Customer Reviews

Secret Agent AKA Danger Man: Set 1

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A child during the era of british cult tv, I was a serious addict. As an adult, most of those shows now seem simply corny. Danger Man/Secret Agent is an exception...it's as good as I remember with nicely choreographed action and fight scenes, lots of attention to detail, intelligent acting, editing and directing, artful background music, and of course McGoohan's unique charisma and wit. No one else ever brought a secret agent character to life as well as McGoohan does in this series. I'm keeping fingers crossed that A&E and Carlton will release the remaining episodes!

Several folks below have complained about the uneven quality of the episodes--and they're right. McGoohan himself has admitted that some are better than others. But when it's good, boy does it put other shows of the same ilk to shame. And even when it's not terribly good, it's always stylish, with a charmingly retro, nostalgic feel.

And if you really, truly want to know why Number Six resigned, watch "Yesterday's Enemies," contained in Set 1.

... I'm the proud owner of set1 of this video which keeps
me glued to the telly whenever the video is played.The theme
music is thrilling and sets the pace for a fast paced episode.
Patrick Mcgoohan aptly fits into the title role.I could only wish
that the full 48 episodes are published and the danger man fans
have a larger collection to play over and over rather than risking damage to their cherished single set.

When I first heard the theme it immediately brought back memories of watching this the first time as a relatively young child. I refer to the original theme of Danger Man - I saw these in the UK - not the truly terrible "Secret Agent Man" song that is given as a "bonus".

I was concerned that they would not stand the test of time but was pleasantly surpised. A little dated in places, they still show what good plots and great acting can produce with an obviously limited budget. They do require a certain amount of attention and mental effort by the viewer but I think that's a plus not a negative. The fact that my college age kids watch them and think they are pretty good is a tribute to their quality.

These truly represent a time when British commercial televsion was producing top quality programs. Highly recommended.

Despite the superfluity of attention lavished on THE PRISONER, you get much the best of John Drake and Patrick McGoohan in the original series, DANGER MAN (shown in the US as SECRET AGENT). Originally written as a spy for NATO, Drake eventually became a British agent in the Bond tradition, but with a decidedly sardonic working-class flavor that meshed neatly with McGoohan's Brooklyn upbringing.

There is something for everyone in the one-hour SECRET AGENT teleplays. The writing and character-acting (featuring the cream of the British TV troupe of the time) are superb, so that your intellect is diverted regardless of the subject matter. Although the location budget was limited, the producers managed to convey a genuinely exotic flavor week after week in luminous black-and-white. Noticeable wisps of LA DOLCE VITA suffuse the wardrobe and coiffure of these swinging-60's episodes. The music is exquisite, often using a single harpsichord or spare brass and drums to convey a wide range of moods. And has been noted, Drake takes on assignment after assignment using his own brains and a certain amount of brawn, often under his own name, and often in the face of local (including British) authorities. Towards the end of the series, when McGoohan's celebrity value had maxed and the limitations of the DANGER MAN formula were evident, a remarkably freewheeling style emerged, one that made THE PRISONER a logical next step or perhaps a reaction.

I have watched these shows for years with fierce affection. To develop a taste for DANGER MAN is to partake of some of the very best British TV of the 20th century. Their release on DVD is an occasion of great joy, and I intend to collect everything issued.

My wife and I are major fans of The Prisoner, owning every episode and having watched them multiple times. I also grew up in the era of Secret Agent and remembered it fondly. Alas, it really hasn't worn too well. By and large, the plots are convoluted and difficult to follow. Not especially clever, mind you, but simply convoluted and difficult to follow. You're definitely required to "suspend disbelief" because some of them have holes in the logic that you could drive a Lotus Seven through. I wouldn't describe these as "unenjoyable" because McGoohan is always a pleasure to watch, but they are primarily of historical interest. You'll be disappointed if you're expecting something as slick or clever as, say, Perry Mason. (They will also remind you how much smoking there used to be on television -- literally everyone in these episodes smokes, which is mildly distracting.) In any event, if you don't already own The Prisoner, spend you're money on it and decide whether you're a major McGoohan fan before purchasing these.

