Ever wonder where The Equalizer got his mysterious start as an international badass? How did he establish his uber-espionage connections? Why did he decide to become an independent operator? Nearly a decade before he rescued distressed New Yorkers, Edward Woodward starred in a gritty cold war drama about English secret agents whose biggest threat came not from the communists, but office politics. This is not the suave and swinging world of James Bond with high tech gadgets, unlimited budgets and sexy ladies. David Callan is the harsh reality of the spy game. He works for a mysterious espionage department only known as The Section. They operate out of a dank basement. It’s not a glamorous life. The 13 episodes featured on Callan: Set 2 are the end of the series, but represent a transition period for the agent.
“That’ll Be the Day” opens with Callan in an unfamiliar place: a Soviet prison. He’s been nabbed. His KGB interrogators feel they have a prize although he’s not willing to squawk. They even give him a hideous haircut to break his will. Back in England, the Section has decided the best thing they can do is declare him dead and engrave a tombstone. There’s no expectations that he’ll be coming home. The only person seeing through the fraud is Lonely (Russell Hunter). He’s a rather lowly character that serves as Callan’s chauffeur in a taxi that’s been altered for the spy’s need. Even if he proves the grave his empty, can he bring his employer back from communists?
Not to spoil the series, but Callan does make it back to England. “Call Me Sir!” has him adjust to a new assignment. Since he’s been nailed, Callan is no good as an international hitman. He’s still good as a cold blooded killer. Thus the Section assigns him to domestic cases. He doesn’t like local work. “I Never Wanted the Job” has Lonely get in major trouble when he decides to use the taxi to pick up a little money on the side as a real cabbie. He becomes the witness of a mobster hit. When the hitmen come after Lonely, he blabs that Callan will protect him. Callan becomes the Equalizer in this episode. He has no problem facing down a mobster, but he has to keep the folks at the Section from knowing about his own freelance work. “The Carrier” has Lonely once more screwing up and dragging Callan into a mess. The duo sneak into a scientist’s house to plant a bug and get copies of research promised to a KGB agent. All goes smoothly until Lonely gets a case of sticky fingers. Instead of a clean operation, Callan must deal with the local cops searching for him as a burglar. The whole episode devolves into bloodshed as various police and intelligence units can’t communicate properly while a KGB killer roams the area.
The final three episodes form a top-notch mini-series under the title “The Richmond Files.” Richmond (T.P. McKenna) is a KGB agent who wants to defect. However the Section isn’t quite sure that he’s ready to be a turncoat. “Call Me Enemy” has him taken to an isolated house for a debriefing session with Callan. He swears on of the Section’s agents is a KGB operative. Turns out Richmond is not to be trusted. He escapes from Callan. “Do You Recognise the Woman?” and “A Man Like Me” has Callan doing his best to track down Richmond. The pursuit has the no nonsense agent questioning his role in the espionage. This rates up with “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.”
The only downside of “Callan” is that all the soundstage work and daytime exterior scenes are shot on video. The night scenes were done on 16mm. This was a budget saver for Thames, but it just undercuts the texture of the productions. The flat lighting used in the studios denies these great actors and scripts the shadows and grit of the situations. Woodward and the other actors rise above the limitations. He didn’t need special lighting to let you see the darkness in Callan’s eyes when he’s ready to pull the trigger. Fans of The Equalizer need to get their hands on Callan: Set 2, The origins of Woodward’s undercover spy is greater than his American adventures.
The Episodes
“That’ll Be the Day,” “Call Me Sir!,” “First Refusal,” “Rules of the Game,” “If He Can, So Could I,” “None of Your Business,” “Charlie Says It’s Goodbye,” “I Never Wanted the Job,” “The Carrier,” “The Contract,” “The Richmond File: Call Me Enemy,” “The Richmond File: Do You Recognise the Woman?” and “The Richmond File: A Man Like Me.”
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers are fine for early ’70s video. There is plenty of detail in the transfers. Things get slightly murky during the darker scenes since they were shot on 16mm film. The audio is Dolby Digital Mono. There is a minor hiss since this is coming off videotape.
Audio Commentaries with Edward Woodward are on “If He Can, So Could I” and “The Richmond File: Call Me Enemy.” Woodward passed away last November, but he is in fine spirits while talking to an interviewer about the series. He gives us insight into the character. He explains how Hunter couldn’t drive so all taxi in motion shots were done with a double. They also bring up the fact that many of the black and white Callan episodes don’t exist.
Callan: Set 2 is a gripping end to the series. Edward Woodward gives an unforgettable performance as a man whose job is for people to not notice him. This is a kitchen sink reality of a genre that so often gets lost in the slick and sleek. The man who became The Equalizer had no equals as Callan.
Acorn Media presents Callan: Set 2. Starring: Edward Woodward and Russell Hunter. Boxset Contents: 13 Episodes on 4 DVDs. Released on DVD: January 26, 2010. Available at Amazon.com.
