Ah yes, welcome to the wonderful world of Special Unit 2. There is no better time in the world to become a Special Unit 2 fan than now. Without a doubt Special Unit 2 is one of the more unique and interesting shows on television to day. This column here is a way to say hello, get everyone up to speed, and talk to you about the newsletter.

Now, not everyone shares our love for the show but that is a topic for another time. All we can do is just stand here and smile as Special Unit heads into the second season of production. That's right 13 episodes is the agreement UPN gave to Special Unit 2, not too shabby considering we started with six. What decided our fate were the ratings in a key demographic, the 18-34 year old male demographic. Ratings are always tricky to explain, but in the end, we had the ratings that other shows such as Seven Days did not have. However, Special Unit 2 being a lead in for the now finished Star Trek: Voyager captured a substantial audience and maintained the ratings over the summer. The second season premiere noted by creator Evan Katz was pretty good. One thing we all need to be sure of is that UPN is somewhat limited in the marketing and promotions department so getting the word out is very important and all of us can help. Talk to your friends, family, post on the boards you visit, etc... If we want to see the 100th episode, which I know I do, it is really up to us to do the damage. Personally, I will not be happy with anything less than five full seasons on top of the six episode first season.

Well, you are now up to speed on Special Unit 2. Well, no, not really. There has been a cast change and a new addition to the show. Sean Whalen, known as Sean Radmon on the show, and the Producers have agreed to part ways. Incoming is the fresh new face in Jonathan Togo, who is playing a character named Jonathan. I wonder if that is coincidence or not. Anyway, he may be still a little green but with a little time, he could really develop into an interesting character. Then we have Alice, the public relations agent of Special Unit 2, played by Pauley Perrette. She is a sexy and fine actress who fits in perfectly. To her and Jonathan Togo, I say welcome aboard and welcome to the wonderful world of Special Unit 2.

Our main goal here at the newsletter is to give something back to the talented people who make Special Unit 2 possible, from the producers to the gaffers to the guy who brought Michael Landes his double Latte.

Each and every person makes a difference, no one person is more important than another is. We are not only doing this for them but for the fans as well. Special Unit 2 has brought all of us together and all of us are making friendships that will last a lifetime. If we make just one person happy, if only one person enjoys the newsletter, if only one crewmember can get away from the hectic schedule of the show for a few minutes to read that their work is appreciated then we have done our job. We are in this for the long haul this is all about having fun and making friends.

Special Unit 2 is very special to each and every one of us in different ways. This is a forum for you to give something back to the cast and crew and show other fans your talents. Whether you love to draw, write or anything come and be a part of something special. This is as much your newsletter as it is ours, we don't want to do this all by ourselves. So, if you ever get an idea for something you would like to see in here like a poem, a parody of a popular song with Special Unit 2 influences, or anything at all dont be afraid to do it and send it over. Submissions are greatly welcomed and always open for anyone. The size of each issue will depend upon submissions but we hope to have at least a 5-page issue every month. Yes, that's right, we hope to have this as a monthly newsletter. This way we can get a few issues to the cast and crew before shooting ends in early January. Every one of you has talent and intelligence, come and share that with us. This is a newsletter by the fans for the fans, as well as the cast and crew. We are all here because of Special Unit 2, because the show is that damn good!

For an interesting look at the world behind Special Unit 2, I thought long and hard about whom to start with. There are so many people with talent behind the scenes to talk about I figured let us start with the directors. Their visions with a particular script and styles give us the different episodes we see one week to the next. Whether it's a comedic episode or a serious one a good director can take a great script and make the episode one of the finest. It's amazing what directors can do, some like long takes. Remember in the episode "the Skin," where Nick and Kate drive up to the first crime scene. There were no cuts and Nick and Kate went straight through without stopping. Long takes are great to me because it shows how good an actor really is while establishing a heightened atmosphere. Every director has their own way of making the atmospheres thicker or thinner depending on the kind of episode it is.

The director is the man that has to try and make happen what they read in the script; sometimes concessions have to be made regarding whether something is even possible like in a stunt. Then if the episode is running a bit long they are the ones that must decide which bits need to be clipped. Directors must oversee every aspect of production and really are the composers of what we see each week. They each have their own styles and visions, but they bring us something unique and refreshing.

One of these directors is John Kretchmer, who also serves as producer on Special Unit 2. John Kretchmer has quite a bit of experience behind the camera as he served as 1st Assistant Director on feature films Jurassic Park, Flatliners, and Silver Bullet. His foray into feature films was nice, but it was his turn in the world of television that I discovered John Kretchmer. When he directed the episode "Lovers" in the tv show BrimStone I knew he had some talent. It was the first time I really started to appreciate production in different ways.

John Kretchmer really brought an extra edge to the show, with his varying camera angles and direction of the two stars provided for a remarkable episode that had humor, a dark tone, and excellent action sequences. Definitely one of the better all round episodes that had everything that made BrimStone a fine show. John Kretchmer has brought that same understanding and approach to Special Unit 2. His other tv directing projects have been Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Early Edition, Sea Quest, and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Another of the Special Unit 2 director's club is Terry Windell. Terry Windell was not always a director, as many times you will find directors come from different backgrounds and different areas of expertise in a particular aspect of production. Some directors are writers, some used to be camera operators, and like Terry Windell who was an F/X animator. His work on Return of the Jedi is one of the more remarkable credits on his resume. He also served as an animator on Stephen Spielberg's first big success in E.T. Terry Windell who has directed episodes of Star Trek: Voyager, brings a unique perspective to direction. With his previous experience, he knows how to put the emphasis on what really works for that episode. He may have a little more appreciation for F/X than other directors but that makes him a unique director who relies on visuals in, on, and around the characters. Take another look at "the Wraps," from the first season and you can see what I mean by that.

Fellow member of the Special Unit 2 director's club is Oscar Costo. With a broad range of experience behind him, Oscar Costo sure knows how to bring the dark tones and atmospheres in a particular episode. With a firm grasp on the tone of Special Unit 2, Oscar Costo can bring out the best in a dark environment. Look at "the Skin," but then also check out his penchant for action, comedy, and drama in "the Waste." Oscar Costo definitely has a way of bringing out the atmosphere of a particular episode. Some of his other works include directing episodes of Dark Skies, The Net, Sliders, Sea Quest, and New York Undercover.

In a future newsletter, a second look at the directors will cover the newest members of the club in this second season of Special Unit 2. Special Unit 2 features unique styles and backgrounds in the directors, but regardless of that. They show an understanding of the show and give us something a little different each week while keeping the show on the same high quality level with their counterparts on the show. From Pre-production to post-production, these directors give a 100% of the creativity and imagination to give us the best episode possible. They never cease to help us escape for an hour and create a wonderful show to watch. To the Special Unit 2 director's club, we say thank you for your hard work; it is appreciated. Keep up the great work guys. Nothing I could say could do these directors justice for who they are and the work they do. I just hope to give these directors the credit they deserve and to inform every one of who they are and where they came from.