tangent-cc What a difference a decade makes. I never saw this show when it was on UPN in 2001-02. So, I can take a much better perspective.The show was average at best. It had its good moments and not-so-good moments. However, the show was mainly a developing ground for creator Evan Katz, who would learn from it and go on to create, produce and write the classic "24."Good parts: great special effects and a good supporting cast, namely Danny Woodburn as Carl the Gnome, always trying to pull off the big heist while not violating parole; Jonathan Togo in his first acting gig and a few years before becoming Ryan Wolfe on 141 episodes and counting of "CSI: Miami", and Pauley Perrette, already a seasoned veteran but is interesting here as Alice Kramer, with blonde bobbed hair, slinky outfits and bare skin with not a single tattoo.Bad parts: Clichéd characters. Michael Landes' Det. Nick O'Malley is a man with the cliché itchy trigger finger who lost his last partner and hasn't gotten past it. Alexondra Lee's Det. Kate Benson is a beautiful cop with a lot of repressed sexual feelings. Richard Gant as Captain Page was one of the most stilted characters I've seen on TV in a long time as the token black cop who stays in the office.In brief, Special Unit 2 is a section of the Chicago Police Department that handles supernatural incidents. For its part, it stayed away from vampires but every other supernatural being was fair game.Detectives O'Malley and Benson are the two main characters, sort of Mulder and Sculley. Alas, Landres and Lee didn't have anywhere near the chemistry of Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.The show had its moments, such as in the pilot where SU2 had to save Chicago from gargoyles using the citizens as food. The acting was strong, the effects were above average and there was even some suspense. Seeing Togo as a geek with a pip-squeaky voice is a trip and Perrette as anything but Abby Sciuto is almost mind-bending. Woodburn was always comical at the right time, except when playing against Gant's woodenness.UPN didn't have a big budget for the show and cast the best people it could get. Like the fledgling WB, it was struggling against the Big Four. Low budgets have been sci-fi shows' greatest threats.Katz had a great story and had written all of the episodes. What he did not have were great actors who could believably pull off the lead characters. Due to budget constraints, he had to take what the show could afford. Landres went on to the kind of episodic TV guest shots one uses to pay the bills, while Lee disappeared from TV after a guest spot on "CSI" in 2006. From today's 20/20 hindsight point of view, it might have been better for Togo and Perrette to play the leads. Now, they would have made quite the mismatched pair.They weren't cast in the lead, though. Landres and Lee were and they could not bring it off. Their own interactions seemed forced. Landres conveyed no authority. Lee seemed uncomfortable in the role."SU2" aired for one full season and a few shows of a second season before UPN pulled the plug. The network allegedly had to call it quits because both it and Katz found the concept of the show very appealing. Unfortunately, the concept was almost identical to "Bureau 13," a role- playing game and series of novels by Nick Pollotta in 1991 centered around a secret unit of the FBI that investigates paranormal and supernatural criminals.Chris Carter acknowledged the material when he created "X Files" and Steven Spielberg did the same when he came up with "Men in Black." For some reason, UPN and Katz didn't nor would they respond to Pollotta's calls.UPN pulled the plug on the show, perhaps sensing that it would not win a plagiarism lawsuit.Too bad for people all the way around.

jimridgway A great concept gone wrong. Poor acting, even worse writing....After watching the first two episodes I was wondering why it ever made it to season two. The characters are forgettable, the writing is poor, the sets are just OK. The special effects are simply sad - so much better has been made in the same time-frame - where is the money going on this one? The first episode starts out interesting then goes downhill fast - the precept of the whole show is just silly. Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge Sci-Fi fan and 'geek' - but this show simply doesn't cut it. As I said in the beginning, I am truly surprised it made it to season two - so much better has been canceled after only one season (Jake 2.0 for example). This show was just bad.

specialunit Special Unit 2 was one of the greatest televison shows I can recall ever watching. I am broken hearted that UPN has chosen to cancel such a highly ranked TV series! I simply cannot recall a science fiction series with such viewer appeal. Special Unit 2 contained humor, action, and suspense...all the qualities an excellent televison series must contain. I am going to miss this wonderful show greatly. My only desire is for another network to begin airing Special Unit 2.

monstermania I found out about the show just a few months ago, and I love it. Despite what other comments have stated, it is not Men in Black the live action series, as the subjects are links, not aliens. It is a great idea for a show that the missing links have been identified and they are on the rampage in Chicago. The chemistry is great between the leads, and anything involving Carl the gnome and his theft habits is hilarious. The sense of humor is the defining characteristic of the show, and is like nothing a sci-fi addict like me had ever seen. It is fresh and original, and the clever scripting is perfect for the show. The best episodes are the ones where the leads are under the influence of a link, and they are not themselves. It shows what great actors the producers chose for the series, as they demonstrate their amazing versatility. The effects are great, and the production is much better than some of the series on tv. Overall, this this show is a gem and should not be missed by any dedicated sci-fi fan.