The Avengers International Fan Forum

peabody · Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 8:48 am Post subject: 6.11 - All Done With Mirrors

Discuss, review and rate All Done With Mirrors.

Written by Leigh Vance
Directed by Ray Austin

anti-clockwise · Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:29 pm Post subject:

This one clearly showed Tara's competence. The fight scenes were spectacular. And it looked like she did most of them herself. The one where she fell of the cliff was a surprise as I figured she would have thrown the motorcyclist off the cliff. I think the next part was the most unrealistic but OK it's the Avengers. Walking away without a cut or bruise and completely dry. Not sure if this was an omission on their part or it was intentionally done that way. Ray Austin directed so I guess it's not too surprising that the fight scenes were so well coordinated and spectacular. Loved the scene with Tara's voice transmitted to Steed in his car. Good lines where he thinks she's died and he's talking to a ghost. And perfect ending with dinner made in the bonnet of his car.
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Frankymole · Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:32 am Post subject:

It is a 10/10, sure-fire four bowler winner for me. One of the very best Avengers episodes and so one of the very best episodes of any television shows ever made. Definitely a highlight of the Tara era, along with "Fog". Even if a lighthouse is the opposite of Fog Smile

Brilliantly directed and very tense, with some very good action set pieces and an intriguing premise.

The only downside for some may be that Steed isn't in it much, but that allows the strength of Tara to be established (the foolish who go on about her fighting style being "a brick in a handbag" should watch the fight with the ginger giant in this, and anyone who can't cope with her being chloroformed in some episodes - due to the double-banking of episodes' production, where one or other lead actor had to be taken out of the action - can take solace in the way that most Avengers girls on their own are portrayed as "victims", tied up or falling to pieces a bit (House That Jack Built, Don't Look Behind You, The Joker). Tara totally owns the situation here, even when run off a cliff - it just makes her more determined!

This is one of the best "gateway" episodes to start watching the series as it shows just how good it can be, and how strong and effective the female lead can be, essentially the heroine in an action-adventure thriller where other shows of the 60s (and 70s, and 80s, and 90s, and 00s, and...) invariably have a man in that role.
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anti-clockwise · Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 6:14 am Post subject:

This was actually a complete role reversal, with the men hanging out at the pool while Tara is doing the heavy lifting.
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"He likes his tea stirred anti-clockwise."

darren · Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 10:23 am Post subject:

10/10

I look at My Wildest Dream as the episode when Linda finally looks really comfortable. But then she gets her first chance to really grab the limelight with this episode.

Linda excels in this episode, she really shows that she deserves to be an Avengers girl/lady. I hope that Brian Clemens was pleased with her after All done With Mirrors as she deserved him to be. She gets one of the best fights in the whole series and she carries the whole episode with such confidence and verve. I'm sure it helped having Ray Austin as director to give her that push of encouragement. Steed is such a lynchpin of the series but I don't miss him here as Tara is so capable and doesn't even need the bumbling Whatney.

Ray Austin has a strong style and gives the episode a really breezy fresh feel. You can really believe that it's by the sea despite most locations being nowhere near. It's a beautiful summery episode. Robert Jones does some great sets, I love the colour in the research institute.

Howard Blake's score is so effective. It was great to hear the unused fight music in full on the Soundtrack release. They used the Never Never Say Die music and Blake's fight music was finally used in Who Was That Man I Saw You With?

Shame that Leigh Vance didn't do more Avengers. I understand he was more a Saint writer before going to the US to write for Mission Impossible and eventually produce shows like Hart to Hart.

MikeR · Epic Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 1106 Location: UK

Yes Leigh Vance really wrote this one to Tara's strengths and it really worked very well. He then did a Strange Report and departed for the States, where he became involved with Mission: Impossible.

cyberrich · Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 10:11 am Post subject:

10/10. One of the very best Tara's, if not the best. Great script, terrific location (probably the best in the Avengers history) and loads of action including Tara's best fight scene. Rich.

peabody · Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:45 am Post subject:

I will have to echo everything Rich said above: Great script, terrific location work and loads of action including Tara's best fight scene. A great score by Howard Blake, too. It was an absolute joy watching this with live commentary at the Chichester event (although I can't remember anything of what they said now, memory like a goldfish). 9/10.

mariocki · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 04 Sep 2008 Posts: 484

I remember them talking about camera angles and how Ray liked to go for the unusual such as filming at ground level or through a pair of glasses etc.
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shaunodan · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 04 Jan 2014 Posts: 401

shaunodan · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 04 Jan 2014 Posts: 401

shaunodan · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 04 Jan 2014 Posts: 401

[quote="shaunodan"]

shaunodan · Have Fingers... Will Type! Joined: 04 Jan 2014 Posts: 401

[quote="shaunodan"]

Lhbizness · Guest

Unsurprisingly my least favorite episode, eliminating the only reason I have to watch Season 6: Steed and his sideburns.

The critique that the other Avengers women fall apart in various episodes is absolutely true, but then you have women that are otherwise in command of themselves. Here we have an Avengers woman who's rarely in command of herself getting a chance for a backbone. And it is excellent to see Tara being proactive and very competent. At the same time I think it actually points up the relative weakness of the character in other episodes.

Rhonda · Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 4:35 am Post subject:

BBC Radio 5live's guest Glenn Greenwald has just confirmed that it's now possible to train a laser on a plastic cup in an office and listen to the conversations. I've always loved this episode and it now gets a boost in credibility!
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Last Watched : The Tale Of the Big Why

Dan · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:08 pm Post subject:

This is the best Tara episode. Gave it a nine.

Frankymole · Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 3:02 am Post subject:

I've written a love letter to it in Rodney's new book "Anticlockwise". I agree it is the best Tara episode. It's the one I enjoy the most, by far.

Rhonda · Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:50 am Post subject:

Brigadier Q · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 3:45 pm Post subject:

Tip top - Eight episodes in and one of the finest episodes of the series.

Tara completely eclipses the other Avengers girls here and is superb - as said in previous posts, the fight with the burly Red Head is amazing. One of the best in the entire series, and you can clearly see that most of it is done by Miss Thorson herself!

The direction is very good indeed, most of the cliff scenes giving me twinges of vertigo (I can forgive the not very effective dummy falling). Good continuity where Tara is still sopping wet when she reaches the lighthouse.

As always great locations - I notice that nowadays, Start Point Lighthouse is open for visitors and has a guest cottage or two - one for future plans I think.

A simply wonderful programme.

10 out of 10

mrs_emma_peel · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:44 am Post subject:

Watched All Done With Mirrors last night on TE - first time I'd seen it in years and I was immensely impressed. It was like seeing a completely new Tara King series: her character was clever and astute. Her appearance and wardrobe was so much better - especially with her own hair - no wigs.

Loved Steed's reaction to the voluptuous Rhonda in swimsuit. Maybe they should have expanded her role?

Linda Thorson's acting was relaxed, confident and self assured. Her physicality performing judo, karate and kung-fu was a revelation. Easily the finest acting and athletic performance I've seen from her.

The screenplay was excellent - inventive, clever and witty dialogue and a truly spectacular extended martial arts fight scene from director and choreographer Ray Austin to rival Mrs Gale and Mrs Peel at their best.

I'd forgotten just how very good Mirrors is. Mysterious lighthouses invariably make for good story-lines.
This must be arguably the best Tara episode of the series?

Thoroughly enjoyable - I must watch it again Smile

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