"Director: Robert Vaughn"

• The Protectors - Vol. 3 - Series 1 - Episodes 17-26 | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Harry Rule (Robert Vaughn) is an American lone wolf in London. Contessa di Contini (Nyree Dawn Porter) is a beautiful British aristo abroad. Paul Buchet (Tony Anholt) is a suave Parisian specialising in gadgetry. Together they are The Protectors - three intrepid international private detectives. Alongside other super agents from the world's best detective agencies they are organised into a global secret society their mission is to protect the innocent and apprehend the guilty. Gerry Anderson's first and only contemporary thriller series is the ultimate in jetsetting high-kicking adventure! This DVD features 10 episodes from The Protectors: ...With A Little Help From My Friends For The Rest Of Your Natural... The Bodyguards Talkdown A Case For The Right A Matter Of Life And Death It Could Be Practically Anywhere On The Island Vocal It Was All Over In Leipzig Ceremony For The Dead.

• The Protectors - Series 1 Vol. 2 - Episodes 9-16 | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Another series from Lew Grade's ITC stable, The Protectors attracted high ratings on both sides of the Atlantic when screened during 1971-3. Combining the high-tech ingenuity of Mission: Impossible with the glamour of The Champions, the basic premise of jet-setting special agents going where governments fear to tread is typical of its era. As Harry Rule, Robert Vaughn develops the thinking man of action persona he perfected in The Man from U.N.C.L.E, complemented by Nyree Dawn Porter's stylish Contessa di Contini. The underrated Tony Anholt makes the most of his Mediterranean good looks as Paul Buchet. Ten episodes are included here, all following a well-honed formula of intrigue and strategy, but with enough variety in scenario and setting--a range of European cities and resorts--to offset routine. Look out for a host of soon-to-be-familiar faces. There's also Tony Christie's full-throated rendition of the "Avenues and Alleyways" theme to round off each episode. On the DVD: The Protectors on disc comes in a full-screen format that reproduces excellently for its age (Lew Grade's productions always seem to last well). Each episode is divided into four chapter headings, with English subtitles available. A detailed biography of Vaughn is included along with a gallery of captioned stills, some of which are curiously reproduced in black-and-white. Taken with a healthy dose of nostalgia, entertainment is assured. --Richard Whitehouse

• The Protectors - Series 1 Vol. 1 - Episodes 1-8 | DVD | (24/06/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Another series from Lew Grade's ITC stable, The Protectors attracted high ratings on both sides of the Atlantic when screened during 1971-3. Combining the high-tech ingenuity of Mission: Impossible with the glamour of The Champions, the basic premise of jet-setting special agents going where governments fear to tread is typical of its era. As Harry Rule, Robert Vaughn develops the thinking man of action persona he perfected in The Man from U.N.C.L.E, complemented by Nyree Dawn Porter's stylish Contessa di Contini. The underrated Tony Anholt makes the most of his Mediterranean good looks as Paul Buchet. Eight episodes are included here, all following a well-honed formula of intrigue and strategy, but with enough variety in scenario and setting--a range of European cities and resorts--to offset routine. Look out for a host of soon-to-be-familiar faces. There's also Tony Christie's full-throated rendition of the "Avenues and Alleyways" theme to round off each episode. On the DVD: The Protectors on disc comes in a full-screen format that reproduces excellently for its age (Lew Grade's productions always seem to last well). Each episode is divided into four chapter headings, with English subtitles available. With an informative run-down of how the series evolved and a gallery of captioned stills--some of which are curiously reproduced in black-and-white--taken with a healthy dose of nostalgia, entertainment is assured. --Richard Whitehouse