Rating: 
Summary: Complex characters; superb acting; like reading a good novel
Review: The Sandbaggers was written by Ian Mackintosh, a man who wished to debunk the James Bond mythology and portray Cold War era espionage as it really was. The series was made in the late 1970s, and three short seasons were produced - this boxed set includes the first six of the seven episodes that comprise the first season. Roy Marsden is superb as Neil Burnside - Director of Operations for the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS, also known as MI6). He is in command of a three-man section of special agents, nicknamed the Sandbaggers, who undertake politically sensitive and hazardous missions outside the UK. The world of spies is shown to be prone to budget cuts and political interference, and internal office politics affect the outcome of missions as much as (if not more than) international politics. The entire cast is exceptional, rising to the task of breathing life to excellent, witty, and complex scripts which really demand that the viewers pay attention (repeated viewings also yield new understanding and new surprises). The characters are multi-layered and grow with each episode - no one in this series is all good or all bad; they each have their strengths and their failings, and it is a joy (and sometimes heartbreaking) to accompany them on their journey. PBS airs the show occasionally, and this boxed set is a good introduction to a wonderful and unique British television experience.
Rating:
Summary: Still Champ
Review: Two ways to guess Sandbaggers' age, or mine. One: it is the last series in my experience that features telephone cords. No cellulars, no wrist radios; indeed none of that high-tech gadgetry that figures to prominently in another spy series best left unnamed. Two: this is the last series for which my wife and I used to leave parties early. That is to say, the last before we got a VCR, and what a delight it is to find that this best of all TV dramas has moved on to videotape, and now to DVD.When I say best, I mean it. I'm picky about my TV. I do like a few of the big intricate series numbers: Hill Street Blues, and then Northern Exposure and then -- well actually, then not a lot until the Sopranos. Sandbaggers is the only one that I willingly go back and re-watch again and again (for the Sopranos, we'll have to wait and see). For diehards, there is a serviceable fan site (maybe the only one I've ever checked in on): see www.opsroom.org. A recent post by (producer) Ian Mackintosh's brother recalls how the series ended abruptly with Macintosh's disappearance in a small plane over Alaska -- and raises the possibility that it might have been more than just a simple misfortune.
Rating:
Summary: Still Champ
Review: Two ways to guess Sandbaggers' age, or mine. One: it is the last series in my experience that features telephone cords. No cellulars, no wrist radios; indeed none of that high-tech gadgetry that figures to prominently in another spy series best left unnamed. Two: this is the last series for which my wife and I used to leave parties early. That is to say, the last before we got a VCR, and what a delight it is to find that this best of all TV dramas has moved on to videotape, and now to DVD. When I say best, I mean it. I'm picky about my TV. I do like a few of the big intricate series numbers: Hill Street Blues, and then Northern Exposure and then -- well actually, then not a lot until the Sopranos. Sandbaggers is the only one that I willingly go back and re-watch again and again (for the Sopranos, we'll have to wait and see). For diehards, there is a serviceable fan site (maybe the only one I've ever checked in on): see www.opsroom.org. A recent post by (producer) Ian Mackintosh's brother recalls how the series ended abruptly with Macintosh's disappearance in a small plane over Alaska -- and raises the possibility that it might have been more than just a simple misfortune.
Rating:
Summary: Finally on DVD! The best TV show ever!
Review: You can't imagine how excited I was to hear that "The Sandbaggers" was gloriously released on DVD! I hope that now this program will receive the long-awaited praise and recognition it richly deserves. Rarely do we see a TV show that recognizes that there are intelligent people out in the audience. "The Sandbaggers" did just that, with excellent writing, excellent acting (Roy Marsden is brilliant!), and excellent direction. I first came across "The Sandbaggers" when I was in junior high in the early 90's (I'm now 23). I absolutely loved staying up late at night to watch the PBS Mystery programs on Fridays. Back then, I'm sure most of the dialogue and plot went over my head, but I still enjoyed the show. An exceptional show such as this might tempt people to do a remake of the series, but let's stop that thought right there. This program's a classic. Let's not tamper with greatness. Due to the poor quality of the original material, the sound slightly fades in and out throughout the DVD series, but don't let that stop you from buying this gem.
Rating:
Summary: Finally on DVD! The best TV show ever!
Review: You can't imagine how excited I was to hear that "The Sandbaggers" was gloriously released on DVD! I hope that now this program will receive the long-awaited praise and recognition it richly deserves. Rarely do we see a TV show that recognizes that there are intelligent people out in the audience. "The Sandbaggers" did just that, with excellent writing, excellent acting (Roy Marsden is brilliant!), and excellent direction. I first came across "The Sandbaggers" when I was in junior high in the early 90's (I'm now 23). I absolutely loved staying up late at night to watch the PBS Mystery programs on Fridays. Back then, I'm sure most of the dialogue and plot went over my head, but I still enjoyed the show. An exceptional show such as this might tempt people to do a remake of the series, but let's stop that thought right there. This program's a classic. Let's not tamper with greatness. Due to the poor quality of the original material, the sound slightly fades in and out throughout the DVD series, but don't let that stop you from buying this gem.
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