Callan (1967–1972) User Reviews

Mitchell re-imagined his own character ... and it worked!

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 7 September 2013]

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.

They don't make spy series like this anymore...

[fmazidafazka · 9/10 · 7 January 2021]

I'm young, just entered my 20s and yet I know they don't make spy series like this anymore. Callan was light but has certain depth on each and every episode. The writing was unique and somehow relatable. It centered not only in storytelling but also character development (which in today's standard is a bit hard to find. At least a good one). I personally think that's what series should do: showing characters development/arcs that movies mostly can't do. And they executed it perfectly when they decided to write Callan.

Woodward was such a phenomenal gem in this one. He pictured Callan so perfectly. His fears, his dislikes, his interests, all was in the right place. It's as if he was born to play Callan. I have absolutely such a delightful time watching him.

Initially I'd give it a 8.5 but alas... But after I think about it again, Callan deserve a spot of 9 on IMDB.

The Spy Who Was Always In The Cold...

[wilsonstuart-32346 · 8/10 · 5 November 2019]

Callan was a series I discovered after being laid up with a heavy cold a couple of years back. Taughtly written, gritty, with an extraordinary air of oppression. David Challan worked for a secretive government department with a grim mission...

All I could say I was hooked.

This was espionage for adults, the perfect antidote to the CGI and exaggerated heroics of Bond and Bourne; Edward Woodward's David Callan - an angry, cynical, insubordinate ex- con/ ex- soldier - could have done them a nasty (and a half) without blinking. Prior to Callan, the closest we had to 'real' spies was Alex Le Mass or Harry Palmer...and like them Challan knew he was in a dirty business.

Good turns too from Russell Hunter, William Squire, Liz Langdon and Patrick Mower (staggers me he made Carry On England at this time!). Harold Wilson said he liked the show too... while I admire his tastes - bearing in mind the climate of the Seventies - I have to ask what was going through his head when he watched it?

Highly recommended.

Very Dark Indeed

[Big Movie Fan · 7 August 2002]

Callan was a very dark series which has never been given the credit it deserved. I'm glad to see the series on DVD here in England because it is a series I would recommend to anyone who wasn't born when it first aired.

A pre-Equalizer Edward Woodward played Callan who was an agent for British Intelligence. He was no James Bond however; Callan's was a dark world where everyone had their own agenda and no-one could be trusted. Things were not black and white; there were plenty of shades of grey. Unlike James Bond, Callan didn't have a posh car, plenty of beautiful women and he didn't get to jet off to sunny locations. Callan hated his job, he had no choice but to work for British Intelligence (watch the first episodes to see why that is). He was a good man deep down and cared about people but he was constantly required to lie and deceive people and cheat. He was given the dirty jobs no-one else wanted and whilst his superior (a man called Hunter, played by various actors)knew that Callan was good at his job, he also didn't care about Callan at all. Callan was a loner.

The premise was very interesting indeed. Callan was reluctantly doing a dirty job and his emotions came into conflict with his job at times. It was fascinating viewing.

Over the years there have been many dark series where you can never be sure who is good and who is bad. In a way, I guess it is indicative of the times we are living in. However, I think it is important to remember that Callan was the benchmark for many of the dark and pessimistic shows we see today and without Callan, many of them would not have arisen.

Superior TV Series

[jacob-45 · 10/10 · 5 June 2006]

I remember watching this as a teenager and thought it was really very good. In retrospect, it still is! Edward Woodward in the series long before The Equaliser (a watered down type of US show) gives a credible performance of Callan. It is reminiscent of The Ipcress File style and all the characters are well crafted. Russel Hunter as Linely the slightly freaky, weird unwilling accomplice with his Taxi as a cover is just superb. went on for four years and spawn a good movie. Spying in those days was a dirty game but one seemed to know who the enemy was most of the time. Today, one has no idea. Would like to see some reruns.

The ultimate Spy drama - unsurpassable!

