The Avengers: Man-Eater of Surrey Green

Man-Eater of Surrey Green (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Athene Seyler, Derek Farr, Gillian Lewis, and William Job
Director: Sidney Hayers
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Government agents Steed (Macnee) and Peel (Rigg) investigate strange happenings near a botanical research facility and discover that Earth is about to be overrun by flesh-eating plants from outer space.

From one point of view, I just broke my own rule for not providing spoilers in my teaser summaries, by revealing the bizarre nature of the foe that John Steed and Mrs. Peel must overcome in this episode. However, I think the plant-based alien invader, while absolutely the main plot point in the story, is one of the least interesting things about "Man-Eater of Surrey Green".

There are two major problems with the alien plant story, neither of which are fatal, but both of which prevent this from being a great installment of the series.

First, although it may have looked like a great idea on paper, the special effects crew of "The Avengers" either didn't have the time or the budget to make it look quite right; as a result, some scenes that should be intense instead come across as goofy and the overall presentation of the alien is inconsistent in quality. (And I say this as someone who's sat through hundreds of movies with truly awful effects and who oftentimes doesn't mind them. It's when they feel uneven, like they do here, that their inadequateness to convey the needed results is emphasized.)

Second, a plant from outer space just doesn't feel quite right for "The Avengers". While I recognize that our heroes have battled psychics, killer robots, mad scientists with weather control machines--and more!--space aliens feel wrong to me. It doesn't help that several decades of space exploration has passed between now and when this episode was made, and thus Mrs. Peel's comment that vegetation has been detected on the Moon destroys my ability to suspend my disbelief.

All that said, however, this episode still has some great moments that make it worth watching. The dread builds throughout the episode as characters begin to behave strangely and the sense of danger closing in around Steed and Peel is palatable, even as the alien plant effects get silly. The sense of dread is so strong, and the possibility that our heroes may save the world but not live to tell the tale seems so real, that when Steed takes very necessary, very coldhearted "for the greater good" action, it feels like we're about to say goodbye to one of the show's main characters. For viewers in 1965, this possibility must have seemed even more real; it wasn't until the second season of the series that Steed emerged as the fixed lead character and his partners and sidekicks had always come and gone. For all audiences knew when this show first aired, another major change was coming. Alien invasion silliness aside, this is a very intense and dramatic episode. In fact, aside from some very slight Peel & Steed banter, I don't recall any humorous touches at all--other than Steed declaring, "I'm a herbacidial maniac, which is quite possibly one of the best lines of the entire series.

"The Man-Eater of Surrey Green" is furthered lifted up by the presence of veteran actress Athene Seyler, whose career began in silent movies and whose screen-presence allowed her to turn what seems like it may have been conceived as a Miss Marple-esque comic relief character into a formidable presence that can stand side-by-side with Steed and Peel as they prepare for their final confrontation against the alien menance. Seyler's Doctor Sheldon is another one of those one-shot "The Avengers" characters that I wish could have come back in another episode or two.

In final analysis, this may not be one of the best episodes, but it's still worth the time you'll spend watching it.

The Avengers: Dial a Deadly Number

Dial a Deadly Number (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Peter Bowles, Clifford Evans, Jan Holden, John Carson, and Anthony Newland
Director: Don Leaver
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

Sudden heart attacks have claimed several heads of industry who share the same banker (Evans), who has, seemed to have been taking advantage of the stock market turmoil their deaths have brought on. Top government investigators John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) are dispatched to unravel the mystery and bring any culprits to justice.

"Dial a Deadly Number" is one of the best episodes of the series--the creators of the series were on a roll! It's got a sharp script that features a multi-layered mystery that gets more involved as the show unfolds instead of unraveling and plenty of witty, sharp exchanges between Steed and Peel, as well as the supporting characters. It's especially inpressive that even after the heroes have proven that the executives are being murdered and how it's being done, they don't know the "who" and have to resort to a risky gambit to expose the true villains.

And speaking of risk, this episode does a great job at keeping the tension high, even in scenes where there is minimal action. There's a sequence where Steed and Peel attend a wine tasting where they and their suspect pool are trying to take each others measures (while engaging in a little bit of snobbish one-upsmanship) and the clash is more exciting than the shoot-out/battle that serves as the episode's climax. (That said--even the fight scenes in this episode are better executed and more dramatic than are the norm for this series. More often than not, they haven't weathered the passage of time well--and I suspect even audiences in the 1960s thought some of them were weak--but whether it's the motorcyclists that ambush Steed in a parking lot, or an unarmed Peel trying to stealthily take out a gun-toting bad guy in a wine cellar, this episode give us some of the best action that "The Avengers" series has to offer.

