Danger UXB

British actor Anthony Andrews was never better than in his Danger UXB role as a heroic--if somewhat obsessive--bomb disposal unit member during WWII's London blitz. An engineering student excited about his rapid commission as an army officer, Andrews' character, Lieutenant Brian Ash, is distressed to find himself assigned to a fatality-heavy group responsible for dismantling un-exploded German ordnance. While colleagues and friends continue to die all around him, Ash soldiers on, becoming increasingly demoralized and unable to find solace in a doomed love affair with a married woman (Judy Geeson). Yet, there is also a fair amount of humor in Danger UXB, most of it provided by Ash's crew, a brave lot that are also somewhat reminiscent of Sergeant Bilko's hustlers. Created and co-written by John Hawkesworth, who would soon produce the superb Sherlock Holmes TV series starring Jeremy Brett, Danger UXB is a suspenseful, tragic, moving, and altogether entertaining miniseries. DVD extras features include the History Channel-aired documentary "Bomb Squad." Highly recommended. (T. Keogh)