Before Bond, before Maxwell Smart and Mrs. Emma Peel, we''ve enjoyed a wide variety of TV Spies. From 1951''s Dangerous Assignment to today''s Burn Notice, we''ve watched cloak-and-dagger adventures from popular successes like Alias and Mission: Impossible to thoughtful mini-series like The Sandbaggers to cartoons and even live animals in shows like Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. Our TV secret agents have worn masks and capes (Adventures of Zorro), fought in the historical past (Hogan's Heroes, Jack of All Trades), been as stylish as Napoleon Solo in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., or have been as frumpy as George Smiley in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. No one knows more about the wide vista of these undercover operatives than Dr. Wesley Britton, author of the highly-acclaimed 2004 history of the genre, Spy Television. Now, Britton has compiled the first indispensable reference book on television espionage unveiling the secrets behind our beloved favorites, the nuggets we might have missed, and the programs that disappeared without a trace after their short original runs. Britton provides the behind-the-scenes creative process for TV spies drawn from both extensive research and his interviews with many participants. He uncovers the reasons why some dramas were either unforgettable hits or regrettable misses. But The Encyclopedia of TV Spies is more than a historical overview-. Britton offers analysis of the elements that made key shows innovative and trend-setting and why some of the best productions ever made never jelled with the networks or audiences. And, like a "Special Edition" DVD, The Encyclopedia of TV Spies also includes extra features including articles on tie-in novels and how to collect TV spy music. In short, no entertainment library is complete without The Encyclopedia of TV Spies, and no fan of television should be without it. Every reader should expect to discover surprises and suggestions for their own viewing, and will find themselves seeking out the best dramas and comedies available on DVD or online.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thorough and interesting overview,
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This review is from: The Encyclopedia of TV Spies (Paperback)
Wes Britton has written a fabulous overlook of spies on TV. What sets this encyclopedia apart is its thoroughness and solid writing. It doesn't just cover the big names like Maxwell Smart and Napoleon Solo, but every spy that's appeared on TV, all the way down to Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp. The articles are interesting and filled with behind the scenes tidbits. It's not just a great resource, but also an interesting read for anyone who's a fan of espionage. I highly recommend it for all fans of TV and movie spies.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great book marred by numerous errors.,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Encyclopedia of TV Spies (Paperback)
Long a fan of spy TV shows, I've wished for a thick, chewy reference book like this one for years. I received it from Amazon a few days ago, and while I'm only halfway through reading it, I felt compelled to go ahead and write a review. First, the good: this is clearly a labor of love for author Wesley Britton, and fulfills its purpose as a compendium of almost every spy show produced for the English-speaking television market. Whether you're looking for write-ups on the top successes in the field (Avengers, Mission: Impossible) or hoping to find more obscure failures (Gemini Man, A Man Called Sloane), you won't be disappointed. The range is quite admirable too, encompassing the obvious, as well as kiddie shows, comedies, mini-series, and the tangentially-related. So far, the only glaring omission I've noticed is "Kim Possible."
Another aspect I particularly enjoy about the book is that it generously cross-references actors and production folks who worked on other spy shows (as well as the Bond movies). For instance, it's fun to see "Avengers" writer Brian Clemens' name popping up in so many of the spy shows of the mid-century. Yet another useful feature of the book is Britton's letting readers know if a show is available on DVD or some other format, or if it has been hopelessly lost like a severely compromised agent behind the Iron Curtain. On to the bad, or rather, the sad. Some seriously sloppy editing severely mars this book's readability. Early on, spelling mistakes such as "Britains" for "Britons" (amusing when you consider the author's name), and "morays" for "mores" made me wary of the "facts" contained in the book. My radar pinged when I saw "Themes" listed twice as the production company for the classic series "Callan." Had I not encountered the earlier mistakes, I would have glossed over it. However, a quick internet check confirmed that it was "Thames" Television who produced the show. Other mistakes I've noticed have been harmless or amusing, like "bomb" spelled "bom" (in the "Get Smart!" entry), "Naval" spelled "Navel" (the "JAG" entry). But others are a serious kick in the gut of scholarship, like misspelling Don Adams' name "Addams" once, Barbara Feldon's name "Felton" once, and the most personally irritating to me, consistently misspelling "It Takes a Thief" character Alexander Mundy's name as "Munday." In fact, I had planned to buy this book for a friend of mine who loves '60s spy teevee more than I do for his birthday this year. I won't now, because I know that that one spelling error will send him into fits of pique. One shouldn't knowingly send one's friends into fits of pique. My more important point is that when you can see the glaring mistakes, it makes you deeply distrustful of the information you don't come to the book already knowing. Spies, and their chroniclers, should know this! My only other minor quibble with this book is that some entries, particularly those of mini-series, tend to get bogged down in unnecessarily long plot break-downs. Also, some obscure shows have listings than are probably longer than they deserve. I might suggest for future editions that the author divide the book into two sections, the first listing the major spy shows -- the ground-breakers and wild successes like "I Spy," "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.," "Wild, Wild West," "Get Smart," "The Prisoner," etc. up front. Go into more detail with these shows, and provide more photos. They deserve it, and readers want it. The back section would then contain all the lesser lights, perhaps giving some quick critical analysis that might help readers decide whether a show is worth seeking out in some form. And, FIX THOSE MISTAKES! All in all, five stars for effort -- and the sheer love of the material shown by the author -- but two stars for editing, resulting in a 3.5 rating from me. Worth owning if you love the genre, but reader beware!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spies and secret agents and more,
By Agitator76 (Levittown, NY United States) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Encyclopedia of TV Spies (Paperback)
If you are a Baby Boomer who remembers with fondness growing up with Illya Kuryakin, John Drake, and Emma Peel or if you were born too late and want to get some idea what all the fuss was about, this is the book for you. Entries include valuable information on the availability of the different series on DVD. A wonderful companion to Spy Television also by Britton.
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