[alexanderdavies-99382 · 10/10 · 5 July 2017]

"Callan" shall always remain the ultimate Spy drama on British television. Nothing can match the series for character depth, drama, storytelling, tension and suspense. Thankfully, all the existing episodes can be enjoyed once again, thanks to DVD. For the record, 34 episodes exist - including all of the colour ones that ran from 1970 to 1972. The regular cast are a delight. Edward Woodward is the ideal choice to play the main character of a highly skilled but reluctant killer for British Intelligence. The character is someone who has no formal training or qualifications. Killing is the only thing he knows and Callan relies upon that kind of work in order to survive another day. Regarding the character of "Hunter," he is described as being a cold fish who needs to be that way in order to perform his job with efficiency. He is the one who sets up the various jobs for his operatives in "the Section." Where he receives his orders, we never know. There were different actors who played "Hunter." For the first series which was broadcast in 1967, Ronald Radd played the character and is excellent. Then he was unavailable and so Michael Goodliffe replaced him until 1969. He left because he was unhappy with working on the series and wasn't bonding with the cast, apparently. He didn't like appearing in a programme which reminded the actor of his time serving in the Second World War. For the rest of the black and white series, Derek Bond played "Hunter." Anthony Valentine personified evil and sadism as the psychopathic operative Toby Meres. His character was a "public school" background and was from a privileged family. He had no conscience about killing anyone, he enjoyed the act of committing murder. To Meres, he employed whatever means were necessary in order to complete an assignment. He and Callan came to respect each other begrudgingly after a while. Every time Anthony Valentine smiled or applied a bit of charm, you winced slightly because you knew it was a facade which masked what was lurking underneath....... The character of Lonely was brilliantly brought him to life by Scottish actor Russell Hunter. Lonely was someone who helped Callan by providing him with guns, tailing someone, breaking into someone's house. Eventually, he was employed as a taxi driver for "the Section." Lonely was loyal to Callan but mainly because he was terrified of being beaten by him. In a strange way, Callan regarded Lonely as being about the only person he thought of as a friend. Both characters felt like outcasts in society for different reasons. The black and white episodes crackle and are about as taut and realistic as you could get. The sense of continuity is just about maintained, in spite of the missing episodes. The final black and white from series 2, was supposed to mark the end of the series for good. The last scene was meant to show Callan's fate. However, to everyone's considerable surprise, there was a public outcry as "Callan" had become a sensation right across Britain. The viewing figures were enormous and the public wanted more episodes. 1970 saw the series being made and broadcast in colour. It was time to take "Callan" to a new level. Unfortunately, Anthony Valentine was unavailable to reprise his role of Meres. Instead, Patrick Mower was brought in as another character, James Cross. Like Meres, Cross was a hard, sadistic killer who was in love with cruelty for its own sake. He had high hopes of advancing his career as an operative and this included replacing Callan as the number one killer in the section. He was a great character and Patrick Mower played him well but I narrowly prefer Anthony Valentine as Meres. Welsh actor William Squires was cast as the new "Hunter." He was another very effective boss and seemed to treat Callan as a bit more of a human being. A further addition to series 3, was the character of the sections physician - Dr. Snell. He was the kind of person who had such a clinical approach to his work, that it bordered on Nazism. At the beginning of series 3, Callan has to prove once again that he is worthy of being kept in the department. There follows various stories that explore his character further, his relationships with Lonely, with Hunter and very occasionally with the opposite gender. A major feather in the shows cap, was the hiring of George Markstein who acted as Script Editor. All kinds of stories have circulated about Markstein have surfaced. These include his having worked for British Intelligence. He was thought to have had an air of menace about him. Even so, he was an asset to the series. Series 4 brought a bit of a twist to the tale, in that Callan was promoted to "Hunter." Geoffrey Chater was brilliant as the rather shadowy civil servant who gave the orders usually, usually via "Hunter." The production values were rather modest, although they had improved slightly during the colour episodes. The beauty of "Callan" lays in its writing and acting. The two components go hand in hand. The violence is rather tame in comparison with these days but the violence in "Callan" has a purpose, it isn't just thrown in for the sake of it. For television of the times, it was quite a realistic kind of violence. Most of the time though, it was implied and that was enough. We see many talented actors in the supporting cast, including Tony Beckley, Dennis Price, Windsor Davies, Graham Crowden, Sarah Lawson amongst others. Watching a masterpiece of a series like "Callan," makes me realise what a deplorable state modern television is in.

A great character led drama series

[dhensonuk · 10/10 · 2 July 2015]

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.

God this is good

[fran-rhowbotham · 10/10 · 25 April 2021]

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.

The opening credit is worth the price of admission alone

[safenoe · 10/10 · 8 October 2017]

The swinging light bulb, the haunting music, and the fact it was British, really had an impact on the audience, and Callan will forever stand as one of the best of British TV. Okay, perhaps some may beg to differ and argue that Mrs. Brown's Boys is the gold standard, and each person to their own I guess.

