Product: The Sandbaggers Collection Set 2 (1999)
Rating: 4.0
"I'm not loosing another Sandbagger!"
The collected second season of Ian MacKintosh's brilliant, cerebral spy series of the late 70's.Opening exactly one year after the devastating events of "Special Relationship," Neil Burnside (Roy Marsden) is more determined than ever to keep his three-man Special Section - nicknamed THE SANDBAGGERS - alive... literally and figuratively. His record's not too good lately, with three Sandbaggers dead in eighteen months, qualified replacements scare, and departmental shake-ups threatening to cut his funding. More isolated than ever, the last thing Burnside wants is another agent killed in the field.But preventing it will be far more difficult than he expects. High-level kidnappings, hijacked planes and ops behind the Iron Curtain pepper these episodes, but the meat of the series takes place in the dully painted rooms of the SIS itself, where rival agencies clash with each other and good politics is the ultimate survival skill ("Operation Kingmaker" in particular is the epitome of the show's Talk-As-Action approach). Once again Marsden turns in a riveting performance, elevating what at first glance seems like a low-key series into a dynamic, involving experience. As Burnside he does despicable things, abuses subordinates mercilessly and manipulates people shamelessly, and yet always comes across as a good man... one dedicated to a job that requires flexible morals and no scruples.The writing by series creator Ian MacKintosh, himself a former Intelligence officer, is complex but accessible, and full of tart gibes and ripostes, gleefully breaking conventions (Burnside is the first teetotaler spymaster in history, forever drinking Coke) everywhere possible. Even longtime fans occasionally forget how Funny the series can be at times, if you're paying attention.But make no mistake: THE SANDBAGGERS is a dark and gritty ride through a dark and gritty profession and arguably the best, most realistic entry in its genre.As with the first set, each disk begins with a written warning about the picture quality. While not unfounded, the picture is fine for viewing and better than duped tapes from episodes taped off PBS. More likely, you'll find yourself repeatedly rewinding to catch snippets of dialogue too quick or quiet to hear the first time.In addition to the Extras listed above, all very informative and interesting, the Volume 2 set contains all six Season Two episodes;1. At All Costs2. Enough of Ghosts3. Decision by Committee4. A Question of Loyalty5. It Couldn't Happen Here6. Operation Kingmaker