Monday, April 27, 2015

TV Show Review - DANGER 5

Timeless comedy from down under.

Created by Dario Russo and David Ashby, DANGER 5 tells the story of a team of spies during World War II through the lens of the '60s.  The group undergoes various missions all with the same goal: "kill Hitler", as Colonel Chestbridge (an eagle headed man) always says.  DANGER 5 stars David Ashby, Aldo Mignone, Amanda Simons, Natasa Ristic, and Sean James Murphy (seen from left to right in the picture below).  This Australian TV show first aired in 2012 and now has two seasons, which are both available on Netflix.


Season 1 of DANGER 5

Season 2 of the series switches gears.  Although the team still tries to kill Hitler, the setting changes.  Now in the '80s, they fight Hitler in a world full of disco, neon, and pizza.  Newcomer Tilman Vogler joins the group for this season (seen on the far left in the picture below) as a replacement for beloved character Pierre.  Fans of the 2007 straight-to-YouTube film Italian Spiderman would enjoy DANGER 5.  The two parodies share similar qualities, like creators Dario Russo and David Ashby, excessive retro elements, and comically substandard acting and plots.


Season 2 of DANGER 5

There are two elements of DANGER 5 that are characteristic of the show: its aesthetic and genre combinations.  The first is probably the most visible.  Season 1 of DANGER 5 combines the clothing, hairstyles, technology, and typical color palettes of the '60s and '40s, creating a unique style the distinguishes the first season from other shows online.  Personally, this combined aesthetic alone hooked me.  Season 2 maintained this element, although it focused more on the '80s.  The new wardrobe and technology felt like it was 20 years later, but, according to the plot line, it was only 5 years.


One thing that is consistent in both seasons is the second of the two elements: the combination of genres.  Both seasons are a mix of action, comedy, romance, drama, and suspense.  This medley provides endless entertainment for almost everyone.  Whether you like things funny, serious, sad, or (mildly) thrilling, you can enjoy DANGER 5.  There is a constant flow in each episode that ranges from comedic intros featuring Colonel Chestbridge (the aforementioned strangely normal eagle-man hybrid) to romantic encounters between the spies to thrilling and dramatic cliffhangers that end most episodes.  It may be an overall cheesy show, but the genres that Russo and Ashby incorporate all fit together, and lend themselves to a truly one-of-a-kind show.


As with any TV show, DANGER 5 features exciting music to accompany the spies on their missions.  Co-creator Dario Russo made the soundtrack for seasons one and two, which is available here and here on CD Baby.  Perhaps the most well known tracks on Russo's two albums are the theme songs for the two seasons, titled "Danger 5 Theme" and "Danger 5 Theme (Series 2)".  Not only are these tunes memorable because of their classic feel that prepares the viewer for the mood and style of the show, but also because they are played at the beginning of each episode, which reinforces them for the audience, naturally.




On a more educational note,  DANGER 5 incorporates many different languages and historical figures into the show.  Some of the languages spoken include Russian, German, French, Italian, Japanese, English, and more.  The really fascinating thing about this aspect of the show is how seamlessly the characters transition from language to language.  Rather than forcing the characters to all speak English with varying accents, they speak their respective languages and still maintain the ability to interact with each other.  Throughout the series, the spies encounter 19 different historical figures from Josef Mengele to Benito Mussolini to Nikita Khruschev to (of course) Adolf Hitler.  These cameos, although comical, shed light on the historical events by supplementing these grade school history lessons with (occasionally) accurate portrayals of these people.


If you enjoy classic action, thrilling spy adventures, or even comical running gags, like learning how to make a different, perfect cocktail drink each episode, DANGER 5 has what you need, and more.

No comments:

Post a Comment