Rating: 
Summary: Still the Best TV Series Ever Made
Review: OK, go ahead, tell me I'm wrong, but point out a better series. No cheap thrills through pyrotechnics, smut and inuendo. Just solid writing, good story lines, excellent and real character development. John Drake was THE man of the 60's. I would hold up Saturday night dates until Secret Agent was over - never regretted it.Colorize this series and run it on Fox and they would have another hit. Sure it's dated and the sets are pretty retro, but the style is fast-paced and the creators didn't waste time trying to save the world, just making one case at a time. I always regretted that this series did not last longer. Is it too much to ask for someone to wise up and bring it back? Not nostalgia, just sick of current TV fare. This is what TV should be.
Rating: 
Summary: Good "old fashioned" espionage...
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: Good "old fashioned" espionage...
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: A must for Prisoner fans
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Best
Review: The Dangerman series(the 30 min.series)and the Secret Agent series (60 min. each) were and still remain the best of the espionage (films and TV) series ever made (to my knowledge, anyway). I thought that present day viewers would never be able to appreciate these videos, because for some strange reason they have not been rerun for years in the US. And then when Columbia Video got a hold on them they were buried away in their vaults to be forever forgotten. Well, all I can say is hooray for A&E (the reissuing company)! And let's hope that they will also reissue the rest of the series (some 40+ altogether, as I remember) and the 30 min Dangerman videos as well.
Rating:
Summary: Quite simply, the best television series ever made
Review: This is, quite simply, the best television series ever made. The quality of the drama is astounding. Drake relies on his wits, and not on the rather silly electronic adjuncts to the life of a spy in modern series. There is no sex, little violence and almost no blood, and there are no real special effects. The series is a remarkable exercise in good writing, filming, and acting, all the more unique in today's world where special effects, sex and gore substitute for quality. I finally persuaded my teenagers to try watching several of the episodes (they are reluctant to watch anything in black and white), and to their surprise they were absolutely riveted, as riveted as I was when I first saw the series as a teenager in the 1960's when it ran at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays on a New York station (I forget which). Get the DVDs and not the VHS tapes. "No Marks for Servility," which is part of the DVD release, is the best episode of this fabulous series, with "Fair Exchange" a close second. The quality of the DVDs themselves is likewise remarkable. Years ago, PBS ran this series in the Philadelphia area, and the only fault I had to find was the sometimes poor quality of the prints. Several of the episodes were also released on VHS years ago, and these tapes had some of the same problems. The DVDs, on the other hand, are excellent in both picture and sound. As I said earlier, the best series ever made.
Rating:
Summary: The best series ever?
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Secret Agent Aka Danger Man Review
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: As good as I remember
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: As good as I remember
Review: 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.
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