The Avengers: The Master Minds

The Master Minds (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Laurence Hardy, Bernard Archard, Patricia Haines, and Ian MacNaughton

Director: Peter Graham Scott

Rating; Nine of Ten Stars

After a cabinet minister (Hardy) is nearly killed while stealing state secrets, but claims to have no memory of attempting to do so, secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) discover his treason may be linked to his membership in RANSACK, a private club for people with exceptionally high IQs. 

"The Master Minds" is another great episode, with another clever script that deftly mixes humor and suspense, and, more importantly, makes the comic book universe within which John Steed and Mrs. Peel exist seem real. While trying to figure out what is causing elected officials and loyal government employees to turn traitor (and even murderous), they have to tread carefully because of the lurking political scandal. This sense of reality is further heightened by Steed behaving in a far more serious fashion than usual, with the scenes of Steed interacting with fellow employees of the Ministry and a government psychiatrist showing that Patick Macnee can bring an intensity to Steed that we rarely see. This more grounded, serious Steed brings a slightly darker atmosphere to this episode, and the grounding make the climactic scenes all the more intense. (All that said, it's also Steed's rebellious flippant approach to life that ends up saving him and Peel both, if in a somewhat roundabout way.)

Mrs. Peel's treatment "The Master Minds" is also interesting, as moreso than ever before, it's spelled out that she is the "total package" with even more brains than she has beauty and enough breeding to shut down lecherous men without causing a scene. In this episode, it's established that Mrs. Peel is not only smarter than Steed, but she is a literal genius. The test administered by RANSACK (which she passes easily) certifies her as such, and she even helps Steed cheat (and yet still has to falsify his results) for him to be considered for admission. 

This episode also keeps up the momentum until the very end, with an exciting and very creatively staged climax where we see Emma Peel and the mysterious figure who's using RANSACK as a vehicle to corrupt Great Britain's greatest minds in silhouette, behind a rear-projection screen upon which military footage is being shown. The only drawback is that nowhere near enough is done with this very interesting villain. In understand why the identity was kept secret until the end, but I feel like this is another one of those minor characters in "The Avengers" who deserved more screen time... and who should have made a reappearance in another episode or two.