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Edmonton Journal

Adventures in Streaming: Gary Oldman, John Le Carre and a series worth sitting through ads for

Article content Le Carre was a veteran of MI-5 and knew his stuff, and since the plot was clearly inspired by the infamous real-life defection of English spy Kim Philby, the series is not short on veracity. The slow burn is worth it. But for the most surprising discovery in the reality-based, anti-Bond espionage genre, go to 1978, the year before TTSS went to air. That's when Brits were treated to the first of three seasons of The Sandbaggers (all seasons are available for free on Tubi). The action beats are few and far between, but the series, created by Scottish novelist Ian Mackintosh, is absolutely compelling, considering that 80 per cent of the show consists of men talking in nondescript bureaucratic office spaces. The premise: Neil Burnside (Roy Marsden) presides over the Secret Intelligence Service, a small, specialized cadre of agents who use their skills to take on special assignments, such as escorting defectors out of hostile countries, or neutralizing turncoats using whatever means necessary. For a modest production, the show is full of surprising moments, shocking reversals, and at least one jaw-dropping betrayal. It's worth sitting through those terrible Tubi commercials. There is no higher praise than that.