The Professionals (Series 2) - 4-DVD Box Set ( The Professionals - Series Two ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Netherlands ]

This does not live up to "remastered" advertised on its packaging. The picture quality is fuzzy and too dark. It resembles video cassette quality and does not even meet standard DVD quality. I have seen the equivalent "remastered" quality of this version looks like on Network brand and it is far sharper, lighter and more detailed. I should not have to return and forfeit the postage and handling for buying this product. Regards George Kalikas

Series twoSeries one of the Professionals had been a big success and the second series presented here in this wonderful DVD set went on from strength to strength.The Professionals is an exciting series from the 1970s. The DVD sets of all four seasons are excellent. This second series is very good and it is excellently presented.The Professionals had been created by Albert Fennel and Brain Clemens after a long history in British TV with successful series in like The Avengers in the 1960s and The New Avengers a couple of years earlier. They had used the same composer, Laurie Johnson to compose the music for those shows and now again for the Professionals. Series one had 14 episodes of which one had not been screened.This new season Two also has 14 episodes, all of which were transmitted. The series was produced by Raymond Menmuir.Albert Fennell, Brian Clemens and composer Laurie Johnson had worked together in the 1960s and together had created MK1 productions to make the New Avengers. The same team as MK1 productions now produced The Professionals.Criminal Intelligence 5, or CI5 is a special branch of British Law that deals with crime of a serious nature that go beyond the capability of the police. It is a Unit that is instructed by the Home Secretary.CI5 is fictitious but it enabled the writers to give our heroes a wide variety of situations to deal with.It has similar appearance to the real MI5 or CID but being fictitious also gave the show more artistic licence that the portrayal of the Flying Squad in The Sweeney. CI5 deal with espionage, cold war problems, terrorists, civil unrest, and large-scale crime.The head of CI5 is George Cowley, a no nonsense leader that believes in fighting fire with fire. His best agents are Ray Doyle (Martin Shaw), a softer more caring but hot headed ex detective constable who has worked the tough parts of London, and William Bodie (Lewis Collins) who is an ex paratrooper and SAS sergeant with a calmer but tough attitude.There are a number of cars featured in the series. Some are from British Leyland in the early series, with some Rover models, some Triumph models, a Leyland Princess and a Dolomite Spirit. Later series feature cars by Ford with the Capri, Granada, Escort and Cortina.The series gets off to a good start with a story about a hi tech rifle that his stolen while in the care of Doyle. There is a race to catch the villain, as Doyle becomes a target. Other episodes see Bodie and Doyle trying to find a visiting Israeli minister that has gone missing. We also see them fighting corruption in the police force, becoming body guards to a foreign official, uncovering an assassination plot, breaking a drug smuggling operation, catching terrorists and chasing a man bent on revenge against those he holds responsible for the death of his wife and child.George Cowley, (played brilliantly by Gordon Jackson) the boss of CI5, has a nickname of "Morris" after the car of the same name. He was a Major in the British Army and also had worked in the secret service including MI5. He is very experienced and makes a great leader. He is able to defend himself. He has many friends and contacts and is not afraid to clash with people to get a job done. His two best men are Bodie and Doyle privately calls him "The Cow". His favourite drink is Scotch whiskey.The show was often criticised for its violence even though there is little blood seen. There are scenes of fast chases, car chases, fist fights, shootings, martial arts and asphyxiation however.The show was also criticised for its "political incorrectness" for use of so called sexist and racist terms.The controversy and disagreement about its suitability for screening led to the show being blocked for repeating on terrestrial television for over two decades.This DVD set contains all of the shows from the second series. It is uncut. And has been digitally remastered. The picture quality is not that great on the early episodes but it is good enough. The later episodes see the picture quality improve suggesting the problem is down to the age of the material. The series is spread over four DVD discs and they are neatly displayed in a good fold out box.It is a great series from a by gone age. It is most enjoyable.

This series has worn very well. Pacy, occasionally funny, strong characters and plenty of action. Much better written than most modern TV drama. No special effects, and nothing spent on sets or locations, but all those old Ford motor vehicles are great.

They don't make television series this good anymore!

The best cop show ever made. The British starsky and Hutch, but far better. Bodie and Doyle, the best Tough guy's Ever.