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Man from UNCLE Season 4 DVD Review
May. 13th, 2008 10:31 pmMan from U.N.C.L.E. Season 4 DVD Review
Stats:
Season Four, 1967-1968, 16 1-hour episodes, running time 50 minutes, color
Season Four of U.N.C.L.E. is known for it's more serious tone -- and boy, is it! "The shift in tone under new producer Anthony Spinner was abrupt -- from a silly kid-friendly series to a much darker, adult-oriented adventure show that clearly belonged in a later time slot. The season opened with three especially grim episodes: "The Summit Five Affair", in which Solo is accused of being a double agent on the eve of a high-level meeting of U.N.C.L.E.'s top executives; "The Test Tube Killer Affair," about Thrush-created superhuman ... being chased from Mexico to Greece; and "The 'J' for Judas Affair" one of the few U.N.C.L.E. episodes to acknowledge the military-industrial complex that was of growing concern to American youth as the Vietnam War became increasingly unpopular." (Jon Burlingame, introductory liner notes to Season 4, included with the season set). Burlingame is right, tho' he doesn't quite hit all the details. In "Summit Five" Napoleon's in Berlin (at UNCLE's HQ there) when it's attacked -- it becomes obvious that one of three people who were there during the attack is a double agent. Napoleon is then TORTURED (at one point, Illya coldly looks on while the Berlin chief of Operations tries to break Solo) by UNCLE to confess he's a double agent, in the pay of Thrush. Solo then breaks, crying out that he wants to see Illya. He's put in a cell with audio survailence, but no video; and at this point we find out Solo's "confession" is an act (as was Illya's coordination of the torture), and it's the Berlin chief of ops who's under suspicion. The plot takes a few more nicely played twists and turns, which I won't spoil. But still-- Solo tortured by UNCLE??? Now, that's grim. Similarly, Thrush's plan to create unfeeling supermen in "The Test Tube Killer Affair" touches on Nazi-style Eugenics, and is as Burlingame mentioned quite dark. Then there's "The 'J' is for Judas Affair" a confusing tale (sorry) of a rich miltary-industrial magnet and his estranged sons. The story includes one son killing the father to get the family business, and ultimate fraticide between the two competing sons. Illya and Napoleon, while trying to figure out the mess, end-up looking on in horror. (The last shot of the episode, rather than a light scene between the two agents or between the agents and Waverly is a close-up of the babe du jour/Thrush badette dead in a car crash).
Other season 4 episodes have similar moments of darkness -- in "The Thrush Roulette Affair" -- Illya is temporarily brainwashed into killing Napoleon. In "The Guinas Affair", while under deep cover, Illya tortures and "kills" Napoleon (much to the horror of babe-of-the-week Judy Carne). In "The Maze Affair" (an episode oddly framed from a Thrush pov), Illya witnesses and reports to Waverly, "Napoleon Solo is dead, sir." When Waverly questions this, Illya adds, "I saw it myself, sir." 'Course Solo *isn't* dead, and he's pitted against time to stop Illya from carrying a supposed Thrush distinigrater gun (really a b*mb) into UNCLE HQ. "Deadly Quest Affair", or UNCLE does "The Most Dangerous Game" has Darren McGavin as the bad guy -- chasing Napoleon with intent to kill, while Napoleon tries to find Illya who's been kidnapped and McGavin's character threatens to kill.
So -- dark stuff indeed. And it's interesting to speculate what would have happened if UNCLE had remained on the air just a tad longer, especially following the darker format. But, alas, the show was cancelled mid-season (thus only 16 episodes were made).
Overall, tho' I like all of UNCLE, I must say, I really like the first and last (#4) seasons. But, season 2 has it's moments, and even in the "dreaded" third season -- there's a few good eps, and good moments. Overall, it's a brilliant series -- tightly written, clever, intelligent yet fun (most of the time), and starring two really good and really cute young actors -- Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. The show also had a brilliant number of incredible guest stars, something highlighted in the special features (each season set includes a featurette on UNCLE VIPs or famous guest stars). The show also made great use of the MGM backlots and various left-over sets from various MGM movies. (Which was something I found that actually kinda' dates the show and adds to the "cheese" factor sometimes associated with UNCLE in more general TV histories/info. books.) On the one hand -- lavish sets left over from various MGM movies allowed UNCLE to do plots and have a look it wouldn't have had otherwise. On the other, tho', constantly being on the lots gave the show a slightly "stagey" look -- and it never had the immediacy of NBC's other spy series, I Spy, which filmed abroad with the help of NBC News. But considering how depressing I Spy got, UNCLE's considerably more fun!
Overall, I highly, highly recommend the show -- but for watching and to keep in one's DVD library.
General series review (e.g. packaging, special features, etc.) to come.
Oh-- and a personal note, I finally, finally got good news from my boss and I have my teaching schedule for the June term -- three classes, one of IT109 -- the Windows XP class I've taught twice now, and two sections of Database Development, a class I really want to teach.
