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I am a retired American, and so I go all the way back to the beginning of American television, in other words, Milton Berle and Gorgeous George. You can always tell the mark of the genius when you see a Frank Lloyd Wright house, the camera work of Orson Welles, or the direction of John Drake, Secret Agent. Whether the subject is black and white television or, later on, color television; John Drake, Secret Agent, yes, in black and white, was the best television series ever made.
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Great entertainment! And, a great recruiting tool for the period. But, realistic... Well first off, the intimate world of this Secret Agent's organization is contrary to the large stations of the period run by both sides.
Even a NOC like Ricky Ta, my favorite character, wouldn't work so independently. His world is more like someone from the 30's or 40's adapting the stage to the 60's.
But rarely do case officers carry weapons. They operate on their wits as does this Secret Agent. So give him a point for authenticity.
However, as a person, his driving idealism dulled but wanting to endure, is much closer to the case officer of the period.
So, let's say Secret Agent or Danger Man is realistic enough to give a taste of intelligence officers in that period.
Still great entertainment for substance and for craft. The dramatic substance from the minds of writers and the craft of the Actors.
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This is a most excellent collection of the secret agent genre for '60's British television. I grew up enjoying all the secret agent stuff and remembered the tv show (barely) but have had a wonderful time watching the programs unfold with every episode. The late Patrick McGoohan, as agent John Drake, is very clever and passionate in following out orders for the betterment of mankind. As a lead-in for his "Prisoner" series, I am seeing seeds of his classic show nurture and enjoying all the twists for a smart television show. Excellent... a must have for any spy collection.
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Remarkably, this show had entire sequences spoken in foreign languages with no sub-titles. The show is that sophisticated....It really demands a lot from its audience and I, for one, am GRATEFUL for that.
There are sequences in French, Arabic, Greek, and Italian...you either need to understand the languages or figure out what's being said via the context (which is what I did).
I'm thankful that the producers never dumbed the show down for the audience. If the script called for a conversation in a foreign tongue, they shot the scene...just that way! No phony foreign accents and no sub-titles.
I actually don't mind not having the subtitles...more challenging.
To the reviewer whose Dad couldn't undestand the show because of the "heavy foreign accents", look again!
The art direction on this show was first rate...I could never understand how they could afford building brand new sets from week-to-week...sets that would never be used again. They also did quite a bit of location shooting...also surprising (and expensive!). If you like to travel, this is a great way to do it because Drake goes everywhere (the Middle East included).
The action sequences are tough, very physical, and exciting! McGoohan did most (if not all) of his own fighting in the show and he's very, VERY good at it. Lots of judo throws and the like. Hard to believe that the producers let him do so much (although, with his intensity, he probably INSISTED on it).
The other thing I really like are all of the opportunities for romance with exotic, stunningly beautiful women that are routinely passed up by Drake! Refreshing.
There is one episode though (the one with the song "Mia Amore Sta Lontano" in it) where he thinks about it a little. He seems to actually like the girl in this one and has a hard time avoiding getting entangled with her! Great episode.
But they ALL are.
P.S. Very cool hearing the Zombies "She's Not There" in French--when it was a brand new song! Amazing show.
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John Drake, English secret agent, travels around the world defeating the enemies of the Free World, whether they're working for the Communist Chinese, the Soviets or just some out to help themselves. Very well done, and you can see some of the skill that would later go into The Prisoner series. You can certainly see how the character in The Prisoner resembles John Drake as well.
One of the things I liked about Danger Man is how the character is almost like a real intelligence agent. The guy doesn't drive up to a casino in a porsche using his real name, or carries with him a ton of gadgets and weapons guaranteed to finger him if searched. Drake drives around London in an Austin Cooper, only carries a weapon when necessary and uses his brain more often than gadgets to get the job done.
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