Just when fans thought they might have to cry “uncle”, the spy TV series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” finally arrives on DVD. This series, like “Twin Peaks”, has gone through more stop and starts than a drag race. The series was in limbo for the longest time simply because there was some question as to who truly owned the rights to the show. ***

Time-Life presents the entire four seasons of the series in one, expensive but nicely done box set (except for the “brief case” which is a whole other matter—it is flimsy and poorly designed but it IS the contents that matter). The series went from a serious spy/adventure drama during its first season to camp by the third and finally returned (somewhat) to its roots by the fourth season having lost much of its audience in the process. For what it’s worth, the first two seasons are the keepers here along with isolated episodes from the third and some of the fourth. The show never played in syndication to the same degree as “Star Trek” or even “The Wild Wild West” but that probably had more to do with rights issues and the passage of time than anything else. ***

Shot at MGM “U.N.C.L.E.” came about due to the James Bond craze that was then going on. The producers approached Ian Fleming to create a series for them but Fleming bowed out after supplying the producers with the name for the lead character Napoleon Solo due to commitments and pressure from the Bond producers. ***

Napoleon Solo (the terrific and always underutilized Robert Vaughn) and Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum) work for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement and organization that is multi-national and fights the evil organization T.H.R.U.S.H. which tries to undermine world peace. Working for Mr. Waverly (Leo G. Carroll in a role no doubt inspired by the one he played in “North by Northwest”), the duo manage to foil the bad guys again and again in clever, well written/directed TV episodes that hold up remarkably well. ---

Image & Sound:

“The Man” has made sure that “U.N.C.L.E.” looks extremely good in its DVD debut. Colors are remarkably good although there has been some fading. The original film elements have been spruced up though and are remarkably free from damage. Audio sounds quite good with dialogue coming across with a clean solid sounding presentation. ---

As mentioned each season gets its own special features. Season One has a thirty minute featurette “Cloak and Swagger Affair” which focuses on how the show was created and presented to the network. Featuring interviews with producer Norman Felton, cast and directors Richard Donner and Joseph Sargent, it’s a well made featurette that does a nice job of summarizing both the appeal of the show and its impact. ***

“Solo” is the original 70 minute pilot and among other things has some variations in the cast. Originally meant to be in a supporting role, David McCallum’s appeal on the female fans wasn’t lost on the producers or the networks and so his role was expanded from a supporting slot. ***

Four additional featurettes are included as well. “Season One V.I.P.s” looks at the guest stars on the show. “Spy-Fi Tour” is about the traveling show that features props, etc. We also get a similar featurette on seasons two and three as well as “Double Agents” an hour long interview with the stars of the show McCallum and Vaughn. ***

Also included are “The Secret Tapes of Illya Kuryakin” home movies shot on the set with comments by McCallum and “MGM’s Secret Operations” focusing on the back lot sets and gadgets that the studio provided to the producers. ***

The bonus discs include “Cold War, Hot Spies” and “Guns, Gadgets, Gizmos and Garb” looking at the tenuous connection to the Cold War and the various devices used during the series. “Behind the Wheel” focuses on the car designed for the show and features auto restorer Robert Short discussing his vintage vehicle. Finally we get’ Fandemonium” focusing on the fan reaction to the show, “Music from U.N.C.L.E.” show casing the various music composers who worked on the show and “Girls from U.N.C.L.E.” a clip collection of the women that guest starred. It’s a pity that the spin-off series “The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.” wasn’t included as part of this set as well. More campy than the original series initially, it could still be charming. ***

The last disc includes promos, commercials and trailers of the films created from the series for the foreign markets. Winding things up are interviews with David McCallum, Richard Donner (director), George Lehr, Joe Sargent and Vaughn. We also get a couple of minutes from the “Andy Williams Show” where the duo of Vaughn and McCallum accepted their Golden Globe Award for Best TV Show in 1966. There are also other TV appearances as well as the vintage Tom and Jerry cartoon “Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R.” which spoofed the series quite effectively.

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