Strike Back: Season Three (2013/Cinemax/HBO Blu-ray Set)

Picture: B+ Sound: B+ Extras: C+ Episodes: C+

The world is not saving itself!

Cinemax's hit show, Strike Back, comes to Blu-ray in its Third Season in the wake of the new season about to air on the premium network. The action show is based on a novel of the same name by novelist and former SAS soldier named Chris Ryan. The series follows the actions of Section 20, a secretive branch of the British service (DI), who operate several high risk, priority missions throughout the globe. The show stars Sullivan Stapleton and Philip Winchester.

Series 3, entitled Vengeance, is a ten episode season and spans four discs in this nicely packaged release. The season picks up with the stealth counterterrorism unit Section 20, led by two crack special agents - the American renegade Sgt. Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) and the elite British spy Sgt. Michael Stonebridge (Philip Winchester). The duo continues to battle threats and try to help save our global security around the world. This season they track a deadly terrorist network from Colombia to Beirut to Europe, uncovering deadly plots that reach to the West. As in previous seasons, the production utilizes consultants who work in the field of counterterrorism to add to the authenticity of the series, providing essential background on stories, characters, training and settings.

The returning cast also includes Rhona Mitra as Maj. Rachel Dalton, Michelle Lukes as Sgt. Julia Richmond and Liam Garrigan as Sgt. Liam Baxter. New cast members includes Robson Green as a new member of Section 20, Dougray Scott as rogue operative James Leatherby and Milauna Jackson as a key player who crosses paths with the counterterrorism team. The production value on the show is pretty solid and would be curious to read the book to see how close it is to the show.

Presented in crystal clear 1080p High Definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and a powerful, lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is the best the show has ever sounded. Additional audio tracks in French DTS 5.1 and Spanish DTS 2.0 Stereo are also on the disc.

Extras include nine featurettes and three insightful audio commentary tracks from the Cast and Crew.

All in all, if you are a fan of the show or if you like espionage action, then Strike Back should definitely be on your list of TV shows to check out. Read more about the show in our review of the first U.S. season at this link:

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/11724/Hijacked+(2011/Anchor+Bay+Blu-ray+w/DV

- James Harland Lockhart V

www.facebook.com/jhl5films