Product: The Sandbaggers Collection Set 1
Rating: 4.0
"If you want James Bond, go to a library."
So speaks Neil Burnside (Roy Marsden, "Inspector Dalglish"), the steely D-Ops of THE SANDBAGGERS, a covert three-man team of spies operating at the height of the Cold War. It's an appropriate comment to describe the entire series. Created and Written by former British Intelligence officer Ian MacKintosh, any given episode is more likely to spend time discussing a mission than showing the mission itself... it's several episodes in before a Sandbagger is even armed. Emphasis is on the politics and pressures of a life lived in shadows, trading gunfights and explosions for cracking dialogue and fascinating characters. It's an approach that fans of HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET will more than appreciate. But it's Marsden who carries the series. As Neil Burnside, he is a man whose job has consumed every aspect of his life. He smoothly alternates between tart humor and devious ambition, able to hurl abuse at anyone who irritates him (which is everyone at some point or another) one moment, fight to prevent sending his men on a foolhardy mission behind the Iron Curtain the next, and plan an unsanctioned Assassination the next. Even at his most cold-blooded, Marsden's deft performance never lets us fully hate Burnside... but rather, pity him. It's more than likely you'll never find a more accurate account of the Intelligence community outside a documentary - it's rumored to be a favorite inside the CIA. A Sandbagger may spend most of his time "shuffling paper from in-tray to out-tray," but once in the field on assignment it often proves to be an ugly - and ultimately deadly - job. Gritty and compelling to the end, THE SANDBAGGERS is sophisticated entertainment, not for everyone. But those who invest their time and minds in this oft-forgotten series will not regret it... or forget it. This first set is low on Extras, and even begins with a written warning about the quality of the DVD image. However, it does beat third-generation VHS copies taped off PBS back in the 80's (the "traditional" SANDBAGGERS medium for years), and is more than adequate for the material. The package includes both a glossary of the omnipresent governmental abbreviations which even long-time fans will find useful, and the pivotal seventh episode "Special Relationship," inexplicably left out of the BFS's two VHS collections. The three-disk set includes the first seven episodes; 1. First Principles 2. A Proper Function of Government 3. Is Your Journey Really Necessary? 4. The Most Suitable Person 5. Always Glad to Help 6. A Feasible Solution 7. Special Relationship and Bonus: A Guide to Sandbaggers Abbreviations