Once you get past the absurd concept that the protagonist of Danger Man, John Drake (Patrick McGoohan), is supposed to be an American secret agent, you’ll have a good time with this series. McGoohan is many things, but an American he is not.
Pre-dating the first James Bond film by just a year, Danger Man is a fun, fast-paced series. In fact, when the producers of Dr. No were trying to find their James Bond, McGoohan was considered for the role, and it’s easy to see why. He’s cold and cerebral, but convincing as a man of action. He also conveys something few actors can - cognition. He’s always watching, listening, thinking, deciding who to trust and which way to jump. The show is well-written and well-made, but much of the urgency and tension is generated by McGoohan’s edgy performance.
Each episode is half an hour, so the pacing is brisk. A typical episode begins with Drake journeying to a foreign country on a mission (i.e. stock footage followed by a small set in England doubling for the location). Sometimes Drake recovers a stolen piece of microfilm. Sometimes he breaks up a spy ring, or a band of drug smugglers. Sometimes he solves a murder, or prevents one - but he rarely commits one.
In fact, Drake doesn’t carry a gun and doesn’t bed any of the lovely ladies he encounters - conditions McGoohan imposed on the producers before accepting the role. Instead of undercutting the character, these conditions define him. He won’t use violence unless he absolutely has to, and his dedication to his mission renders him completely asexual. He can’t afford to become physically or emotionally entangled with anyone. Throw in a few obligatory fist fights, top it all off with a brassy main theme, and you’ve got a solid, entertaining show.
On a side note, fans of The Prisoner - which I reviewed here - have speculated that Number Six is meant to be John Drake. After all, Number Six was a spy, and we never learn his true name. Putting aside the fact that McGoohan played both roles, the two characters share a number of catch phrases (”Be seeing you”) and mannerisms. Including them in The Prisoner couldn’t have been an accident. At the very least, the character of Number Six grew out of John Drake, so if you’re planning to Netflix Danger Man, go ahead and add The Prisoner to your queue while you’re at it.
So, wait, is McGoohan even attempting an American accent?
No, he’s speaking in his normal voice, which isn’t overtly Irish, but isn’t American either. As I understand it, when the show came back for season two, they made his character European.
That’s damn peculiar.