For those who were in their teens in the sixties, this set is just like bringing the old memories back.This series was aired by Pakistan Television in the late sixties alongwith hit series like 'The Fugitive','The Man From U.N.C.L.E','Mission Impossible'etc On the particular evening when 'Danger Man' was aired, the town bore a deserted look.Notes were exchanged about the episode the next morning among the viewers.Only if all the episodes of this series are released, will do justice to the old, faithful fans of 'Secret Agent aka Danger Man'

Set in the mid-sixties when "cold war" activity was intense, "Danger Man" presents a "street level" view of espionage. Here there are no grandiose plots by megalomaniacs out to rule the world. No wild gun battles, secret underground hideouts or pyrotechnic explosions. Down in the trenches, the action is less spectacular and the objectives are far less ambitious.

Patrick McGoohan as British agent John Drake, is strictly business. Serious, competent and efficient. A tightly wound man, without much of a sense of humor, and underneath perhaps a very nasty temper. McGoohan's short, and clipped manner of speaking adds to the impression of an impatient man with a short fuse. Fortunately he always finds street parking when reporting for duty at "World Travel".

"Danger Man" is decidedly "low tech". John Drake does not employ any cutting edge, James Bond type gadgets, relying instead on his wits to survive. No computers, or tricked out vehicles here. The most "advanced" device used, is closed circuit television. Messages are passed in matchboxes and folded newspapers. Flashing back on an obsolete technology, how about the microdot?

"Danger Man" features well developed plots, rather than excessive violence or gunplay, and the body count is low. In the six episodes, the total number killed personally by Drake is exactly "00". Don't be dissuaded by this, there is still plenty of tension and suspense even without the dramatic fireworks. The change is refreshing.

Regarding this first "Danger Man" collection, the quality of the episodes steadily improves. Volume 1 opens with "The Battle of Cameras", probably the weakest offering in the collection. McGoohan is not quite convincing, in the role of a suave playboy on the Rivera. He's no Roger Moore. This episode features the closest thing to a stereotypical "cartoon villain". The second episode, "A Room With A View" is a little better. With the somewhat over dramatic plot revolving around Drake's efforts to free a captured friend held prisoner in a foreign embassy. Things start to improve with "Fair Exchange", an episode featuring a delusional former agent bent on killing the man who tortured her. He just happens to be an official in East Germany. Drake must stop her.

Moving to Volume 2, we find three winners. In "Fish On The Hook", Drake searches for the mysterious "Fish", the head of an espionage cell in Egypt, who is in danger of being exposed. This episode features Zena Marshall who appeared in "Dr. No". Drake plays a butler in "No Marks for Servility". Mervyn Johns is truly obnoxious as Drake's unscrupulous employer. Here we can plainly see Drake's restrained anger spotlighted. "Yesterday's Enemies" is a fitting finale, the conclusion catches even Drake by surprise, and causes him to question the very authority he serves. The spy game does have some harsh rules. Drake barely avoids having his eye used as an ashtray.

Composer Edwin Astley's use of music for "Danger Man" is very reminiscent of his work on another series, "The Saint". Though the instances where music used is somewhat reduced, the style is similar, and effective. The "Danger Man" theme is quite energetic and engaging, and the sound of the harpsichord appears with regularity throughout the episodes. As a bonus, the opening clip of the American incarnation featuring the song "Secret Agent Man" by Johnny Rivers, is included.

All in all a very well rounded opening collection. Hopefully the first of many to come. "Danger Man" is certainly dated, but if you want a more realistic, somewhat "gritty" taste of espionage set in those times, this set is highly recommended. John Drake may not leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, but he gets the job done. Like A & E's previous collections for "The Saint" and the "The Avengers" there isn't much in the way of bonus materials. This is disappointing, but hardly unexpected at this point.

Get this set!

I watched this show when it first appeared. I was fifteen years old , and I thought it the best series I'd ever seen. Well the threat of godless communism has faded, but watching Secret Agent again after 35 years, I still think it the best series ever. A crafty, intelligent, modest, well-spoken, highly educated hero, who uses brains rather than weapons to solve complex problems. Closer to Le Carre than Ian Fleming in tone, the show doesn't need to use sex and childish plot devices to keep the stories moving. If you like The Prisoner, catch No. 6 as John Drake in his native milieu, international intrigue, fighting for the free world. Boy, we could use him today.

This set of videos was very engaging, and very worthwile. It was well worth the price. Our whole family enjoyed watching. If more "Secret Agent" becomes available in the US, I would be very interested.