Callan Uncovered

Since finishing the Callan TV show, I've been craving more of our antihero and his cadre of backstabbing frenemies, but as the fandom is basically nonexistent, I've been forced to turn to official sources to slake my cravings. No, I didn't resurrect James Mitchell and make him write a 234089123 chapter Callan/Meres fic, followed by a live reenactment by zombie!Edward and vampire!Anthony. (Alas!) But I did buy the Callan Uncovered volumes of short stories, which Mitchell first published in the Sunday Express, and which later formed the basis for the TV show and movies. For the most part, they're standard pulp spy fiction - stark and punchy - with just enough scenery sketched in to provide a backdrop to the action. The plots are pretty formulaic too. Hunter gives Callan a target to protect/kill, Callan hires Lonely to do the spying or breaking & entering, something goes wrong because Hunter withheld information, and Callan ends up running-and-gunning (or punching) his way out of a bad situation. Of course he survives, but with a little bit less of his conscience each time.

Did I mention that the writing is incredibly sexist? I counted exactly three female characters who weren't damsels-in-distress or sexy femme fatales. Now, I didn't expect much from '60s pulp fiction, but god damn, did I really have to force myself through some of these stories.

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I bothered. The reason is... because I was looking for some Callan/Meres ship fodder. And I found it! Though not as much as I'd like, since Meres is only a minor character in the stories. Hunter, on the other hand... oh boy, there is some SERIOUSLY slashy Hunter/Callan banter, which I have to share with the fandom. So without further ado, all the ship information you could ask for along with some interesting tidbits that should prove useful to the fic writer.

( General Observations )

( Interesting Short Stories )

( Miscellaneous Bits and Pieces )