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(More customer reviews)Jason King was of the classic british ITC series which were popular round the world in the sixties and seventies. During that era there was an ethos within British television that broadcasters should be producing culturally parochial material which fulfilled a public service agenda- much like Hugo Chavez's current media policies in Venezuala. The results were depressing dramas about drunken parents on poor housing estates etc. Lew Grade the Director of ITC was having none of this and he brazenly set about making glossy productions with high production values, attractive actors and actresses and glamerous overseas locations (albeit with the use of stock footage). Lew Grade's aim was always to score a hit in the USA- the biggest tv market in the world. Ironically the USA was usually the country in which these shows were most poorly received.The Muppet Show, Danger Man (AKA Secret Agent), The Saint, The Prisoner and Space 1999 are familiar to many viewers who grew up in that era, but there many other ITC shows worth discovering.
Jason King is a writer who travels the world drinking Champagn, seducing pretty young women and genrally living a decadent lifesyle. The character was introduced in the earlier series Department S where his imagination was used by Interpol to help them solve bizarre crimes and strange unexplained events- much in the manner that the CIA now consult writers and filmakers to dream up potential scenarios which terrorists might use to undermine our security.
Jason was by far the most popular character in that show and when a follow up was planned the rest of the cast were dropped to focus on the life of the character himself. Peter Wyngarde was nervous about this beciuse he thought that his fabulously flamboyant and over the top character was best used in small doses. To an extent these fears were founded because Jason King lacks the pace and dynamism of the earlier show. What we are treated to is the full excesses of Wyngarde and the joys of his wit and screen presence. In one episode he is given a one-way ticket to London by two soviet agents who want him to leave Vienna straight away. King looks at the ticket and drolly remarks that he never travels economy class.
Wyngarde sports the most incredible 70's fashions much of it culled from his own wardrobe- in one episode he gets though 4 different caftans. What will surprise today's viewers is that nobody suspected that he might be gay despite his high camp manner and penchant for leather outfits. This was, however, a more innocent era. Peter Wyngarde is always a fantastic actor to watch and he brings his full charm and wit to this role.
Some episodes are played fairly seriously while others are played very much for laughs. I think it highly likely that Jason King was a major inspiration for Austin Powers.
If you like British shows,camp humour, decadent living and the 1970's then Jason King is for you- and full marks to Image for the groovy cover.
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BEFORE AUSTIN POWERS SWUNG INTO ACTION, JASON KING SET THE STANDARD FOR THE HIP CRIME-FIGHTING INTERNATIONAL PLAYBOY! THE SUAVELY SOPHISTICATED FORMER SECRET AGENT TURNED NOVELIST (PETER WYNGARDE) PURSUES ADVENTURE IN THIS CLASSIC SEVENTIES BRITISH TV SERIES, A SPIN-OFF OF THE POPULAR DEPARTMENT S. SHARE THE EXCITEMENT IN ALL 26 EPISODES OF THE COMPLETE SERIES AS KING, RECENTLY VOTED ONE OF BRITAIN'S 100 GREATEST TV CHARACTERS, TRAVELS THE WORLD SEARCHING FOR MATERIAL TO FILL HIS BOOKS, ENCOUNTERING AN ENDLESS PARADE OF GLAMOROUS WOMEN, EXOTIC LOCALES, MENACING VILLAINS AND DARING INTRIGUE! BRILLIANT ROSTER OF CULT FAVORITE GUEST STARS INCLUDING DENNIS PRICE (THEATER OF BLOOD), FREDDIE JONES (THE ELEPHANT MAN), RALPH BATES (DR. JEKYLL & SISTER HYDE), JULIAN GLOVER (FOR YOUR EYES ONLY), NIGEL GREEN (THE IPCRESS FILE), YUTTE STENSGAARD (LUST FOR A VAMPIRE), MILTON REID (THE SPY WHO LOVED ME), ME ME LAI (THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER), MADELINE SMITH (LIVE AND LET DIE), TONY BECKLEY (WHEN A STRANGER CALLS), BRITISH TV CELEBRITY FELICITY KENDAL, CLIVE REVILL (THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE), SANDOR ELES (COUNTESS DRACULA), INGRID PITT (THE WICKER MAN), KATE O'MARA (THE VAMPIRE LOVERS), FIONA LEWIS (THE FURY), ANNA GAEL (THERESE AND ISABELLE), ANTHONY HIGGINS (THE DRAUGHTSMAN'S CONTRACT), BURT KWOUK ("KATO" FROM THE PINK PANTHER SERIES), STEPHANIE BEACHAM (TV'S DYNASTY), STUART WILSON (DEATH AND THE MAIDEN), ROY KINNEAR (HELP!), SUE LLOYD (PERCY) AND MICHELE DOTRICE (BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW)!
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