Another great part of this episode is that it makes oblique use of Emma Peel's "deep background" as an independently wealthy daughter of a business tycoon/industrialist while adding also adding some additional details to Steed's background (however small). A good portion of the episode's plot revolves around high finance and investments, and Steed and Peel interact with bankers and brokers and other personalities in that world. Initially, Peel stays at arm's length and out of sight of the financiers, but when she ends up having to interact with them, she immediately fits right in. She even has a ready-made and airtight response to a suspect who is testing her with probing small talk. (It, and a couple upcoming episodes, provided the jumping-off point for "The Growing-Up of Emma Peel" comics series, which you can read by clicking here.)

One final stroke of brilliance in this episode is that the humorous tag at the end ties firmly into the story and action of the episode instead of just being a little bit of nonsense. I wish more of these had been done like this.

Strangers on a Train

What's better than Hitchcock?

John Cleese and Marty Feldman in a great descent into comic absurdity from 1967! Click below to watch and laugh.

The Avengers: The Hour that Never Was

The Hour that Never Was (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Roy Kinnear, and Dudley Foster

Director: Gerry O'Hara

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A car accident causes Steed and Mrs. Peel (Macnee and Rigg) to arrive late to a reception and party behind held at an air force base that is being decommissioned. They find the facility completely deserted and all clocks stopped at the exact moment of their car crash.

"The Hour That Never Was" is one of the best episodes of the ones from the 1965/66 season. Between the expansion of John Steed's background with details about his WW2 activities (including the fact that he played fast-and-loose with the rules even then); some great interplay between Steed and Peel that both underscores their easy-going friendship, their skills as agents, and their ability to be ruthless when called for; and a mystery that will keep you guessing as to what has happened to the staff of the airbase--because just as you think you may have figured it out, the mid-episode twist will put you right back to Square One. 

"The Hour That Never Was" also benefits from some creative camera-work that emphasizes the creepiness of the deserted airbase during the first half of the episode, and the disorientation felt by Steed when he suddenly finds the base populated again... except now Peel has gone missing.

This is one of the spookiest episodes of the series, because the mystery keeps turning inside out and then turning again. It's clear that there are clearly some mundane threat at play (a sniper with a rifle kills the only other living human being that Steed and Peel lay eyes on after arriving at the base) the supernatural or weird science threat that appears to have first made everyone on the base vanish and then appears to have distorted time is the far greater danger... and it's one that remains mysterious until the episode reaches its conclusion.

The only weak part of "The House Than Never Was" is the fight between our heroes and the villains at the end. It's a little too goofy, even by "The Avengers" standards. But this is more than made up for the excellent execution of the story and the many little touches that make Steed and Peel seem more three-dimensional and human than they have in any previous episodes. (Steed's joy at the prospect of reuniting with old friends is something every adult ca relate to; and the fact that Peel has a favorite pair of boots she keeps in the car just in case she ends up having to walk are among my favorites. In fact, I think this episode may be the first time I ever had the sense that a female character in a show had what felt like a realistic wardrobe... because it dawned on me that Emma Peel often wore the same hat or shoes or jacket with different pants or blouses instead of either the exact same outfit or a completely different outfit every week. I may think those striped boots or that beanie that looks like a target that she is so fond of are goofy-looking, but I also felt they brought a bit of realism to the glamorous, comic-book universe that Peel and Steed live in.)

The Avengers: A Surfeit of H2O

A Surfeit of H2O (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Noel Purcell, Albert Lieven, Geoffrey Palmer, Talfryn Thomas, John Kidd, and Sue Lloyd

Director: Sidney Hayers

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A doomsday prophet (Purcell) and a winery with secret, highly scientific production methods are at the center of the mystery when agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) are tasked with uncovering how a man drowned in the middle of an empty field.

This is another excellent episode that features a tight script; a brilliant mix of sci-fi and investigative secret agent action; and an assortment of interesting and quirky characters that make it tricky to pinpoint who the bad guys are and what they are actually up to until the Big Reveal. It also features another nice "damsel in distress" riff along the same lines as what we had in "The Gravediggers", but with a stronger sense of danger than comedy. There's also a great bit with Steed's steel-plated trick bowler as an adjunct to that business.

