Strike Back is a British/American action-adventure/spy-drama television series based on a novel of the same name by novelist and former Special Air Service (SAS) soldier Chris Ryan. The series follows the actions of Section 20, a secretive branch of the British Defence Intelligence service (DI), who operate several high risk, priority missions throughout the globe. The series began broadcasting on Sky1 on 5 May 2010, showing the first six-part series. After a second series was commissioned, it was announced that Cinemax would co-produce the franchise. The first episode of the ten-part second series, under the banner title Project Dawn in the United Kingdom, first aired on Cinemax on 12 August 2011. The ten-part third series, under the title Strike Back: Vengeance, began airing on Cinemax on 17 August 2012. On 3 October 2012, Cinemax and Sky commissioned a fourth series, which was broadcast on Cinemax beginning 9 August 2013.
Episodes
EPISODE 1 – When a journalist is kidnapped outside Basra by a terrorist group, two former soldiers driven apart after disarming a suicide bomber years earlier — military hero Hugh Collinson and disgraced veteran John Porter — come together to try to save her.
EPISODE 2 – Porter persuades a captive to lead him to the kidnapped journalist, where he allows himself to be captured; when terrorists decide to kill the journalist, Porter breaks free; As’ad tries to join Porter, offering insight into event of seven years ago.
EPISODE 3 – Section 20 sends Porter to Africa to prevent a former SAS soldier from standing trial for an assassination gone awry; Porter believes his captive’s story and opts not to kill him, instead planning their escape from Zimbabwe.
EPISODE 4 – Tshuma continues to hunt Porter and Masuku; while trying to contact Leyla, Porter and Masuku rescue children at a local orphanage; Section 20 members find out who betrayed Masuku; Collinson heads to South Africa to confront the traitor.
EPISODE 5 – Computer hacker Gerald Baxter targets a missile guidance system in Afghanistan; Porter is sent to Afghanistan to find Baxter; apprehended by the Marines, Porter and Baxter make their escape; Zahir Sharq tries to trade the two for arms.
EPISODE 6 – Porter and Baxter escape from Sharq’s compound; when Porter’s extraction threatens to go awry, Leyla forces Collinson to save Porter; Collinson explains the events of seven years earlier; a Taliban ambush leaves Collinson wounded.