Edward Woodward is impressive and this was in some ways the prelude to his role as Robert McCall in The Equalizer.

One of the all-time great TV series

[Owlnz · 10/10 · 4 August 2006]

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.

For Queen And Country

[StrictlyConfidential · 6/10 · 10 October 2020]

If you enjoy watching vintage secret agent dramas that are quite bleak in their overall outlook (and they also contain plenty of assassinations, blackmail and dirty dealings), then, "Callan" (1967-1972) is a TV series that is sure to be of special interest to you.

David Callan is a top agent/assassin who works undercover for the Secret Service (British counterintelligence). He is a totally embittered man who often performs his patriotic duties under extreme duress.

For the most part - I'd say that "Callan" was certainly well-worth a view.

''I smell terrible when there is guns around!''

[Rabical-91 · 10/10 · 25 June 2014]

It's hard to believe now but there was a time in history when television shows did not centre their plots around brutal violence and blood-letting. 'Callan' was a dark drama series which ran on ITV from 1967 - 1981 and throughout its run saw people being beaten, tortured and even murdered. However, the show's level of violence was never taken to gory extremes and because of this a modern audience would probably class the show as slow, dated and boring.

Well, slow and dated it may well be but if you ask me there is still a great deal of enjoyment to be had out of the show for despite its low production values it still manages to send a collective chill down the spine. The opening titles which consist of a shadeless light bulb swinging slowly to and fro while Jack Trombey's sinister 'Girl In The Dark' theme tune plays sets the tone for what is about to follow.

Edward Woodward was the perfect choice for the title character of Callan, expertly fleshing out the body language and delivering with venom the dialogue of an individual who could kill at any second when tipped over the edge. The man's death in 2009 robbed the world of a great talent.

David Callan was first introduced in an 'Armchair Theatre' play entitled 'A Magnum For Schneider' ( broadcast on 04/02/67 ) in which he was called upon by an anonymous government agency known as 'The Section' to carry out an assassination. Callan's superior, the cold-hearted Colonel Hunter assigns him to kill German businessman/war games enthusiast Schneider ( Joseph Furst ). Callan also has an accomplice in a shape of Lonely, an introverted and not very bright individual who has a tendency to give off an unpleasant odour whenever he gets nervous. The screenplay was so well-received that ABC Television ordered a six-part series which was screened five months later, with the show now just simply titled 'Callan'. The second series, made in 1969 was broadcast by Thames Television as by this time ABC had lost its franchise with ITV.

Though it was undoubtedly Woodward who stood out from all in the cast, Russell Hunter was first rate as Lonely. Though a pathetic retch, it's hard not to feel sorry for him because he is friendless. Callan at first appears not to care about Lonely, though as the series progresses, he seems to become more warm and tolerant towards him. As Hunter, various actors came and went but out of them all, Ronald Radd was the best. Peter Bowles portrayed Callan's rival Toby Meres initially but his place was later taken by Anthony Valentine.

After four series plus a cinematic feature film, 'Callan' concluded in 1981 with a special episode entitled 'Wet Job', in which the reluctant spy is called up for one last mission. All existing episodes ( including 'A Magnum For Schneider' ) have been released on DVD by Network and make worthwhile viewing. Four years after the final episode of 'Callan', Woodward crossed over to the States to take on the role of another secret agent, Robert McCall in the CBS production 'The Equalizer'.

Grim spy show

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 18 April 2019]

CALLAN is a grim and gritty TV spy series with much in common with the likes of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD rather than any fanciful James Bond adventure. It offers a memorable central performance from Edward Woodward, ice cold but showing touches of emotion here and there; the show's most likeable character is Russell Hunter as the irresistable Lonely. I found the first couple of black-and-white series to be something of a slog to sit through, not helped by extreme poor visual quality, but things pick up for the third series, the highlight of the entire run. The last and fourth series remains on a high, culminating in an effective three-parter that wraps up the story nicely.

Early episodes now available

[johngammon56 · 11 March 2010]

UPDATE: Callan: The Monochrome Years (Network DVD, 2010) For decades fans of Callan have been shown on TV and on video/DVD the colour 1970s series. Now the rest of it is available, or apparently what hasn't been erased, in a four disc set – entitled Callan: The Monochrome Years. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, owing to agreements with unions designed to discourage the broadcast of repeats over new material, a British television drama made largely in the studio would be typically broadcast once and then re-run several months later within two years. Since it was rare that anything was shown again after that, since it would require renegotiation of contracts, television companies felt safe in erasing much of their library stock, even the popular material. Luckily, part of the first series and all of the second have survived, though Network DVD have edited one episode for this set that only existed in unedited form.