Character-wise, the wisecracking between Steed and Mrs. Peel is topnotch, and some of the incidental characters here are so interesting and well-acted that I sorry to see them meet a violent end, or I wished there could have been a reason for them to make reappearance in a future episode--Noel Purcell's doomsday prophet Jonah Barnard being prime among these. The different approaches that Steed and Peel take to investigating the mysterious deaths also lend a great deal of entertainment value to this episode--Peel remains methodical and cautious in her approach, while Steed starts out that way but quickly starts resorting to antics to see what he can stir up. At the end, though, it's a combination of the two approaches that leads to the good guys ultimately winning the day. Peel's dignified unflappability also leads to one of the most amusing (and possibly one of the most British) witness interviews ever committed to film. Another nice bit in this episode is the way Steed and Peel turn firmly to science to help them figure out what's happening with the weather around the winery--which also gives the writers an opportunity to show that Mrs. Peel is also knowledgeable in the field of meteorology.

As great as this episode is, it's another instance of where the creators don't quite pull off the ending. It's got a dramatic set-up and the location in which it unfolds should make it one of the deadliest fights our heroes have ever been in--since they are exchanges punches with the bad guys at the very heart of a mad science experiment that has claimed three lives that we know of--but it's almost like the actors, director, and writers have forgotten what's happened earlier in the episode.

All in all, though... some 55 years after it first aired, "A Surfeit of H2O" is still highly entertaining and well worth the time you'll spend watching it.

The Avengers: The Murder Market

The Murder Market (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Patrick Cargill, Suzanne Lloyd, Peter Bayless, and Naomi Chance

Directors: Peter Graham Scott and Wolf Rilla

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

When a string of Britain's most eligible bachelors die through misadventure or outright murder, secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) discover that the dating service they all used is a front for a murder-for-hire operation. Steed doesn't just want to break up the operation--he wants to catch whoever's behind it all. But will he have to sacrifice Mrs. Peel to accomplish that goal?

"The Murder Market" is another excellent episode where drama and comedy coexist in perfect compliment of each other. From the garish, frilly offices of the dating service with its fey and VERY British staff members that are the public face and recruiting arm of the assassination business; through Steed's fake-murdering Mrs. Peel to discover the true identity of the mastermind behind the murder business, which almost turns into a real murder when things go sideways; to the gradual unveiling of who the real operators and masterminds are, this episode is constantly swinging back and forth between dark, hilarious humor, an intriguing mystery, and a sense that the heroes may be in real danger. (And, yes... at one point, it seems perfectly plausible that Steed may have to sacrifice Mrs. Peel's life for real in order to fully unravel the conspiracy. (Watching this episode in the 2020s, it's obvious that Mrs. Peel doesn't die--since Diana Rigg played the character for two seasons of the series--but in 1965, viewers had every reason to believe that she might not make it; until Season Four of the "The Avengers", Steed had worked with a rotating series of partners.)

One thing astute viewers (or those who are binging episodes) may notice is that the character of Emma Peel is not quite as she's been in previous episodes. Her banter with Steed seems out of tune, her mastery of hand-to-hand fighting seems to have declined, and she doesn't seem as cunning and focused as a secret operative as she has been. As amusing as the scene with Mrs. Peel tottering about drunk is, it seems very much out of character with how she's been portrayed previously. In fact, the only major bit that seems in keeping with the character from other episodes, is the scene where she's messing around with a tuba while making plans with Steed. 

The explanation for the sudden change is that the Emma Peel we've gotten to know over the six episodes prior to this one airing didn't yet exist. In fact, the reason the gag with the tuba seems in keeping with the character we know is because it was one of the pieces that brought the character into focus both for the writers and for Diana Rigg.

Although it was the seventh episode aired, "The Murder Market" was actually the first one that was filmed with Diana Rigg. Emma Peel was originally played by Elizabeth Shepherd, but after completing all her scenes on "The Town of No Return" and a few on "The Murder Market", she was suddenly let go and Rigg was hastily hired as a replacement and swiftly put to work in an attempt to get the show back on its production schedule. The reasons for why Shepherd was let go differ, but if Rigg's performance in this episode is any indication, perhaps the Mrs. Peel that was emerging was too similar to Steed's former sidekick, Cathy Gale and the producers wanted something different, both from the character and the actress portraying her. However, after this episode was completed and the producers turned their attention back to "The Town of No Return", everyone had a firm grasp on how to portray the multi-talented, brilliant and charming Mrs. Emma Peel.

 Although I make a big deal out of Emma Peel's character forming in this episode, it really isn't anything that those looking for something to pick at will notice (or, as mentioned, if you're watching several episodes back-to-back). The story here is so strong, and the various supporting characters so amusing and/or well-acted, that Emma's "off-day" is pretty much a non-issue. By the time we get to the obligatory "clowning around tag" at the end of the show, we will have sat through one of the best episodes in Season Four.

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.

The Avengers: Castle De'Ath

Castle De'Ath (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Robert Urquhart, Gordon Jackson, and Jack Lambert

Director: James Hill

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Two of Britain's top government agents, Steed & Mrs. Peel (Macnee and Rigg) go undercover to investigate a strange death at an isolated castle and its possible connection to a decline in the fish population off the coast of Scotland.

