Callan

My review is on the colour series as I've not yet watched the first two b&w series, but the fact that they were so popular they led to a successful public campaign not to end the show after Series 2 as originally planned, and long before the days of social media, means they must be good! I can say the next two series were extremely good, equating to one of the highest quality TV dramas I've ever watched.

The best episodes, and there are many excellent ones, are tightly written gems of intrigue that if you missed a minute of you might lose the plot, which turns and twists like a poisonous snake. It's very surprisingly hard hitting for a 50 year old show, it's made for adults and is all the better for it. This is of course a major reason why it's so popular with fans and so highly rated.

The casting and resulting acting is top notch, it made a star of Woodward here, whose star eventually and rightly shone in America, after a long career outside the A List. Callan's scruples and doubts are as enthralling as the Cold War plots of Red Files on Russian agents and his methods of dealing with them, sometimes coldly and ruthlessly, sometimes cleverly, and not strictly to orders.

Another highlight is the relationship he has with his colleagues, all of whom are in a strict hierarchy, one or two of which he dislikes far more than the targets he's asked to do a job on. The favourite for me is Cross who appears in most of the colour series, superbly played by Mower, a very under rated actor, who portrays his seething dislike of being under Callan, because he comes from a higher social class and in Military terms, where most of the agents are picked from, would have been an Officer to Callan's Corporal. Highly recommend others watch the repeats now showing on TV or get hold of the DVDs. IMO the most compelling espionage TV show of them all.

Staggering how the plots are reflected in current international situations now in 21st century. Plus sa change. Edward Woodward superb as is Anthony Valentine as Meres gorgeously and menacing. Taught writing and gutsy dialogue love this. No better spy intelligence drama does not date at all. Get the DVD you won't be disappointed.

I think I managed to see the entire series bar a couple of episodes and the story lines were always excellent. Great casting throughout. Alas, I realize how old I have become now when I see how Anthony Valentine has aged - have just watched a 2005 episode of the BBCs "New Tricks" this evening, in which he featured. Sadly don't seem to have seen Edward Woodward in many productions during the years since "Callan".

I only ever saw the "Callan" episodes in black and white - colour TV didn't reach New Zealand until several years after it was available in the USA and Europe, and we couldn't afford a colour set until 1982 - but I wonder whether viewing it in black and white added more gritty realism to the plots, and perhaps if I watched it now remastered in colour, would I find it slightly disappointing? I haven't noticed it around on DVD but if I do, don't think I'll be tempted to buy, as I prefer to remember it still with great enjoyment.

The other reviews will tell you that this is one of the best TV series ever, much under-appreciated, and worth your time. They are mainly right, with a few exceptions. First the genesis of the series is odd. Callan was originally a successful novel (younger readers, this would be in the days of paper and ink, not portable devices) and a solid action-thriller. The original Callan, as written, did indeed have a conscience but always preferred a quick and reliable solution (guns and bullets) to soul-searching. When the author, Mitchell, was approached to turn the story into a TV series, he did something very unusual. Where other authors will usually blame someone else for interfering with their work, Mitchell re-imagined Callan entirely on his own initiative, turning a man of action into man of conflict. With hindsight it was a brilliant decision. While we may never know what the British public would have thought of Callan as originally conceived (remember that TV violence was very stylized at the time, look at the Avengers, or Batman in the US) they simply fell in love with the re-imagined Callan as a soul-searching and reluctant spy. The show was #1 for several years and ultimately a much pudgier Woodward shuffled off to America to attempt to re-create the Callan persona for US tastes. With mixed success.

I as addicted to this series when it was first shown. Seeing it again in recent years confirmed to me just how good it was. Far better than most modern fare.

Callan was a reluctant killer who somehow always ended up doing what he knew was right but also what was morally grubby. The other characters were all superb and strongly drawn in their own right. Hunter, the leader of the section, Lonely the criminal low life friend, Toby the upper class psychotic who ends up his friend. The only drawback is the lack of strong women characters, apart from a few occasional guests.

This was a spy drama that made you think, that made you question your own side.

Modern writers could well learn from this series.