Callan was a highly regarded and very popular television drama about the seamy side of espionage – more Le Carre than Fleming. The protagonist is a professional killer – ex-army, ex-convicted criminal. He's good at his job, but he hates to kill. He is employed – variously freelance or on the staff – by a shadowy organisation called the Section, which does the state's dirty work up to and including murder. Somehow, probably due to the spot-on casting and acting of the principals and the quality of the writing, the series struck a chord with television audiences in Britain and around the world. It was directly through fans of Callan that Edward Woodward managed to get some of his most admired work: with Laurence Olivier's Old Vic in the theatre, as Breaker Morant in film, as The Equalizer on TV etc This compilation is principally for the show's existing fans, but it's a fascinating look at how British television drama developed over what is often referred to as a golden age. The first series of Callan, produced by ABC Television, was developed from the Armchair Theatre play A Magnum for Schneider, which is included here, which itself was a heavily cut-down version of James Mitchell's novel. The early episodes seem to be very plot heavy, with little time to develop character, and heavily influenced by film, with the theme often played distractingly over every scene without dialogue. You can see the basic themes of the series developing: in the first episode proper, Callan's boss Hunter (Hunter #1, played by Ronald Radd) threatens him with death if he won't do a job. Once you've gone there you can't go back, but it's quickly seen that the producers have painted themselves into a dramatic corner, and subsequent Hunters motivate him in other, more subtle ways. Sometimes there's a bit of 1960s surrealism, as in one episode particularly memorable for Callan's employment of various hats – this kind of whimsy soon is dumped. By the time the second ABC series and the colour third series, produced by Thames TV, appears, there's more character development, more scenes highlighting the relationship between Callan and the other characters, more drama through dialogue, less running about, less gunplay. However, several of these episodes, notably "Death of a Hunter", in which Callan is tortured with mind altering drugs, Ipcress File-style, to think that his boss is a double agent, are very satisfying. (Incidentally, particularly here the character of Toby Meres seems a lot more sympathetic than in the better known later episodes, more vulnerable, not so much an upper class sadist, and genuinely upset at having to shoot Callan.) Network DVD can only be praised for putting out this very good compilation. However, there's little restoration of the material, which is a shame as Network did such a good job with this on the Public Eye series. Sadly also there are no subtitles – important when the sound is so primitive. I'm very glad they've left in the ad break separator cards that were such a good feature of older British TV. (Incidentally, there's a number of reminders that modern TV is vastly technically superior to the old – I was fascinated that the studio clock card is now visible behind the ABC Television ident at the beginning of the programmes. I'm also wondering if there may be other Callan tapes floating around: I've seen a section of another black and white episode on YouTube. The search goes on.

Wonderfully dark

[welshNick · 9/10 · 30 March 2008]

Callan was an assassin, a born killer who worked for a 'government department.' This was the sort of government department that took care of undesirables and did all the dirty jobs that the government could not be seen to be involved in. Most people in the government would probably be horrified if they knew it existed !! He was aided by a petty crook called Lonely, wonderfully played by Russel Hunter. Lonely was afraid of Callan but respected him above all else. Along with Cross and Meres, Callan worked for a man called Hunter played by various actors. The stories were good, very dark and rather believable. I don't know if departments like this exist .... maybe, maybe not. 9/10

A TV Masterpiece

[Jellybeansucker · 10/10 · 27 July 2020]

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.

a mainly forgotten great show

[LosDiablo · 9/10 · 16 October 2008]

a brilliant show spun off from the armchair theatre pilot magnum for Schneider starring Edward Woodward in a star making role as David callan a former soldier turned thief who is blackmailed by a mysterious part of the British security services known as the section to do there dirty work (frame ups,assassinations etc). callan hated the work but had no other choice but to do it the section would,nt let him go he was the best at it.callans immediate Superior was known as hunter(played by several different actors each of which character had different feelings towards callan) a codename for the head of the section who gave callan his dubious assignments. callan was aided in his work by a thief he met in prison called lonely (played by Russell hunter r.i.p)who believes callan is a gangster and is in fear of him even though lonely was the only person callan warmed to and trusted. other notable characters were callans rival the cruel and vicious Toby meres(played by peter bowles in the pilot and Anthony valentine in the series) a public school boy playing secret agent until he gets his inheritance. another rival James cross(Patrick mower) (who replaced meres when Anthony valentine went to star in codename he returned for the 4th series).more likable than meres but still on the unpleasant side.

