Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Wonderful character development!

People are voting emotionally.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

The complete season one of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." that was released on Monday (3rd of August 2015), and delivered by the GPO today was a pleasant surprise when I opened up the 'box'. In my view most boxed sets are very badly designed and totally unacceptable. Without exception when I come across them I always put the disc's into spare storage cases and throw the unacceptable packaging away. However in this instance the spare triple and quad storage cases I had put to one side in advance of delivery of this set, in order to cater for no less than 7 discs, were not actually required.The reason being that this box set is supplied in a proper DVD storage case (or box if you prefer), very much like the 6 disc DVD storage cases, despite this one being slightly narrower. Yet it caters for the 7 discs containing all 29 episodes of season one. There are 5 episodes on disc 2 and 4 episodes on all of the others, which of course gives us the complete first season.Season one was, for the most part in B&W, however two episodes were filmed in colour as there were plans to turn them into feature films. They were the pilot episode "The Vulcan Affair", along with "The Double Affair". Both were actually broadcast on TV in B&W anyway. All subsequent seasons were in colour.I sat through "The Vulcan Affair", this afternoon switching from 4:3 to full 16:9 modes. Eventually going back to 4:3. The entire collection has been digitally remastered, but the picture quality does show it's age a little. Still one has to make allowances for the time when the filming took place. Season one being transmitted in the USA, at least, in 1964/65. Sound is in Dolby Digital Mono in English with subtitles in English, French and German (along with English and German for the hearing impaired).This all brings back very happy and fond memories of going out of my way to ensure that I never missed an episode of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", on the BBC on a Thursday evening as it was one of my all time favourite TV shows when I was in my late teens. About the time that I started working for a living. It should be noted that I have not rated this collection yet as I've only watched the one episode thus far. I'll need to watch a few more before I decide on a rating, but there is already a plus 1 to be added just for the packaging of this collection.Anyway if you will excuse me... the time has come to resume my catch up with a few more of Napoleon and Illya's attempts to bring the dastardly THRUSH rabble to account for their crimes.

Napolian Solo and Illya Kuryakin work for U.N.C.L.E (united network command for law enforcement) they work in the New York office and Solo is the chief enforcement agent, together he and Illya fight various evil villains.The first season was shown in black and white the last three in colour. I have only recently become a fan of this and I love it, there's some wonderful stories and I love the friendship between Kuryakin and Solo. Solo a suave stylish ladies man whereas Illya is the mysterious blonde Russian with a cute beatles haircut. This series paved the way for many other similar shows which all became classics themselves, including Mission Impossible and Wild Wild West. A really good series with some amazing moments and characters well worth buying to enjoy again and again. Mr Solo, open Channel D.

"Open Channel D!".I never saw 'U.N.C.L.E.' during its '60's heyday, I regret to say. I came to it in 1972, when I.T.V. broadcast the movies ( beginning with 'The Karate Killers' ) at peak-time on Saturday evenings, followed by reruns of 'The Persuaders!'. My first glimpse of 'Napoleon Solo' and 'Illya Kuryakin' was of them in a silver sports car being chased by a squad of mini-helicopters, equipped with rocket launchers. I was hooked. For the next seven weeks, I was in secret agent heaven. These were the days before I.T.V. bought the 'James Bond' films, so 'U.N.C.L.E.' was the next best thing.Then I found some paperbacks in a second-hand book store, and from these learned that 'U.N.C.L.E.' stood for 'United Network Command for Law and Enforcement', and was an international spy organisation whose main headquarters were in New York, cunningly concealed behind the facade of a dry cleaners. Its main adversary was 'T.H.R.U.S.H.' - the Technological Hierachy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity ( actually, that acronym was invented by the writer David McDaniel in his superb novel 'The Dagger Affair'. It was never used on the show ). 'T.H.R.U.S.H.' wanted to take over the world, and 'U.N.C.L.E.' were out to stop them.What really made the show a big hit was the chemistry between Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. Vaughn's 'Solo' was the extrovert, McCallum's 'Illya' was the shy intellectual. Leo G.Carroll played their gruff boss 'Alexander Waverly'.Each week, 'T.H.R.U.S.H.' embarked on a new world domination project, usually with the aid of some fantastic invention - earthquake machines, tidal wave machines, invisible killer bees, mind control devices, death rays, even exploding apples! The stars were cool, the girls were hot, the action fast, the whole thing was executed in a colourful, tongue in cheek manner that was simply delightful to watch.The show ended in 1968. The spy craze had run its course. Whereas 'Mission: Impossible' was able to reinvent itself as a crime show, 'U.N.C.L.E.' simply could not follow suit. One could not imagine Napoleon and Illya hot on the trail of 'The Syndicate'. Its equally impossible to imagine it being set in any era other than the '60's. The concept of an American agent working alongside a Russian was a novelty at the time. I don't think it would impress anyone today. For that reason alone, I hope nobody tries to make a movie of this show. The Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson movie 'I Spy' was a stinker, and I would not like to see 'U.N.C.L.E.' getting the same treatment. Let's all continue to enjoy the original! "Close Channel D!".

I know the last user thought the episodes were just average, but you cannot judge very early 60's TV by today's standard and technology. The show was very cool, and so were Napoleon and Illya. Heck, that is why there is still a huge following forty years later.Yes, the shows look as if they were filmed on back lot. They were. The pace and budget did not allow for on location scenes. Look at old Star Trek and you will see the same limitations.Many shows were intended to be funny or at least tongue in cheek. The episode with Joan Collins is a riot. The agents are trying to get a low class woman to pass off as a lady. This episode, The Galatea Affair, is a take on My Fair Lady and introduces Noel Harrison as Mark Slate. OF course you will remember that his father had the task of transforming Liza Doolitle in MFL.Try the very early pairing of Shatner and Nimoy in Project Strigas or The Ultimate Computer Affair, another great MFU episode. There were over 100 of them in this popular 60's show.