Callan Set 2

Callan is a secret agent, spy, assassin, British SIS, nasty with a tinge of conscious. Edward Woodward playing David Callan, also is known as "The Equalizer" but in this set 2 you get the final 13 episodes (51 min. each) of the Callan series of Cold War intelligence games. It was filmed at the height of the real Cold War, done as realistic as those times, so the espionage experiences were within the 1970's period spy-vs-spy era. The sets are perfection, looking truly like a 1970's period thriller drama because that is exactly when they were made. Stories are timeless and excel without the technology gadgetry necessary for success in contemporary spy films. Classic.

There are some story links between episodes beyond just cast.

Meet the regular cast: Spy Callan of Secret Intelligence Service, like his colleagues, has no trustful friends. Lonely (Russell Hunter who adds some comedy) is an ex-con/always-a-con who likes Callan, smells badly like rotted BO, & is mentally 5 bullets shy of a pistol load. He adores naked lady photos taped to his apt. walls. Toby Meres is a SIS spy returning to the section intending to gain the 'boss' position. James Cross, SIS agent with bad 70's hair, has always wanted Callan's place as top dog and assassination is always an option. Liz March is the office sec-to-die-for if you're stagnated in 1970's London.

File color code awareness will assist the viewer: Red=target for death/priority; Yellow=surveillance; Blue=wrong party; White=out of action. You don't want a British SIS file!

Episode details: (by the way, no Subtitles):
1 That'll Be the Day--Callan is in a Russian prison.
2 Call Me Sir!--No retirement but reassignment (a promotion?) for Callan as 'Charlie' or "Hunter".
3 First Refusal--Lonely becomes a taxi (owned & rigged by SIS) driver. Britain's Eastern Eur. SIS agent names are up for sale. London gets 1st refusal.
4 Rules of the Game--'Hunter' Callan told to harass a Russian spy to force a return. Cross gets the assignment.
5 If He Can, So Could I--Cross muffed his last assignment, but regardless, Callan sends him to protect a Russian poet. Shocking results. This episode offers a full audio/visual commentary with the star, Woodward (Callan).
6 None of Your Business--Callan relieved of "Hunter" role for leaving his office when Cross was shot. Also his passport & taxi privilege are eliminated by Bishop (acting Hunter). Finally a new "Hunter" arrives.
7 Charlie Says It's Goodbye--A potential defector to Poland (Red file) is watched by Callan (again an agent). Callan gets involved with a widow who expresses little favor toward spy agents.
8 I Never Wanted the Job--Lonely witnesses a gangster murder from his taxi. Lonely leads the killers to Callan.
9 The Carrier--Lonely & Callan try their hand in a joint burglary--a needed SIS activity. Lonely, more interested in taking than photographing, creates problems for this espionage in Russian scientific secrets smuggling.
10 The Contract--Callan assumes a killer's ID after failing to intercept the man intent on a dignitary assassination. Will Callan complete the death contract?
11 The Richmond File: Call Me Enemy--Lonely delivers Callan and Richmond (potential Russian defector) to a remote house for the purpose of intelligence debriefing and the name of a section traitor. Richmond is the same Russian prisoner traded to get Callan back from Russia (episode #1). This episode offers another bonus full commentary alternative from Callan.
12 The Richmond File: Do You Recognize the Woman?--Richmond has a Morse base signaling to Russia which can't be found. Callan springs a jailed KGB female spy (who once tried to kill him) as a means of discovery as to Richmond's true purpose.
13 The Richmond File: A Man Like Me--Hunter blocked all avenues out of the country but yet Richmond is illusive. Richmond hides out in the home of a local who was paid years earlier for such an emergency need. A thrilling finale.

Set 2 every bit as thrilling and suspenseful as Set One, now a classic British spy drama. If you liked set 1, you'll love 2. Earlier B&W years of Callan, prior to color Sets 1 & 2 have been lost.
This set contains Lonely's wall nudity photos and much violence--NOT for children.

This is a wonderful boxed set BUT for some time it has been available on the Amazon UK site correctly labelled as Callen Series 4. For some reason, it was decided to market it on the US site as SET 2 which caused me to order it in anticipation of receiving the as yet unissued Callan Series 2. I was appalled to receive a different box but containing the identical product to the set I had already purchased from the UK. I note in passing that the Callan Series 3 which has been sold by Amazon.UK for years is now available in the US as SET 1.
To my mind this isn't good enough from Amazon, particularly with the repackaging which adds to the impression that there is something deliberate being done to cash in on Edward Woodwards recent death. I'm repackaging the Box & returning it to the US and unless I get a refund for my purchase I won't be dealing with them again.

I remember watching this series as a young child. Having grown up during the cold war times, I can connect with this series. Callan was a great show--not so much the set or gadgetry but the acting and atmosphere portrayed at that period in time. Edward Woodward is Callan--his portrayal is riveting (RIP). It's great to now own set 1 (season 3) and set 2 (season 4). I would have liked to have purchased "Callan:The Monochrome Years" (surviving episodes of season 1 and 2) but I need a region-free DVD player which I don't own. For those of you in the same boat, I found a seller on ioffer (seller "yrnamehere") who has copied over the "Monochrome" DVD into the NTSC(US) format plus included the Callan movies. I have watched most of them and I am very pleased with the copies. Now I know how Callan got to be who he is and also what exactly happen before he ended up in the hospital--the episode before Set 1, episode 1 (season 3). Hope it's ok to post this information since Amazon does not sell the DVD in NTSC format. CALLAN LIVES!