Signing off,
--Olivia Sutton
Season Four, 1967-1968, 16 1-hour episodes, running time 50 minutes, color
Season Four of U.N.C.L.E. is known for it's more serious tone -- and boy, is it! "The shift in tone under new producer Anthony Spinner was abrupt -- from a silly kid-friendly series to a much darker, adult-oriented adventure show that clearly belonged in a later time slot. The season opened with three especially grim episodes: "The Summit Five Affair", in which Solo is accused of being a double agent on the eve of a high-level meeting of U.N.C.L.E.'s top executives; "The Test Tube Killer Affair," about Thrush-created superhuman ... being chased from Mexico to Greece; and "The 'J' for Judas Affair" one of the few U.N.C.L.E. episodes to acknowledge the military-industrial complex that was of growing concern to American youth as the Vietnam War became increasingly unpopular." (Jon Burlingame, introductory liner notes to Season 4, included with the season set). Burlingame is right, tho' he doesn't quite hit all the details. In "Summit Five" Napoleon's in Berlin (at UNCLE's HQ there) when it's attacked -- it becomes obvious that one of three people who were there during the attack is a double agent. Napoleon is then TORTURED (at one point, Illya coldly looks on while the Berlin chief of Operations tries to break Solo) by UNCLE to confess he's a double agent, in the pay of Thrush. Solo then breaks, crying out that he wants to see Illya. He's put in a cell with audio survailence, but no video; and at this point we find out Solo's "confession" is an act (as was Illya's coordination of the torture), and it's the Berlin chief of ops who's under suspicion. The plot takes a few more nicely played twists and turns, which I won't spoil. But still-- Solo tortured by UNCLE??? Now, that's grim. Similarly, Thrush's plan to create unfeeling supermen in "The Test Tube Killer Affair" touches on Nazi-style Eugenics, and is as Burlingame mentioned quite dark. Then there's "The 'J' is for Judas Affair" a confusing tale (sorry) of a rich miltary-industrial magnet and his estranged sons. The story includes one son killing the father to get the family business, and ultimate fraticide between the two competing sons. Illya and Napoleon, while trying to figure out the mess, end-up looking on in horror. (The last shot of the episode, rather than a light scene between the two agents or between the agents and Waverly is a close-up of the babe du jour/Thrush badette dead in a car crash).
Other season 4 episodes have similar moments of darkness -- in "The Thrush Roulette Affair" -- Illya is temporarily brainwashed into killing Napoleon. In "The Guinas Affair", while under deep cover, Illya tortures and "kills" Napoleon (much to the horror of babe-of-the-week Judy Carne). In "The Maze Affair" (an episode oddly framed from a Thrush pov), Illya witnesses and reports to Waverly, "Napoleon Solo is dead, sir." When Waverly questions this, Illya adds, "I saw it myself, sir." 'Course Solo *isn't* dead, and he's pitted against time to stop Illya from carrying a supposed Thrush distinigrater gun (really a b*mb) into UNCLE HQ. "Deadly Quest Affair", or UNCLE does "The Most Dangerous Game" has Darren McGavin as the bad guy -- chasing Napoleon with intent to kill, while Napoleon tries to find Illya who's been kidnapped and McGavin's character threatens to kill.
So -- dark stuff indeed. And it's interesting to speculate what would have happened if UNCLE had remained on the air just a tad longer, especially following the darker format. But, alas, the show was cancelled mid-season (thus only 16 episodes were made).
Overall, tho' I like all of UNCLE, I must say, I really like the first and last (#4) seasons. But, season 2 has it's moments, and even in the "dreaded" third season -- there's a few good eps, and good moments. Overall, it's a brilliant series -- tightly written, clever, intelligent yet fun (most of the time), and starring two really good and really cute young actors -- Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. The show also had a brilliant number of incredible guest stars, something highlighted in the special features (each season set includes a featurette on UNCLE VIPs or famous guest stars). The show also made great use of the MGM backlots and various left-over sets from various MGM movies. (Which was something I found that actually kinda' dates the show and adds to the "cheese" factor sometimes associated with UNCLE in more general TV histories/info. books.) On the one hand -- lavish sets left over from various MGM movies allowed UNCLE to do plots and have a look it wouldn't have had otherwise. On the other, tho', constantly being on the lots gave the show a slightly "stagey" look -- and it never had the immediacy of NBC's other spy series, I Spy, which filmed abroad with the help of NBC News. But considering how depressing I Spy got, UNCLE's considerably more fun!
Overall, I highly, highly recommend the show -- but for watching and to keep in one's DVD library.
General series review (e.g. packaging, special features, etc.) to come.
Oh-- and a personal note, I finally, finally got good news from my boss and I have my teaching schedule for the June term -- three classes, one of IT109 -- the Windows XP class I've taught twice now, and two sections of Database Development, a class I really want to teach.
Signing off,
--Olivia Sutton
