The men and women of Section 20 aren’t getting a break this season.
Although they survived a terrorist assault last week, the British embassy in Budpaest was destroyed and the Irish baddies made off with an important tech device that they passed to the Russian group led by Ulyanov (Marcel Iures). In the Sept. 27 episode, which I’m going to call “Jail House Rocked,” Stonebridge (Philip Winchester) and Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) get themselves locked up in Black Bear Prison in Russia in order to track down the device.
In the process, they run into a prisoner with a secret played by another renowned British actor in a guest role.
“We’re working with Peter Guinness right now, for crying out loud,” Winchester told me by phone from Budapest in May. “It’s amazing the people who they get to guest star.
“He’s just in it for two episodes–but again, he’s just wonderful. Wonderful, wonderful.”
Guinness, who has starred in “Coronation Street,” “Doctor Who,” “The Bill” and other British series, appeared last year as Nebuchadnezzar in “The Bible” miniseries. In “Strike Back” he plays a prisoner who helps Stonebridge and Scott with their mission. (See Guinness in the exclusive preview scene below.)
The episode, written by Simon Burke and Ben Newman and directed by Stephen Woolfenden, was filmed in a working prison in Budapest. The production filmed in a wing that the prison uses as a processing center only on Mondays. The actors and crew had to test with a breathalyzer in the morning before entering the prison, Winchester said. “You’re never allowed to take a passport and you have to walk through metal detectors,” he added. “So that’s been very interesting.”
“We’re using their yard for some stuff and right on the other side of the fence are real prisoners,” he added. “They’re watching us and hollaring stuff at us. So, yeah, it’s ‘Strike Back,’ you know?”
Stonebridge’s health continues to deterioate as a result of his exposure to the neurotoxin earlier in the season. Meanwhile, someone is trying to kell Kamali (Zubin Varla), and he suspects Al-Zuhari has discovered his true identity.
The seventh episode of Season 3 of “Strike Back” premieres at 9 p.m. Friday on Cinemax with multiple replays throughout the weekend and next week.
In the video below, Winchester talks during San Diego Comic-Con International in July about how showrunner Michael Bassett approached him with the idea to give Stonebridge a physical disability this season. If you can’t view it, visit my YouTube page.
Winchester interview
Exclusive with Peter Guinness
Episode scene
Episode teaser
Want more? Discuss this article and others on Show Patrol’s Facebook page.
