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Rate 'Build a Better Mousetrap' |
10 |
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28% |
[ 2 ] |
9 |
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28% |
[ 2 ] |
8 |
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14% |
[ 1 ] |
7 |
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28% |
[ 2 ] |
6 |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
5 |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
4 |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
3 |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
2 |
|
0% |
[ 0 ] |
1 |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
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Total Votes : 7 |
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Author |
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darren Mission... Highly Improbable!
Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 2081 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 12:14 pm Post subject: 3.11 - Build a Better Mousetrap |
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Written by Brian Clemens
Directed by Peter Hammond
Production completed: 28 August 1963 |
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Ian Wegg Have Fingers... Will Type!

Joined: 15 Sep 2011 Posts: 436
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:27 am Post subject: |
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For over a week now I have been laid up with a severe dose of flu, the only upside of which is that I have been able to catch up on some Cathy Gale era episodes recorded from the True Entertainment channel.
As I am unfamiliar with them I decided to watch a few before reviewing in order to get some consistency in my scoring. Having now done so my initial thoughts are that, in general, I don't enjoy these as much as the later episodes. I'm aware that many consider the video-tape programmes to be the best but I find that the confines of the studio sets also restricts my enjoyment, and consequently my favourites have turned out to be those with the greatest proportion of location filming.
My attitude may also be tainted by the fact that, unlike series 4, I have no memory of these from the original broadcast and therefore they lack the nostalgia element. Cathy Gale was very much my father's favourite whereas I've always been an Emma Peel fan.
So far Build a Better Mousetrap has been one of my favourites. As well as a small amount of exterior shooting it has a good story, some witty banter (the pub landlord's story of his wife's fox hunting exploit is a laugh out loud moment), a strong story and a very good denouement.
I've given this a benchmark 7.
~iw |
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Sam Have Fingers... Will Type!

Joined: 02 Sep 2008 Posts: 494 Location: Superior AZ
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:10 am Post subject: |
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Ian Wegg wrote: | For over a week now I have been laid up with a severe dose of flu, the only upside of which is that I have been able to catch up on some Cathy Gale era episodes recorded from the True Entertainment channel.
As I am unfamiliar with them I decided to watch a few before reviewing in order to get some consistency in my scoring. Having now done so my initial thoughts are that, in general, I don't enjoy these as much as the later episodes. I'm aware that many consider the video-tape programmes to be the best but I find that the confines of the studio sets also restricts my enjoyment, and consequently my favourites have turned out to be those with the greatest proportion of location filming.
My attitude may also be tainted by the fact that, unlike series 4, I have no memory of these from the original broadcast and therefore they lack the nostalgia element. Cathy Gale was very much my father's favourite whereas I've always been an Emma Peel fan.
So far Build a Better Mousetrap has been one of my favourites. As well as a small amount of exterior shooting it has a good story, some witty banter (the pub landlord's story of his wife's fox hunting exploit is a laugh out loud moment), a strong story and a very good denouement.
I've given this a benchmark 7.
~iw |
Being in the US, I never got to see Cathy until the 1990's. There was a bit of an adjustment at first, due to the lower production quality, but nowadays a lot of my favorites are from her era. |
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darren Mission... Highly Improbable!
Joined: 01 Sep 2008 Posts: 2081 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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The quality of the original Gale episodes when released in America was awful - we had the odd one turn up on Contender videos.
I love this episode. It's a good fun script from Brian Clemens - shame he didn't do a rewrite for season 5. The wonderful two old ladies - any scene with them is just brilliant. It's not really a Peter Hammond showpiece but his direction has energy and spirited performances. It's great fun this one. |
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Ian Wegg Have Fingers... Will Type!

Joined: 15 Sep 2011 Posts: 436
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:01 am Post subject: |
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Sam wrote: |
Being in the US, I never got to see Cathy until the 1990's. There was a bit of an adjustment at first, due to the lower production quality, but nowadays a lot of my favorites are from her era. |
I'm finding it difficult to rate these with just one viewing, and getting past the production values is undoubtedly an issue. By comparison I'm also currently watching Scotland Yard on talking Pictures TV and the quality is an order of magnitude higher despite being made a decade earlier.
However I think that there is a strong possibility that I may return to some of these again and find a new appreciation. Time will tell.
~iw |
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Rhonda How to Succeed... at Posting!

Joined: 19 Jan 2010 Posts: 853 Location: A town, UK
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2018 2:49 am Post subject: |
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9 for me. Experience shows in the elderly actors. They chose a great setting for the watermill that I tracked down with the help of the Avengerland site once. The early motorbike scenes involving Cathy are an eye opening moment - even in the rain. _________________ Ron
Last Watched : Trap |
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