"Castle De'Ath" is both a great episode and a terrible episode, with the bad outweighing the good (however slightly). 

The good is that it has an excellent cast, with guest-stars Robert Urquhart and Gordon Jackson playing the pair of Scottish brothers who own the castle, and who are as different as night and day, being at the top of the list for well-deserved praise. Either one--or perhaps even both--may be behind a devilish plot to destroy Scotland and England's fishing industry. Of course, they may also just be eccentric and/or greedy; These two characters and their conflict with each other and with our heroes are the main drivers of this episode, with Urquhart and Jackson striking just the right balance between dubious and sincere, restrained and ridiculously over-the-top in their performances to keep the audience unsure as to what's truly motivating either one of them.

The usual amount of praise must also be given to Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee. Their portrayals of their characters are a little less playful this time out, because there's limited opportunity for it; Steed and Peel are both undercover, supposedly don't know each other, and arrive at the castle at different times, so they can investigate from different angles. Interestingly, their cover-stories are reversed from the usual approach; Steed is posing as a writer and Rigg is a tourism executive with an interest in turning Castle De'Ath into an attraction. Rigg also gets to sneak through the castle in a flimsy nightgown, so that's another definite plus for the episode.

The last-minute reveal of the true identity of the villainous mastermind in the show is an exciting moment, as is the battle royal that surrounds it. In several episodes of "The Avengers", the climactic action of an episode is often dragged down by poor staging and badly rehearsed stage fighting; that is not the case here. The action is fluid and fun (well, for the viewers at least... for some of the participants in the fight, it's quite deadly), and the only complaint I can field is that I wish the final fate of one of the Brothers De'Ath was a little clearer.

Speaking of complaints, I have a major one with "Castle De'Ath"--one so big that it almost ruins the entire episode. While the script here was generally well-written and the story constructed well enough to keep the viewer guessing who the real villain in Castle De'Ath is, everything falls apart once the Big Reveal happens. It's not that things don't make sense in the context of the clues that an attentive viewer would have picked up on, it's that the villain's actions both prior to and during the events of the episode are so monumentally stupid that they were certain  to invite circumstances that would almost certainly expose himself and his co-conspirators to discovery. A somewhat smaller complaint is that some of the episode's humor felt forced--such as Steed performing a clownish Scottish dance while Peel plays miniature bagpipes--but when combined with the the botched logical underpinnings of the story, this Avengers outing only rates Six Stars.

The Avengers: Death at Bargain Prices

Death at Bargain Prices (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Andre Morell, T.P. McKenna, John Castor, and Allen Cuthbertson
Director: Charles Crichton
Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

When the mysterious death of a government agent traces back to a department store owned by a reclusive millionaire (Morrel), top secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) uncover a scheme to wipe London from the map and hold the entirety of Great Britian for ransom.

"Death at Bargain Prices" is another perfect episode of "The Avengers". We get great banter between Steed and Peel; we have a fascinating and highly intelligent villain who very nearly bests our heroes--even after he himself has been defeated; we a talented supporting cast portraying interesting characters among whom it's difficult for both the Avengers and the viewers to tell ally from enemy; and we have the unusual setting of a high-end department store used effectively and to its fullest extent.

From serving as a vehicle for veiled observations on the way British society was changing in the 1960s--with centuries-old class structures and gender roles melting and morphing and melding, something that's also embodied in the styles and characterizations of both John Steed and Emma Peel--to providing a backdrop from the climactic confrontation between the Avengers and the villains who want to blow up London.

As Steed and Peel conduct their investigation--with Steed undercover as an efficiency expert, and Peel (under protest) taking a job there (under protest) as a shop girl--we get to see that some floors are the traditional upscale store, with traditional staff divisions, but others are being renovated and out of service for the time being, as they are being reworked for modern days. The owner of the store, an old-school industrialist brilliantly played by Andre Morrell is living in a private apartment and storage area on the facility's top floor, embittered at a society and peers that have rejected him and are leaving him behind. Peels interactions with her male coworkers, and some of Steed's hilarious but over-the-top sexist jokes illustrate how women's place in society was changing. It's all very clever commentary... and it's delivered wrapped up in a package of light-hearted action and excitement.

And that excitement is at its finest during the episodes climactic moments where there is another spectacular mix of the goofy and the deadly serious, as the Steed and Peel square off against the bad guys in a fight that starts in the toy section and moves through the departments of the store, getting increasingly lethal as it goes. Even after the bad guys have been put down, the heroes still have to deal with the issue of finding and stopping a nuclear bomb from going off. 

