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 Post subject: Callan
PostPosted: Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:40 am 
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Callan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callan_(TV_series)

Quote:
Callan is a British action/drama television series created by James Mitchell, first airing between 1967 and 1972. It starred Edward Woodward as David Callan, an agent of a state secret service dealing with internal security threats to the United Kingdom. Though portrayed as having responsibilities similar to those of the real-life MI5, Callan's fictional "Section" has carte blanche to use the most ruthless of methods. In the storylines interrogation is by means of torture, while extrajudicial killings are so routine they have a colour-coded filing system. With the possible exception of La Femme Nikita, no TV series has ever presented a Western government agency in so sinister a light as Callan.[citation needed] Despite being an assassin who stays in the socially isolating job because it is the only thing he is good at, Callan is a sympathetic character by comparison to his sadistic upper-class colleagues and implacable superior. The downbeat cover for the Section's headquarters was the scrap metal business of "Charlie Hunter" (a reference to the Richardson Gang). Produced by ABC Weekend Television and Thames Television, the programme proved extremely popular; as well as four series between 1967 and 1972, there was a film in 1974 and a tv movie in 1981.


Episodes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C ... odes#Pilot

Pilot – A Magnum for Schneider (1967)
Callan has been fired from an anonymous government agency known as "The Section" which is run by Colonel Hunter. ("Hunter" is a pseudonym for the current Section Chief, like the C of SIS.) The Section removes those who pose a danger to the "innocent" by persuasion, blackmail, extortion or death. David Callan had been the Section's top operator but he had become too curious about his targets and the rationale for their removal. The Section considered him vulnerable, volatile and dangerous and had laid him off to a dead-end book-keeping job for an ungrateful employer.

Series 1 – 6 episodes (1967)
ABC then commissioned a series of six episodes in 1967. In the first episode Callan rejoins the section in an unofficial capacity. The series was characterised by Callan's stand-off, barely-respectful relationship between him and his boss. Hunter schemed to retain Callan on his side and would play him off in little divide-and-rule scenarios with or against his fellow agents to keep control. It was not always apparent that it worked. Callan's contact Lonely (Russell Hunter) developed into an unofficial sidekick, whose shadowing qualities outshone his sense of personal hygiene, something Meres in particular took joy in pointing out. Lonely remained ignorant of Callan's real work and believed him to be something of a gangland villain.

Series 2 – 15 episodes (1969)
By 1969, ABC Weekend Television had, via an enforced merger, become Thames Television. A second series of fifteen episodes that had already been completed by ABC was therefore transmitted by its successor. This run ended with "Death Of A Hunter", in which the Section chief meets his demise, and Callan is shot – perhaps fatally. It had not been decided whether the show would return for a third series, so this device was used to leave open either the possibility of more stories in the future, or a way of winding-up the show. Two endings were taped, in which Callan either lived or died. In the end, Thames decided to bring the programme back for the 1970 series, this time in full colour and consisting of nine episodes.

Series 3 – 9 episodes (1970)
The third series of nine episodes, the first in colour, saw Callan still recovering from having been shot and struggling to come to terms with his situation. Interviews with Snell (the Section's doctor) and poor shooting range results portray Callan as a barely-functioning human being, whose future with the Section looks to be in serious doubt. If Callan is to be of any use to Hunter, something has to spark him into life. In league with Meres' younger, brasher, edgier and unpredictable replacement, James Cross (played by Patrick Mower), Hunter concocts a scenario whereby Callan's energies are incited into real emotion that can be turned against the enemy. The remaining eight episodes see the revitalised yet ever-more world-weary assassin cover more ground, including one episode where love comes unexpectedly into his life, and which has the (expected) unexpected ending.

Series 4 – 13 episodes (1972)
The final set of thirteen episodes was broadcast in 1972. This saw Callan develop further than before. An unsuccessful mission meant Callan is being interrogated in a Russian prison, but is exchanged with the Russians for one of their agents. Now he is known, he has become a liability. What to do with the Section's top agent is later solved by promoting him into the role of Hunter – a post he disliked as much or even more than actually serving under a Hunter. However, this move by his masters has motives and he is eventually relieved of his duties after an incident where Callan entered the field of duty, which was against the rules. He was replaced as Hunter by his predecessor. The final three episodes formed a trilogy based around the defecting Soviet agent Richmond (played by T. P. McKenna) which was sub-titled "The Richmond Files".

Reunion episode – Wet Job (1981)
In the 1981 feature-length television story Wet Job, written by Mitchell and produced by ATV (without the original theme music or logo) Callan has become the proprietor of a military memorabilia shop when he is recruited by the new Hunter for one more job. Alas, he has to do this alone: Lonely has become a dapper gent, engaged to be married, and with enough self-confidence to defy Callan's request for help. In the end, Callan completes the task, survives and even ends up with a girlfriend.

Documentary – This Man Alone (2015)
A Callan documentary entitled This Man Alone was released on DVD in November 2015. Narrated by Edward Woodward's son Peter Woodward, it includes contributions from Peter Mitchell, Reginald Collin, Mike Vardy, and James Goddard. Additionally the DVD includes a new transfer of A Magnum for Schneider and The Good Ones Are All Dead, the music-themed The Edward Woodward Hour and a documentary on James Mitchell, A World of My Own.

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 Post subject: Re: Callan
PostPosted: Mon Feb 18, 2019 12:42 am 
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Streaming Links

Callan - S01E00 - A Magnum for Schneider (Pilot)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAo2H038Mx8

Callan - S01E01 - The Good Ones Are All Dead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idyU0XvvBhE

Callan - S01E02 Goodbye, Nobby Clarke
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Callan - S01E03
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Callan - S01E04
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Callan - S01E05
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Callan - S01E06 - You Should Have Got Here Sooner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9DHrJwRoW0

Other episodes available on YT - YT Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... vsdT7sLBdr

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Callan - 1974 Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cdMH9q1JP0

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Callan Reunion episode – Wet Job (1981)
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Documentary – This Man Alone (2015)
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___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light


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 Post subject: Re: Callan
PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:12 pm 
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I found a YT channel with Callan episodes (and Professionals episodes) and other TV series

Drama King
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCth_4N ... nLw/videos


When the Boat comes in...
Upstairs downstairs..
Our friends in the North...
All creatures great and small...
Morse
Darling Buds of May
House of Cards

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