Who says Canada lags behind the U.S. and Britain as a supplier of quality TV dramas? Certainly not anyone who has seen the critically acclaimed, award-winning Intelligence, a fine show that boasts exemplary writing, acting, and direction, not to mention crisp cinematography and edgy musical scoring. The two protagonists are respected businessman-turned-drug smuggler Jimmy Reardon (Ian Tracey) and ruthlessly ambitious Organized Crime Unit head Mary Spalding (Klea Scott). Jimmy's interested in fending off would-be competitors for Vancouver's drug trade, while Mary's concerned with intelligence-community rivals trying to usurp her position. Since Jimmy and Mary can actually help one another, they wind up forging an uneasy and dangerous alliance in the 14 episodes here from the 2006-07 first season, which explores the pair's dicey “professional” relationship (with the threat of exposure, disgrace, and/or arrest constantly hanging over their heads). Complex and ambiguous, Intelligence demands viewers stay on their toes, so to speak, while also keeping them on the edges of their seats. DVD extras include behind-the-scenes clips, a text bio of series creator Chris Haddock, character descriptions, and cast filmographies. Recommended. (E. Hulse)
Intelligence: Season One
Acorn, 4 discs, 676 min., not rated, DVD: $59.99 Volume 23, Issue 3
Intelligence: Season One
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As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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