From beginning to end, and in every way, this is one of the best episodes from Season Four of "The Avengers".

Kids today will never know how tough it was...

... what with dial-up modems, and VHS cassettes that could be eaten by the players, only three or four channels on television--and if you missed a show, you would have to wait MONTHS before there was even a slim chance of it being broadcast again. And that's if you were lucky. And we didn't have these fancy cellphones... oh no. We had to go inside if we wanted to make phone calls!

But speaking of kids not knowing how good they have it, here's something to brighten your day, as you spend a few moments with some folks who had it even worse that you did: It's a classic television comedy sketch from "At Last: The 1948 Show" featuring future members of the Monte Python comedy troupe and the great Marty Feldman.

The Avengers: The Gravediggers

The Gravediggers (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Ronald Fraser, Paul Masse, Caroline Blakiston, and Victor Platt
Director: Quentin Lawrence
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

In order to find the source of signals jamming Great Britain's early warning radar systems, secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) trace mysterious malfunctions at Britain's early warning radar system must first unravel the secret that links a funeral home, a charitable hospital for railway workers, and an eccentric, train-loving nobleman (Fraser).

"The Gravediggers" features an intricate plot that may seem a little odd to anyone who doesn't remember the Cold War. The threat against the early warning system was perceived as an extremely dire one in the world of 1965, so the trouble the enemy agents go through to distribute their network of jammers. The clever way by which they fund and literally power their operation is also well-conceived, so long as one is able to buy into the comic book reality that The Avengers exist in.

As is the case with all the greatest episodes during the Patrick Macnee/Diana Rigg, the serious and the silly co-exist easily in the episode. The eccentric train obsessed nobleman with his sitting room done up to mimic a railcar in motion and the miniature train and tracks he has running throughout his property is amusing, but when it gets used as a send-up of silent movie melodrama (where maidens get tied to the train tracks) and old-time westerns (where the hero battles bad guys atop moving train cars), it becomes absolutely hilarious. Even better--despite the very intentionally ridiculous nature of the episode's climactic action, there is also a real sense that Peel and Steed are in danger of losing the fight and possibly even their lives. It is an expertly written and paced episode.

Adding to the value of this episode is some nice banter between Steed and Peel, as well as another example of Peel's versatility as an undercover operative. Here, she successfully passes for a nurse in order to infiltrate the hospital. 

"The Gravediggers" was the second episode to air in "The Avengers" Season Four, and it kept the momentum going from the debut. 

The Avengers: 'The Town of No Return'

The Town of No Return (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Terrence Alexander, Patrick Newell, Juliet Harmer, Alan McNaughten, and Jeremy Burnham
Director: Roy Ward Baker

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

When several of their collegues vanish while investigating odd happenings in a small sea-side village, top government agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) are sent there undercover to determine their fates. 

"The Town of No Return" was the inaugural episode of the fourth season of "The Avengers", and it marked a change in direction and tone for the series. The character of John Steed had been evolving since the second season, from a trenchcoat-wearing tough guy to an eccentric, bowler hat wearing, fey throwback to an earlier age--and that transformation was complete now. With Steed's final metamorphosis also came a lighter tone for the series overall. 

The biggest change to the series, however, is the debut of Diana Rigg as Mrs. Emma Peel, the first steady partner Steed had had since he was made the lead character of the series during the second season. Mrs. Peel was introduced without much fanfare, with a sense that her and Steed had bene acquainted for some time and had possibly even worked together in the past. They seem well aware of each other's strengths and limitations. It's a nice in media res approach that gets things going quickly and gives the sense to viewers that we are about to embark on a dangerous mission with a pair of seasoned, capable secret agents. (And although Mrs. Peel is new to the viewers, we are swiftly introduced to her background and varied skillset through her banter with Steed and the friendly fencing match they engage in, right there in her living room. Not only do we see how physically capable Peel is, but their conversation reveals that she regularly publishes papers in scientific journals.)

We are further introduced to Mrs. Peel's talents for investigation and undercover work once she and Steed arrive in the titular Town of No Return, a strangely sparsely inhabited sea-side village where the inhabitants are decidedly unfriendly and the inn keeper (Terrence Alexander) is entirely too friendly, as she poses as a teacher sent by the Department of Education to help the local school. We also get to see Steed being absolutely coldhearted and brutal--and while he rarely kills on screen, some of his interactions with villains in this episode leaves no doubt that he could do so. All-in-all, this a great introduction to a pair of characters who compliment each other, portrayed by an actor and actress who work well together and have great onscreen chemistry. Macnee and Rigg make Steed and Peel seem absolutely believable as friends and colleagues who are dedicated to each other and their jobs as government investigators and, well, avengers. 

