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Darren · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 1777 Location: UK

Written by James Mitchell

Directed by Don Leaver

Production completed: 21 June 1963

jaz · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 23 Sep 2008 Posts: 394

This is a truly great episode
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Darren · Site Admin Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 1777 Location: UK

10/10

This was writer James Mitchell's final Avengers script but he went on to create Callan. I can see the heavy spy link. It's a very intense script with some sad and scary ideas going on.

The scene of Steed and Mothe...sorry Charles going to see Peter Borowski is stunning. Terence Lodge is an incredible actor as he jumps from one imposed character to another and his mind is severely messed up. And we get the crueller version of Steed as he kicks Peter to the floor. I love the set design of the cell with its almost german expressionistic qualities of the distorted walls and the spikes around the skylight.

We get to see Steed upset by the playback of Borowski's interrogation - he asks Cathy to turn it off. A rare insight into something deeper than the happy go lucky persona he projects.

Don Leaver next to Peter Hammond is easily the best videotape era director (and he was no slouch on film in season 4). He's so wonderfully controlled and stylish. He's very economical in his approach getting just what is needed. A good example is the camera move and actor blocking of Steed with the Dentist's in the Holiday camp chalet. They all move in and out of shot as necessary but it never looks awkward as the camera is synchronised with them.

Future director (though not on the Avengers) Paul Bernard designs some very stylish and minimalist sets. I love the false perspective of the corridor outside Borowski's prison cell, that's something I wish the show had done more of as it just add an almost surreal quality. The Vienna room is just free standing doorways, chandeliers, a central fountain yet it works.

Honor has some wonderful moments like when Cathy doesn't know who she can trust. You can really feel her unease around the possibly fake Steed. She gets one of her best fights in the Vienna room with lots of flying tables and chairs all played out against a waltz instead of stock drumming. Probably helped by the larger space but it was easily the most dynamic and epic fight scene at that point.

For all the fantasy of doubles and spying, it has the mundane and human qualities like fake Gordon's relationship with Julie which we know plays out even after the episode has finished. It's quite a dark ending with them knowing full well that Gordon is a fake and yet is allowed to continue as he's useful to the goverment.

I really like that colour photo of Steed and Cathy on the love seat in the Vienna room!

Avengerholic · Epic Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 1165

Every time I watch this episode I'm completely distracted by Cathy's static nylon hair. I assume they eventually coloured it brown and passed it on to Linda Thorson !
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Mona · Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 7:41 am Post subject:

This is an amazing episode all around. The different views of Steed are fascinating, and his honest portrayal of the disturbing aspect of seeing himself dead was very interesting and clearly allows us to see depths of his humanity. Yes, he loves being an agent, but life and death are precious and having him relate the vision of his own eventual death, what he likely will look some day when things go wrong and he doesn't win, was chilling.

This episode was brilliant; from the intense meeting with the emotionally damaged man at the beginning, to the setting of the resort, it certainly kept my attention.

Also, at the very end of the episode, in the tag scene, it seems very clear that Mrs. Gale has seen a nekkid Steed, since the implication is made that she would be able to identify him by seeing his body.

Tangential thought based on that scene: I imagine Steed and Mrs. Gale did have sex once, and when she found out he had no intention of having any serious relationship with her, she was just one of his ever changing harem, she put the immediate kibosh on their intimacy, and he, being the cad he is in that series, always wants more. I imagine Steed appreciated Mrs. Gale's bosom as much as Pat appreciated Honor's.

Wink

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Ian Wegg · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 15 Sep 2011 Posts: 281

3/10 from me, and I see I'm not alone.

There are obviously some big fans of this episode but I could barely make it to the end, sorry.

Lee · Nutshell Joined: 15 Oct 2017 Posts: 14 Location: Surrey

I've given this an 8.

I really like this episode. Who's who?
Very disturbing interrogation scene with some really strong acting.
Great concept.

An interesting episode as an earlier, rather than a later, series 3 episode.
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