MI-5, Volume 1

MI-5, Volume 1 Review

First ,I worry that in my review I might lack the ability to clearly and skillfully support my claims and reflect just how good this show really is
to those who have never seen it.I would hope to be able to convince you through my choice of words that I am able to present a fair snapshot that will provide you with enough information that will encourage you to follow up and that here is a show I stand by with my word that is worth the time effort and money required to purchase and watch
I hope to be able to represent the great quality and intelligence behind this show ,
and just how amazingly good it is !
I have a great love of the TV medium and have been plugged into TV for 1/2 a century now.
This show represents TV at its finest
The show revolves around a group of MI-5 Agents stationed in London MI-5 being roughly the equivalent of the American FBI with a few distinctions
It often becomes a deeply personal story of where to draw a moral line in order to protect the citizens of both the city and country
In many ways it is often an adrenaline rush much like 24 at its best, yet MI-5 is far more thoughtful, balanced, and intelligent. but like 24 and The Bourne identity it can be a thrill ride to match any ! or it can also move surreptitiously, quietly drawing you in slowly bringing you to the edge of your seat drawing you deeper and deeper into a web of thoughtful moral quandaries and personal sacrifice .The casting is perfection, stories that are so real reaching out to touch you from behind headlines .
I urge any and all who like great stories of intrigue espionage ( The day of the jackal comes to mind )and the details that make it far more human than just a group out to stop a terrorist bombing or assassination often far more complex such as undermining the economy plugging and finding leaks that could bring about catastrophic global change. How did they acquire the info ? and why did they get it? Often the information comes from other agents from other countries with differing agendas, Politicians looking to advance agendas who interfere or advance agendas of their own ( I am told written with the help of former intel agents )Once you have seen a few episodes you will understand how this must be true !And let me warn you you will not want to stop!
Outstanding ensemble acting ,Directing editing that never gets bogged down among the cleanest sharpest direction and edits I have seen in any TV production ever !
Production values are again outstanding ! use of location and color for impact or rather to help set a tone not detract but to fully depict the range of sensory involvement
Bringing me to the music, sometimes eerie and haunting, it lingers like the stories and scenes often do.
You never know what is around the next corner like life ! So what I am saying here is this show presents a unique and quite nearly perfect balance of Story,Acting,Direction,Edit,Location, Design , color ,And music. When this show is running full out it is a near work of art for the medium and at the very least some of the best TV has produced .
For most, some bits of the series linger long after you have watched I can promise that !
We often find ourselves speechless staring at the TV screen even after the show has ended mouths agape ! These can be very powerful stories not out of any mold I can think of .
You become close to these people you know the moral dilemmas they face and the prices paid for choices made, as humans we often fail but what about when the stakes are so high? what is the price of failure then ? Or knowing the price before you seek to intervene when failure cannot be an option .This gives you a wonderful peek behind the curtain of the great wizard or should I say takes you though the looking glass .They do not preach ideology they let many of the politicians do that you see the politic up close and personal. As MI-5 go about trying to protect
a nation and her people yet having to deal with many differing political realities and skirmishes between parties resulting so often in a backlash. Then of course you have diplomacy and the never ending pitfalls manipulations and the occasional great successes so clearly illustrated in this show from time to time. There you have it my humble summery taken in the big picture with all the other positive reviews I think you are safe with this even if you have never watched a show like it before .
My wife and I discovered this show many years back and have given DVDs as gifts or loaned our own .I can tell you with 100% honesty that every single person who we know who has viewed this show became a fan ! ( about a dozen as it now stands )
enjoy, and best to all

MI-5, Volume 1 Overview

Defending their country, deceiving their friends, MI-5 takes us into the secret world of the clandestine UK security service and the people who make up the elite team. This exciting, fast paced drama, full of split screens and technical wizardry, explores the passion, jeopardy and intrigue of people who have to lie for a living and deceive their loved ones about what they do.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentaries on all episodes!
Biographies
Deleted Scenes
Featurette:Numerous Behind-the-Scenes featurettes on the making of the program
Interviews:Exclusive interviews with the cast and crew!

MI-5, Volume 1 Specifications

John Le Carre for the Internet generation, the BBC's MI-5 is a smart combination of TV cop show and George Smiley-esque espionage shenanigans that pulls no punches in its depiction of an MI-5 (the British CIA) team fighting a covert war on the streets of London. This is adult, post-watershed drama clearly inspired by the hard-hitting style of shows as 24 and The Sopranos. The strong ensemble cast is led by charismatic Matthew MacFadyen as Tom Quinn, star spy of "Section B," the counterterrorism branch headed by Harry Pearce (Peter Firth). Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, and tough-cookie Jenny Agutter make up the team. And as with its British predecessors, Cracker and Prime Suspect, MI-5 (titled Spooks originally) also delves fearlessly into the characters' turbulent personal lives, here given an added twist by their constant need to deceive even those they love. The six episodes of the BAFTA Award-winning first season tackle a variety of tough issues, including religious fanaticism, racism, governmental cover-ups, and, naturally enough, the lingering shadow of Irish terrorism. Throughout, the show strikes a fine balance between a James Bond-ian techno-obsession with spy gadgets and more character-based action, with crisp writing and direction that ratchets up the tension a notch further with every episode. The final cliffhanger is an unforgettable TV moment, and one that leaves viewers agog for next season. --Mark Walker

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