This first episode is also a prime example of what makes this series so much fun. Like all the best episodes, the action and the plot is almost secondary to the witty banter and friendly flirtations between Steed and Peel, and the comedic elements of the show exist easily alongside a growing atmosphere of dark mystery and deadly danger--with each augmenting and heightening the effectiveness of the other. Since this episode is directed by Roy Ward Baker, who was an expert at generating suspense and terror on the screen, it is not surprising that the air is thick with tension and mystery as soon as Steed and Peel arrive in the village. 

Like many episodes in Season Four of "The Avengers"--including some of the best ones--the plot of "The Town of No Return" comes apart if you examine it closely, but the ride you're on is so much fun that you shouldn't feel a need to think about the pure nonsense of pieces that don't quite fit. (At the risk of spoiling the episode for you, I will say that the one part that bothered me is that the fate of the villagers who are replaced by the invaders is not fully explained to my satisfaction. Are they all dead? Are they imprisoned somewhere? It seems reasonable that they're dead, but I would have liked to know one way or the other, even if it might have made the show much darker.)

"The Town of No Return" opens a chapter of greatness for "The Avengers"... and it opens it on a powerful high note. It is a classic bit of 1960s gonzo spy action, and it's well worth checking out.

2021: The Year of the Avengers

Not too long ago, I realized that there were 51 episodes of "The Avengers" that co-starred Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee. So, the decision was made on the spot that 2021 was going to be the Year of the Avengers at Shades of Gray, like 2000 had been The Year of the Hot Toddy.

The flaw in that plan, though, is that 26 of the episodes starring Diana Rigg are in black and white, but the rest are in color, with the episodes for the 1965 season being the last that were shot in black-and-white before the show converted to color in 1966.

Still, starting tomorrow, and then on every other Thursday for the rest of the year, I intend to post my thoughts on an episode of the series that originally aired on television in 1965. On the "off-weeks", there will be a photo-gallery related to "The Avengers" and its cast members.

If things go well, I'll revive my old Watching the Detectives blog and cover the 1966 color episodes over there.

I hope you will come by for my comments on these television classics, as I watch them for the first time. Despite all I've heard about the Patrick Macnee/Diana Rigg-led episodes of "The Avengers", it's just now that I'm getting around to them. (Previously I've only seen a few of the episodes where Honor Blackman played John Steed's partner, Cathy Gale. The promotional photos I'd seen for the 1965/66 seasons, as well as what I've heard, made it clear there was a drastic shift in tone when they gave Steed a permanent partner.)



By way of a warm-up, here's a pre-credit sequence that was added to the series when it was broadcast in the United States. In 1964, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) brought the rights to "The Avengers", and the series aired more or less simultaneously in both the U.S. and its country of origin, Great Britain. It was felt the characters and what they did needed a proper introduction to the Americans, so this very neat little opener was created. 

(I say "neat", even while wondering if the writer wo scripted the voice-over and the executive who approved it had even watched so much as the first episode with Diana Rigg as Emma Peel. It is clear from the outset that, like John Steed, Mrs. Peel is a top, professional secret agent and not a "talented amateur" as she is described... unless they're referring to the fact that she dabbles in several advanced science disciplines? Although, as I typed that sentence, I remembered references here and there during the series that also seemed to hint at Mrs. Peel not being a full-time agent. Personally, I find that notion fantastic, given what Steed involves her in, time and again. I realize that "The Avengers" is basically a live-action comic book, but even with Emma Peel's background as the sole heir to her father's company and fortune--especially because of that background--it taxes my imagination that she is some sort of volunteer or part-time consultant.)



(This opening is NOT included in the DVD collection that is forming the basis of the reviews series. I consider this an oversight. It should have been included as an "extra" or "bonus feature.")

The Avengers: Too Many Christmas Trees

Beginning in January 2021, we'll be featuring bi-weekly reviews of the final batch of episodes of "The Avengers" that were made in black-and white. As a sneak-peek--and because it's Christmas--we present this review!

Too Many Christmas Trees (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Mervyn Johns, Edwin Richfield, Alex Scott, Jeanette Sterke, Robert James, and Barry Warren
Director: Roy Ward Baker

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Top-troubleshooter for the secret services of Great Britain John Steed (Macnee) has been having strange Christmas-related nightmares. As he attends a holiday costume party with his partner Mrs. Emma Peel (Rigg), elements of his nightmares seem to be manifesting themselves in the real world.

