"Anarchy, acts of terror, crimes against the public. To combat
it I've got special men - experts from the Army, the Police - from
every service. These are The Professionals."
CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5) is a law enforcement department,
instructed by the Home Secretary to use any means, which deals with
crimes of a serious nature that go beyond the capacity of the
police, but are not tasks for the secret service or military. Led
by the formidable George Cowley CI5 is known for using
unconventional and sometimes illegal methods to beat criminals, or
as Cowley put it "Fight fire with fire!"
Cowley's two best agents are Ray Doyle (Shaw) and William Bodie
(Collins). Doyle is an ex-detective constable who has worked the
seedier parts of London, while Bodie is an ex-paratrooper,
mercenary and SAS sergeant. Of the two, Doyle is the softer,
compassionate and more thoughtful character, while Bodie is
ruthless and more willing to take on criminals on their own
terms.
While polar opposites, Bodie and Doyle have a deep and enduring
friendship, and are almost inseparable. Although their loyalty to
Cowley is beyond question, they have no qualms about disobeying
orders if it means getting the right result, either for the case or
themselves.