The Protectors - Season One (1972)

The world is a messy place, full of devious minds and dastardly deeds. Which is exactly how THE PROTECTORS like it. Harry Rule (Robert Vaughn) is a London private eye with an affinity for high-profile clients. The Contessa di Contini owns an Italian detective agency specializing in fine art crimes. Paul Buchet is a suave young Frenchman who always seems to have the inside scoop. Working for any government, company, or individual that can afford their services, the trio jets across Europe, unraveling convoluted mysteries and thwarting international villains. Produced by Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, Space: 1999), THE PROTECTORS marked Vaughn's return to the small screen after the success of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. This DVD collection includes all 26 episodes from the first season, digitally re-mastered and presented in their original UK broadcast order.

Post U.N.C.L.E.

After the cancellation of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. and appearences in some successful films (most notably the McQueen epic BULLET), Gerry & Sylvia Anderson inticed Robert Vaughn to return to the small screen in a 30 minute action-adventure series. As Harry Rule he runs a small security service that takes on special cases. Carried in syndication in the U.S. in the early 1970's, it was a pretty decent show that was to capture in 30 minutes the excitement of shows twice as long. A difficult relationship between Vaughn and the Andersons brought this show to a close after only 2 seasons. Sadly both Nyree Dawn Porter and Tony Anholt have passed away in the intervening years. Vaughn can currently be seen in the British series HUSTLE. September 24, 2008

Underrated

A 30-minute detective/adventure show? It might seem lame, but it actually works.

The Protectors are an international detective agency specializing in unusual cases: everything from stolen art, finding missing persons, or providing bodyguard services to high-profile clientele. The three main 'leaders' of the organization are Harry Rule (Robert Vaughn), the Contessa Caroline di Contini (Nyree Dawn Porter) and Paul Buchet (Tony Anholt).

From a creative and technical standpoint, the direction is exceptional for its time. Excellent camera angles, top-notch editing, unique visuals and exciting music to enhance the action sequences. Many of the shows are shot on location, specifically Europe. We get to see London, Paris, Rome and Berlin as it was during the 1970s. And it's all 'for real' imagery.

During the 1970s (and before), women protagonists in television were presented as 'secondary' characters and shrinking violets. The Protectors contradicted that sterotype. The Contessa di Contini is portrayed as intellectually resourceful, financially independent and consummately adept at personal combat. She is an expert with an épée, a shotgun, a handgun, and -- if the need arises -- she can disable an opponent with physical force.

The stories are very good. For instance, one episode features the Contessa and Harry enduring a fake car accident ("Thinkback"). The villains of the piece are intent on 'tricking' the Protectors into revealing the location of a person testifying against a Mafia-like organization. They use drugs, illusions and false-doctors to extract the witness' location from the Protectors. But the Protectors are resilient. The Contessa and Harry realize the deception. They save the day. During the save-the-day sequence, the Contessa rolls under a sliding door and utilizes a movie prop-sword to halt the adversaries. So cool.

Wonderful entertainment.

The Protectors is a show that can be viewed on many levels. 30-minutes of compressed drama and action and international intrigue. The most important part is that the Contessa is way ahead of her time. She is akin to Emma Peel and Modesty Blaise (see my other reviews).

The world is filled with strong women.
June 7, 2008

Half-hour format hobbles international espionage series.

Generally speaking, if you enjoy British spy shows like "The Saint" and "The Avengers", you will probably enjoy this series. However, the 30 minute format of the series precludes any significant character or plot development, and ultimately results in a less than satisfying result. There are a few stories which extend to two episodes, but they are so few that they do not make up for the limited development of the other episodes in the series.

I'd suggest sticking with the one hour format shows. August 13, 2007

As Antiseptic and Sterile as Its Heroine

"The Protectors" was a British television show (ITC) back in 1972-74. It was an attempt to capture the spirit of "The Avengers" and "The Saint", and to capitalize on Robert Vaughn's fading "The Man From UNCLE" popularity.

The best part of the show was its catchy "Avenues and Alleyways" theme song played at the beginning and ending of each 24-minute episode. New viewers will find even 24 minutes too long as the low budget and lack of talent (both writing and acting) doom things from an entertainment perspective, unless you can find unintended humor in the idea of an action adventure show in which action and adventure are conspicuously absent.

Vaughn plays Harry Rule, a member of a three-person team of freelance troubleshooters based in Europe. A fair amount of each 24-minute episode is taken up by scenic "establishment" shots to make it appear that the show was produced on location in a variety of exotic European locales.

Harry appears to be the leader of the group, if only because he has the most screen time (although slightly less than the amount devoted to the establishing shots). Tony Anholt plays the gadget guy (today he would be the team nerd). He is definitely a third wheel, rarely starring in an episode and by the second season rarely even appearing.

My theory is that "The Protectors' target audience was nursing home residents with bad hearts, who wanted to see a secret agent type show but could not survive exposure to things like action, suspense, humor and hot romance.

Which is about the only way to account for the casting of Myree Dawn Porter as a character called the Contessa di Contini. Despite her exotic name, the Contessa was about as antiseptic and sterile as a wax figure. It is likely that the character was meant to be a slightly more sophisticated version of Emma Peale, but the Contessa avoids all action and contributes nothing in the humor, parody, or seduction departments.

Since the popularity of this type of show requires a fair degree of sensual energy, the nursing home explanation is the only way to account for the casting of an actress in her late 30's, especially one clearly showing a lot of mileage. She was certainly no Alexandra Bastedo ("The Champions") and the show's frequent close-ups of her face were not a good idea.

If you have nothing better to do than watch this series, watch for the absence of young attractive actresses (a staple of every Saint and UNCLE episode) as villains or heroines. Apparently Porter had a contract clause specifying that no "featured" actress could be younger than her; and they wonder why these things don't get better ratings.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child. January 20, 2007

Fun surface entertainment...then, immediately and completely forgettable

This wins honors for doing as much with a 30-minute segment as any retro chic secret agent thriller can. But while fast action, variegated plots and European settings are all to its credit, its improbability and inability to develop depth of any kind relegates it to something recommended primarily for aficionados of Man from UNCLE or of Robert Vaughn. Others seeking spy or crime thrillers might look to other items I have reviewed, either American or British. November 1, 2006

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