"The Avengers" was a television series that generally focused on British secret agents working cases where other operatives had failed and been and been captured or worse. It began as a straight spy drama, but by the fifth batch of episodes debuted, with Patrick Macnee as the eccentric life-long soldier and spy for Britain John Steed; and Diana Rigg as the glamorous, multi-talented and independently wealthy Mrs. Emma Peel in the lead roles, the series had followed down the path of the James Bond films by adding more comedy and other fantastic elements into the mix. It was during 1965 - 1967 that the show was at its most popular, and it was also during this time where never quite knew what you would get. Sure--there'd be the witty banter between Steed ad Peel, but beyond that viewers might get a straight-up spy/Cold War story, a murder mystery, a sci-fi adventure, a screwball comedy, a horror-tinged thriller--or a combination of any or all of the above. 

"Too Many Christmas Trees" is part mystery and part supernatural thriller, as Steed and Peel must find the truth about why Steed's dreams seem to be prophetic... and to stop the death and mayhem they seem to predict (with their guillotines and killer Father Christmases). Eventually, the show ends up incorporating what at the time could have been viewed as science fiction: It's ultimately revealed that Steed is under mental attack by psychics working for an enemy power that are trying to weaken his defenses and literally pick his brain for the secrets he knows.

The comment about psychics being at the root of the problem in this episode could possibly be viewed as a spoiler, but it's a minor one at best. Although the enemy psychics are key to the storyline, they are revealed early on... and Steed and Peel (and the viewers) have many more mysteries to solve and threats to confront during this episode and it's virtually impossible to predict where it's going to end up. 

Highlights of "Too Many Christmas Trees" are the sequences showing Steed's nightmares; Peel's discovery of a murder victim under very spooky circumstances and the fight scene that follows shortly afterward; and just the over all flow of the plot that keeps viewers guessing until the end. (The chilling atmosphere in many scenes is not surprising when one considers this episode was directed by Roy Ward Baker, a gentleman who helmed a good number of chillers and thrillers from British production companies such as Hammer Films and Amicus. He directed a total of seven episodes of "The Avengers" with the Macnee and Riggs in the lead roles, and they are among the best of the batch.)

One very funny fourth wall inside joke happens when Steed is going through his Christmas cards and happily remarks on one from his former partner, Kathy Gale, that was sent from Fort Knox, U.S.A.. The character had been played by Honor Blackman, who, at the time this show originally aired had just co-starred in the smash-hit James Bond film "Goldfinger" which featured an attempt to rob the gold depository at Fort Knox.

This is just one of the many very funny moments that exist along side the very dramatic, very high-stakes action of this episode... but this easy co-existence of the goofy and self-referential  or satirical material alongside deadly serious plot elements is among the things that makes "The Avengers" episodes with Macnee and Rigg so much fun. 

Happy Anniversary, Jeannie!

On September 18, 1965, "I Dream of Jeannie" debuted on the NBC network. Running for 5 seasons, the comedy series chronicled the misadventures of astronaut Anthony Nelson (Larry Hagman) and the sexy genie (Barbara Eden) he accidentally released from the bottle that had been her prison for 2,000 years.

The first season of "I Dream of Jeannie" originally aired in black-and-white. It was later colorized, and that was the version that has been syndicated around the globe.

2019

Beverley Owen has passed away

Born in 1937, Beverley Owen spent most of her brief acting career appearing on a variety of TV shows during 1963 and 1964. She reached the height of her success when she was cast as Marilyn Munster on the fantasy-based sit-com "The Munsters". Marilyn was the "plain one" in a family who look like monsters out of 1940s horror films.

Owen only appeared in two unaired pilots  and the first 13 episode of "The Munsters", because 1964 was the year she retired from acting to get married and raise her two daughters.
Owen passed away on Feb. 21 2019 at the age of 81.

Drink Wilkins Coffee... or Else!

Meet Willkins and Wontkins, the first celebrity Muppets to be born of the mind of Jim Henson.

In 1957, Henson was approached by the Wilkins Coffee Company, which operated in the Washington D.C. area, to create a series of television ads that could run along with station identifications. This meant Henson had 6-7 seconds to capture viewers' attention and market Wilkins Coffee to them. The path he took to accomplishing this is something that needs to be seen to be believed--but suffice to say that a recurring theme of the ads is: Strange things happen to those who don't drink Wilkins Coffee... strange, terrible things!. (I've embedded a video, via YouTube, that compiles several dozen of Henson's Wilkins Coffee commercials below, for your viewing pleasure and amazement.)



Once you've watched just a few of the Willkins & Wontkins commercials, you'll fine this bit of trivia amusing: Jim Henson didn't drink coffee... he didn't even like it.

