Drake goes to Vienna, 25 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: Drake heads to Vienna to stop a leak of top secret government information.
After a couple of below average episodes (they're good, just not up to the usual Danger Man standard), The Key is a winner. The episode features some plot twists and turns that had me (incorrectly) guessing until the very end. There is a small moment at the beginning in the back of a limo that put me on the wrong track. Nice! I don't know if they meant it that way or not, but they tricked me.
While the plots and stories are good in these Danger Man episodes, it's often the cast that makes or breaks it. In this case, the supporting cast is good. James Bond fans will immediately recognize a very young, dark-haired Charles Gray. I believe he's supposed to be Hungarian, so while his accent may not work, he is especially creepy. Also, I was most impressed with Robert Flemyng. For whatever reason, he reminded me of a poor man's (not as flamboyant) Clifton Webb. He gives an outstanding performance.
This one gets a very strong 8/10.
8/10
Another below average episode, 24 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: Drake is sent to the nation of San Pablo to investigate the reported suicide of a U.S. Treasury agent.
As with The Sanctuary, An Affair of State is just good, not great. The problem here is the predictability of the plot. Once the vault filled with gold is mentioned, it's not hard to tell where things are headed. Most of the really good Danger Man episodes have a twist or two to throw you off. That's not the case here.
While not the best episode, there were still moments I really enjoyed. First, Drake's cat and mouse with the head of the San Pablo police was well done. Second, the supporting cast was good. I always enjoy seeing John Le Mesurier. And, third, this is probably the first episode where Drake actually seems to care about someone. The final scene at the airport is very un-Drake like. It's an interesting touch.
Overall, this one gets a 6/10.
6/10
Not as good as most of the other episodes, 24 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: Drake takes the place of an Irish rebel upon release from prison whom the government feels is being recruited by a terrorist organization.
The Sanctuary is just good, not great. The problem I had with it was the lack of believability in the finale. As is often the case, Drake gets himself into a jam. Are we supposed to go along with the notion that a woman whom Drake has just met decides to help him out of his predicament rather than siding with her husband? I didn't buy it. It felt a bit too contrived and convenient for my liking.
Despite this issue I have with The Sanctuary, fans will certainly find something to enjoy. One particularly good moment filled with tension involves Drake's meeting an old friend of the rebel he's impersonating. Drake's handling of the situation and plan to get out of it are very entertaining.
I'll give this one a 6/10.
6/10
McGoohan really impresses in this one, 23 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: When the daughter of a wheelchair-bound industrialist with government secrets is kidnapped, Drake is called in to get her back.
What started out has a ho-hum kidnapping turns into an incredible episode thanks to McGoohan. He gives his best performance so far in the series. In The Lonely Chair, he is afforded the opportunity to really chew the scenery - and he does it quite well. He's really a lot of fun in this one. He's joined by another nice cast featuring Sam Wanamaker and the always delightful Hazel Court. I get a real kick out of some of the actors who appear in each episode.
One thing I especially enjoyed is the humor in The Lonely Chair. Most of the other episodes have been played so seriously, this was a nice change of pace.
An 8/10 from me.
8/10
An interesting cast, 22 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: After a friend's daughter gets hooked on heroin, Drake agrees to go to a foreign country selling opium directly to drug dealers to put a stop to their activities.
Another great episode. This one's really got a lot going for it, beginning with a fantastic cast. In addition to McGoohan, Position of Trust features Donald Pleasence as an English ex-pat named Captain Aldrich that Drake uses to gain information. And when I say "uses", I mean Drake employs some real questionable methods to trick Aldrich into violating his conscience to divulge secrets. The scenes with McGoohan and Pleasence together are a highlight of the series so far. Also featured in the cast is Lois Maxwell of James Bond fame. She also gives a solid performance.
Other things to like about this episode include: Aldrich's reaction to losing at the gambling table, Drake's elaborate plane to trick Aldrich, and Drake's elaborate plane to trick the corrupt government officials. The trick with the camera was very nicely pulled off.
A rock solid 8/10 from me.
8/10
Another solid effort, 21 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: Discover how a young woman wandering the countryside with amnesia has secret information about a second plot to assassinate the president of the friendly country.
These Danger Man episodes are like crack - the more I see the more I want to see. This one is another real winner. While the amnesia plot device may, at first, seem tired, The Girl in Pink Pajamas doesn't drag it out and allow it to overstay its welcome. There is the some real suspense in this episode with Drake playing a bluff hoping for the desired outcome. Will the bluff work or not? Drake also gets one of his better chances to show his fighting skills as he takes on three baddies at once without a gun (Drake doesn't have a gun, the baddies do). My only complaint is that there are so many characters and so much going on, I would have liked a longer runtime than the 25 minutes Danger Man allowed for. It's not that things are too rushed, I would have just preferred to see things drawn out more to add to the enjoyment.
A solid 8/10 from me.
8/10
Nice Ending, 20 September 2014
John Drake's Mission: Stop an assassination attempt on a the Bavarian President during his visit to London.
If I were to put the Danger Man episodes in order of preference so far, this would be my second favorite. I would rank it higher, but I feel a bit too much time was spent on Drake's conversation with a bomb maker. Highlights include: an unexpected murder, good supporting cast (especially Maxine Audley), and a really dramatic conclusion. Like Drake, I thought I knew how things would turn out, but the ending could have gone either way. Very nicely done.
Finally, it was a treat to see Michael Ripper in this episode. I've seen him in dozens of Hammer films and his presence is always welcome.
8/10
