The Unit follows the lives of the members of a small covert Special Forces team operating outside the usual military chain of command – in other words, they don’t really exist, especially if things go wrong. And go wrong they did at the end of the second season, leaving loyal viewers with a huge cliff-hanger that takes the first two episodes to of season three to sort out. These two episodes initially feel like The Unit has become more of a Prison Break, where the good guys have to prove their innocence after being framed by some shadowing corporation. But then you realise that it isn’t Prison Break, it’s just a fresh was of showing us how good these covert specialists are at doing there jobs.
From episode three, things get back to normal, with the boys going to all kinds of locations, with extraction missions, to assassinations. All the while, back at home their wives have to deal with the uncertainty of being married to soldiers.
Season three is a little smaller than previous seasons, and lacks some direction, ending with no real conclusion or cliff hanger – but that probably has more to do with the writers strike than anything else. The lack of a cliff hanger doesn’t give the easy anticipation of what comes next, forcing the viewers loyalty to the show to kick in as we wait for the next season. This feels a little weird, but season three does have enough kick to keep you hooked and wanting more.
It’s the mix of action, political intrigue and the soapy-ness of the army wives aspect that makes The Unit a well rounded show that both sexes can enjoy – it might not have the gritty reality of shows like Generation Kill, but it is a nice feel good series, that keeps you occupied, draws you in, and make you feel at home.
Reviewed by: Jonathan Read
Rating: [M] Contains violence
Released on: October 27th, 2009
Stars: Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Robert Patrick, Audrey Marie Anderson, Max Martini, Abby Brammell, Michael Irby, Demore Barnes, Scott Foley, Rebecca Pidgeon, Alex Hyde-White, Ned Bellamy
Languages: English
Director: Various
Studio: Roadshow