The two Muppets featured in the ads were so popular with televion viewers that Wilkins marketed and sold toys based on them in the early 1960s. The campaign was so successful that Henson was able to take the concept and puppets to other local coffee companies across the United States and re-film the ads using their brands in place of Wilkins.

Jim Henson, assisted by his wife Jill, wrote and performed the Wilkins Coffee ads from 1957 through 1961. Wilkins Coffee was eventually acquired by Maxwell House and the brand was retired.

Brands and corporations come and go, but Willkins & Wontkins (and their boss Mr. Wilkins) will live forever in our hearts and imaginations (and possibly our nightmares). You can read more information about the insane Wilkins Coffee ads by Jim and Jane Henson here.

Who's greater than Tony the Tiger? Superman!

Then there was that time where Superman saved ZaSu from getting beat up by her abusive husband...



(We're presenting this slightly disturbing television ad, which aired during the Superman television series at some point between 1953 and 1958, because ZaSu Pitts was born on January 3, 1894--125 years ago today.)

Sherlock Sunday: The Great Detective on TV

From now until I run out of reviews, I will be giving my take on black-and-white Sherlock Holmes adaptations on the fourth Sunday of every month.

Sherlock Holmes (39 half-hour episodes, produced 1954-1955)
Starring: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion Crawford, Archie Duncan and Kenneth Richards
Directors: Steve Previn (25 episodes), Sheldon Reynolds (9 episodes) and Jack Gage (4episodes)
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

From 1954 through 1955, Ronald Howard starred as Sherlock Holmes, with Howard Marion-Crawford as Dr. Watson, in a 39-episode series that was produced in France with a British cast. The half-hour episode were mostly original stories, with some drawing heavily on some of Doyle's original tales (like "The Case of the Red Headed League," and "The French Interpreter," which was almost a straight adaptation of "The Greek Interpreter"). 

The series is more lighthearted than most Holmes adaptations that don't bill themselves as comedy, with Watson, Holmes and Lestrade taking turns at being the focus of humor, the butt of jokes, and even solving the mysteries at hand.

Ronald Howard's Holmes is a flighty, playful man possessed with an almost juvenile sense of humor. While he is every bit the genius one finds in the Conan Doyle tales, he comes across more like an overgrown child than a man who grows erratic when bored. But he is also probably far more fun to be around than Holmes would have been as he was written by Watson (and portrayed in most other adaptions). In fact, the boyish nature of Holmes as we find him here makes the cluttered rooms at 221B Baker Street seem almost like a clubhouse where he and Watson hang out after school. It's a sense that is enhanced by the good humor and comedy running through nearly every episode.

The comedic touches in the episodes is a nice addition to the Holmes tales, but an even nicer touch is the fact that Watson is repeatedly shown to be smart and capable. On more than on occasion, he even manages to out-do Holmes, primarily because Watson is more down-to-earth and less prone to flights of fancy. Another refreshing aspect to Watson's character is that he more than once stands up to Holmes rather fiercely, refusing to be the brunt of his jokes and on more than one occasion getting Holmes to apologize. In fact, the relationship between Holmes and Watson seems more real in this series than in several other versions, despite the buffoonery and antics.

Another interesting aspect of the series is the way Archie Duncan appears as several different characters throughout. His main role is as Inspector Lestrade, but he also appears as Lestrade's cousin and even one of the villains as the series unfolds.

Like all television series, this one is a mixed bag. Of the 39 episodes produced, a handful are excellent (like "The Case of the Jolly Hangman" where Holmes helps a widow by proving her husband didn't commit suicide, "The Case of the Perfect Husband" where Holmes must save an innocent woman from her psychopathic husband while attempting to prove that he has murdered half a dozen women previously) or "The Case of the Belligerent Ghost" where Watson is repeated assaulted by a dead man), a few are absolutely awful (like "The Case of the Texas Cowgirl" which has a nonsensical plot and a lame mystery, while "The Case of the Thistle Killer" was so weak that Holmes should hang his head in shame for taking so long to solve it), but most are decent little mystery tales. Some have darker tones than others--"The Case of the Perfect Husband" and "The Mother Hubbard Case" are chillers that deal with deadly serial killers, while "The Christmas Pudding" sees Holmes under real threat of death for perhaps the only time in the whole series--but the series can be a great introduction to Sherlock Holmes if you have young kids who are getting into mysteries.

There are a couple of different DVD packages that contain the entire series. I viewed the one issued by Mill Creek. The quality of the source tapes varies from episode to episode, but the sound is generally clear and the picture is only occasionally washed out. It's not perfect, but the three-disk set is very reasonably priced.

The Groucho Monthly

Groucho Marx appears on "What's Your Line" and causes chaos and embarrassment for everyone on the stage.