Don't Nail Him Yet

The Brits know that a man is involved in espionage. However, who his contacts are and how he's secreting information out of the country is a mystery. So, Drake is brought in to help some very unappreciative folks. Again and again, they dismiss Drake's methods but he is not dissuaded. Drake's plan is to make friends with the guy and use subtlety--whereas the government folks are more looking to see Drake bonk the guy on the head and magically get the answers! This was by far my favorite part of the film and seeing Drake posing as a mousy teacher who loved classical musical music was enjoyable. Unfortunately what followed was an ending that was very talky and seemed like a big disappointment--just like the really cheesy explosion at the end of the show. Decent but it sure could have been better.

A government official is selling secrets to the opposition, and Drake is assigned to stop him.

Don't Nail Him Yet is a story of two halves. The first half is fantastic, with McGoohan delivering a great performance as Drake disguised as a mousy school teacher. John Fraser is also great as the double agent.

The last 20 minutes are disappointing, and the ending is really bad. It definitely could have been better.

When Rawson is suspected of selling secrets, Drake's boss wants to bring him in. Drake will bring anyone in but he has to be sure, he then befriends Rawson. Drake posing as a nervous teacher opens up dialogue in a pub when Rawson takes pity as his classical vinyl records are destroyed by some rowdy youths(amongst them Wendy Richards). With their mutual love of music established Drake moves closer into Rawsons circle. There are some great location shots of Fulham Football Club as the two 'friends' watch a match although Drake is looking for Rawson's contacts. This episode is a great example of Mcgoohans acting range, as he develops a new persona every week. Sixties espionage does not get better than Danger Man.

This is not my favorite episode but it stands out because this show is where we are first introduced to perhaps the most ubiquitous spy gadget in the entire series; the cigarette lighter that doubles as a camera.

So far in this 1964-66 1 hour series we've seen an electric shaver with a built in transmitter, a camera in an alarm clock, and audio/video surveillance gear hidden in a wine barrel. Those gadgets came and went, but the lighter that takes pictures is going to stick around for many more episodes.

Oh how I long for the days when hidden cameras were that rare; simply as fantasy technology in a TV show. You know what I mean bothers and sisters?

While not completely realistic, this is less fanciful than usual and contains many plausible elements of genuine spycraft. Drake is called on to help Special Branch link a suspected traitor to his foreign contact or handler. There are many scenes of tailing - and momentarily losing - the suspect in the City of London, especially around the Mall. (We see the sights including, I think, the Victoria Memorial and the statue of the Duke of Wellington.) At one point, Drake makes the mistake of stepping out from behind cover so that Rawson, the suspect, can see Drake's reflection in a shop window. This travelogue is burnished with lively dialogue by Philip Broadley. The acting is excellent, and many bits of business are nice such as the official who pours a drink as an indication that he is done talking to Gorton and Drake, and then turns on them when they don't leave, as if to say, Can't you take a hint?