training (Morale re-roll 1/turn + military attacks) Cat Burglar (climb walls, ceilings, no Agi test) Concealment (cannot be targeted > Int*2” if in cover)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Brawl		Melee	3+	3	Stuns
High Calibre Rifle		24” (30”)	3+	4	High Calibre (2D6)

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
WPC Janet Kilburn			Plucky Assistant + Attack Dog Handler		Co-Star	43
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
6	3	2	3	4	3	5
Special Effects
Luck (3) (re-rolls/game – max 1/turn) Plucky (re-roll one Morale test /turn if > 6” from friends) Dodge (Agi test to miss 1/turn) Seduce (Morale vs 1 enemy within 2” to confuse) Leader (3) (Dogs Only) Vehicle (Police Dog Van – typical car)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Brawl		Melee	4+	3	Stuns

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
Angel			Attack Dog		Also Starring	21
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
8	3	2	3	3	1	4
Special Effects
Animal (only friendly handlers can use Leader) Instinctive (must head towards enemy within 12” if no handler within 6”) Luck (2) (re-rolls/game – max 1/turn) Roar (enemy within 6” must pass Morale test or make immediate retreat)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Frenzied Bite		Melee	3+	3

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
Steve Northolt/ Steve Northfields/ Steve Northwood/ Steve Northwick			Pistol Police		Extras	10
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
6	3	1	3	3	3	3
Special Effects
Blocker (enemies cannot pass through 2” radius)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Brawl		Melee	4+	3	Stuns
Pistol		12”	4+	3	Pistol

Name			Role		Billing	Ratings
Kenton/Morden			Attack Dogs		Extras	6
Move	Def	Hits	Str	Agi	Int	Mor
8	3	1	3	3	1	4
Special Effects
Animal (only friendly handlers can use Leader) Instinctive (must head towards enemy within 12” if no handler within 6”)
Weapon		Range	Hit	Str	Notes
Frenzied Bite		Melee	3+	3

Underground ran for 6 episodes in the early ‘70s. It was conceived as a hard-hitting, gritty police show but soon ran into trouble due to a low budget and being aired opposite Dullpark. Events revolved around a crack unit of specialised police dedicated to taking on the violent and dangerous criminal underworld of London. Unfortunately, the name ‘Underworld’ was under rights to Gerry Notion who was working on a similar concept, and so the show was called Underground, instead.

The show was fronted by the popular John Frost (Code, A Year in Portsmouth) and David Fireman (Finder, A Few Tricks). Frost played Trevor Hammersmith, the world-weary, no-nonsense, tough-talking detective inspector, fond of young women and old whisky. Over the course of the show’s run his catchphrase ‘Bung  ‘em in the van, Chris,’ became moderately recognised.

David Fireman played Detective Sergeant Chris Pinner, the all-action, hard-hitting, heart throb. He didn’t have a catchphrase, but show runners at ATV did plan on getting round to making one up, had the show lasted a bit longer.

Glamour was added by WPC Janet Kilburn, played by Sally Wilcox. Kilburn was a dog handler who would often be called upon to sniff out a crucial piece of evidence. Her will-they won’t-they relationship with Sergeant Pinner would have kept audiences on the edge of their seats had they not already turned over to Dullpark.

The final star of the show was Angel, Kilburn’s beloved police dog, played by the Alsatian Nipper. Angel seemed capable of explaining rather complicated bits of plot development just by sitting and rolling over occasionally. Tragedy struck, however, as Angel was run over and killed by Frost’s Jag during an extended lunch break. Viewers saw Angel change from Alsatian to Labrador for some of the final scenes of episode 4, as the production crew were not able to get hold of a replacement Alsatian at such short notice. Charges against Frost were eventually dropped.

The rest of the Underground team were Steve Northolt, Steve Northfields, Steve Northwood, Steve Northwick, played by a variety of actors. They were largely anonymous characters limited to the odd grunt or ‘Right, guv’nor,’ and apart from sitting behind a desk, pretending to type or talking on the phone silently, they usually only turned up for the fight at the end. These 4 roles were played by a total of 27 different actors over the course of the 6 episodes.

Episode 1: Bank
You were only supposed to blow, not suck…

On a routine sniff, Angel and WPC Kilburn come across a discarded balaclava. The name tag shows that the clothing belongs to Albert Croxley, the dim, younger brother of the infamous Croxley brothers armed robbers. Through diligent detective work, and shagging the right bird, DI Hammersmith manages to predict which security van the Croxleys will hit next, and the Underground team all hide in the back of the van, and pour out to surprise the Croxleys, and there’s a big fist fight alongside a canal.

Episode 2: Hatton Cross
You’ve got 24 hours to prove your innocence, Hammersmith, or we’ll all close ranks and get you off, anyway.

The boss of Underground, Sidney Hatton, is very angry to be sent compromising pictures of Hammersmith and Pinner at a ‘sauna,’ and an underworld boss is threatening to blackmail him. It’s a race against time for our detective heroes to prove their innocence. Despite refusing to speak to Pinner, WPC Kilburn and her police dog Angel find a vital bit of evidence that allows Hammersmith and Pinner to get away with it.

Episode 3: Victoria

Unfortunately, to make room in the ATV archives, all copies of this episode have been destroyed, and no one can be found who will admit to watching it.

Episode 4: London Bridge
Underworld boss: You’re 42 points behind and there’s only 37 on the table.
Hammersmith picks up a red from the pocket and puts it on the table, ‘Now there’s 51, sunshine.’

Hammersmith and Pinner pose as underworld snooker hustlers in order to worm their way into the Perivale crime gang’s gambling operations. The two policemen are discovered and imprisoned, but WPC Kilburn and her police dog Angel manage to sniff them out in the nick of time, and summon the rest of the underground team to a big fist fight in a snooker hall.

Episode 5: Old Street
Was that me or you with Susan Griffiths behind the bicycle sheds, mate?
I think it was both of us, mate. Susan Griffiths wasn’t there, though.

DS Chris Pinner goes back to his old stomping ground after he hears that his best friend from school is falling into bad company, and has joined a local underworld gang. Pinner is forced to choose between his friend and upholding the law. Luckily, WPC Kilburn and her police dog Angel manage to sniff out a vital piece of evidence in the nick of time, and there’s a big fist fight on a boat.

Episode 6: Seven Sisters
Is that a six or a nine?

Top crime boss Harry Snaresbrook has died and left all his ill-gotten gains in a private bank account. He has had part of the bank account number tattooed on a post-watershed part of each of his seven daughters. Hammersmith and Pinner are in a race against time to locate all the numbers. Meanwhile WPC Kilburn and her police dog Angel manage to sniff out a vital piece of evidence that means they don’t have to bother. And there’s a big fist fight in a warehouse.