[cite web | title="Search Episode Guide" | url=http://aa.1asphost.com/CTVA/US/Spy/Search.htm | publisher=Classic TV Archive | accessdate=2006-11-28] The show aired Wednesday nights on NBC at 10 pm ET, from September 1972 to August 1973. It ran for 23 episodes, not including the two-hour pilot film originally titled "Probe". When picked up for series production, the title had to be changed because "Probe" was the name of an existing PBS series.]The show was created by Leslie Stevens ("The Name of the Game", "The Outer Limits"), and produced by Robert Justman ("Star Trek"). The high concept was described as "science fiction in today's world" and the episodes featured many high-tech elements which are considered common in current science fiction shows.
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Premise
The series centered on "World Securities Corporation," an international high-tech private investigation company that employed field operatives -- the elite of whom were aided by implanted audio receivers and who carry "Scanners," tiny video camera/telemetry units which can be attached to tie tacks or other jewelry. The most common method was to wear the Scanner on a ring, enabling it to be discreetly aimed.
Each episode featured one of three primary agents on a particular investigation, which often had political or organized crime elements.
Probe Control
Probe agents reported to V.C.R Cameron Burgess Meredith, the "director" of the investigations, who ran "Probe Control," a center patterned on the NASA Mission Operations Control Center. "Cam" was the leader of the expert team who monitored and provided the agent with intelligence.
On-duty experts included a computer hacker, a translator fluent in several languages, and a doctor.[cite web | title="Search Plot Summary" | url=http://imdb.com/title/tt0068131/plotsummary | publisher=Internet Movie Database (IMDB) | accessdate=2007-03-12] Additional experts might be called in as needed.]Probe hardware
Each field agent is outfitted with a miniature scanner disguised as a piece of jewelry, which can be magnetically attached to special cuff links, tie clips, or pendants. This device continuously monitors the agent's progress, transmitting audio, video, and physical telemetry to Probe Control.. The agent can respond to Probe Control either audibly or by tapping out code with a dental implant, even when they don't have their scanner operating.
Cast
"Search" was featured in the November, 1972 edition of TV Guide, with an illustration of the three actors playing the show's "Probes" on the cover. [Stephen Hofer, ed., "TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide," Braintree, Mass.: BangZoom Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0-9772927-1-1.]
*Hugh O'Brian as Hugh Lockwood (Probe One),
*Tony Franciosa as Nick Bianco (Omega Probe), handling organized crime assignments
*Doug McClure as Christopher Robin "C.R." Grover (Backup Probe)
*Burgess Meredith as V.C.R. "Cam" Cameron
*Angel Tompkins as Gloria Harding
*Byron Chung
*Albert Popwell
*Ginny Golden
*A. Martinez
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Probe Field Agents
*Hugh Lockwood, Probe One - Lead Operative
*Nick Bianco, Head of Omega division, which specializes in organized-crime cases.
*C.R. Grover, Standby Probe - emergency backup agent.
Probe Control staff
* V.C.R. Cameron, Director of Probe Control Unit 1
* Gloria Harding, Senior Technician monitoring pulse, respiration, and temperature
* Albert Griffin, Linguist and Code-breaker; former chief translator at the United Nations
* Kuroda, telemetry and electronics specialist
* Carlos Lobos, technician
* Amy Murdock, Medical Doctor
* Ginny Keach, Data Specialist
The name "V.C.R Cameron" was a "secret" pun -- at the time, the video cassette recorder was an advanced technology which had not yet become widely available.
References
External links
* [http://www.probecontrol.com Probe Control] - website about the TV series.