The show was realistic and believable a contrast to the flashier and more glamorous spy shows of the era just as harry palmer from the ipcress file differed from James bond. unlike todays "the fixer" callan was utterly believable and a low key professional.

The show was a massive hit Edward Woodward once said they would,nt put the football on an opposite channel because most people would watch callan that was in england where people love football. Anthony valentines was allegedly sent masochistic fan mail because of how ruthless his character was. 10 of the shows first 2 series are presumed lost and not available but the later color episodes are all intact. There was a spin off movie starring with Edward Woodward and Russell hunter reprising there roles while hunter was played by Eric porter and meres was played by peter Egan. A one off reunion show wet job was produced in the early 80s with Edward Woodward and Russell hunter reprising there roles hunter was played by Hugh waters. Woodward later went on to star in a similar show the Equalizer in America that shows producer James McAdams first saw Woodward in callan and handpicked him to play the equalizer an all time classic show

timeless quality

[marksulli-95985 · 10/10 · 25 January 2021]

Callan is often described as "bleak" and "dark", but in fact is satisfyingly authentic, superbly written and acted and bears multiple re-watching. The Cold War aspects seem incredibly authentic, and in one episode (early seventies) a character prophetically predicts the "beginning off the end" of the Soviet Empire. In the late sixties/early seventies the series quickly became a popular cultural phenomenon. As with early Special Branch, the restricted filming format involves plenty of great dialogue which only strengthens the timeless appeal. There is an obvious class theme running through the series, with Callan (probably Grammar school), Hunter/Meres (Public school) and Lonely (state/secondary). Some of the very best scenes are the Callan/Lonely dialogues, full of dry humour but never artificially sentimental. There are similarities between Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" and Callan - living alone, determinedly old fashioned dress code and persistently insubordinate attitude to superiors. Given Callan's popularity and Eastwood filming in Britain during 1968, it seems possible he might have been influenced by the show.

bleak,dated,brilliant.

[ib011f9545i · 8/10 · 24 January 2021]

I am off work again so time to hit the dvd collection. I was 10 in 1970 so saw some of this series when it first went out but at that age I would have preferred more action. This is a spy series but a realistic one in that there is more lies and dirty tricks a less gun play and car chases. Callan is a bit like Harry Palmer,he is good at his job but not proud of it. The series is dated in its style and dated in that its background is now history. We don't have to worry about the cold war but we still have lots of enemies to worry about. Edward Woodward stars in this and he is totally believable but the smallest parts are well cast and acted. Any fans of John Le Carre's work should love this.

God Help Your Friends

[bibble-6 · 8 March 2006]

Callan works for "The Section", a secret department of the UK government. His job is implementing solutions to "manage" difficult people who endanger the security of the state. This can be anything from blackmail to assignation. In order to perform what's asked of him, he must be able to see the justification. It is this lack of ability to just follow orders that creates the drama.

Russell Hunter reunites with Callan as the smelly, low life criminal informant Lonely. Stealing the light occasionally from Woodward with memorable dialog

Callan: How do you like your tea? Lonely: Interfered with.

May have to be British to understand this! Callan cares for Lonely but can never say so as this would destroy the unsaid truth. Lonely is happy to have a friend but the fear Callan instills is the overriding factor for Lonely.

Callan demonstrate the difference between the US and UK approach to drama. The focus is not the plot, although they are all good, it is the interaction between the characters. Modern day dramas such as Morse highlight for the younger fans of good TV. In Morse it is the need to see Lewis get one over on Morse that makes us want to replay the episodes. We all know who did it the second time through. Callan is no different, with good writing between the characters, we are happy to forgive the quality of the DVD although not bad considering its age!

This series, the third, sees Patrick Mower introduce a new colleague Cross. He takes over from the suave Toby Meres played by Anthony Valentine. Cross is a "Jack The Lad" who knows it all and see his youth as more valuable than Callan's experience. Predictably, though not without good drama, the opposite it true.

William Squire takes over from Michael Goodliffer as the boss of the section in the role of Hunter. At the end of the second series we see Callan kill the previous Hunter and shot by Toby Meres. I like the previous Hunter but William Squire made this role his own with his callous code approach to the killing and blackmailing game. He understands Callan but at the same time confines him in how much he can question the processes of the section.

I recommend people who what this also watch - Sandbaggers - Morse - Cracker

Thanks Iain