The Professionals is a British crime series which details the exploits of the CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), a fictional law enforcement agency.

The show is broadcast by the ITV on its flagship channel, ITV4 and can be viewed online via   Youriplayer.co.uk.

The CI5 was created to combat crime which was beyond the capacities of the British Police but not within the remit of the armed forces.
It is headed by George Cowley (Gordon Jackson), who is a firm believer in ‘fighting fire with fire’.
Its top agents, who are also the show’s main protagonists,   are Ray Doyle (Martin Shaw), a former SAS sergeant and William Bodie (Lewis Collins) a hard edged ex-detective constable.  Both men are close friends and share an unwavering loyalty to their commander and the ideals of the agency which include a willingness to achieve results by any means.
 
Relying on each other and the directives of their commander, the two men bring criminals to justice and neutralize terrorist plots.

Broadcast from 1977 to 1983 and aired for a total of 5 seasons, the series was often criticized for the violence contained in its storyline.
In addition, the show also drew criticism from Martin Shaw who played one of its main characters, concerning his character’s lack of depth.

Similar programs: The Sweeney, The Avengers, The New Avengers,  CI5: The New Professionals.
 

Watch all episodes of The Professionals here. The Professionals is a tv-programme of BBC One. You can see all episodes of The Professionals here via Youriplayer.co.uk.