Guest Essays
Page 3 of 14

A WOMAN'S OPINION ON TARA KING
by Cassandra Elise

I'll admit that I am not the Tara basher I used to be. I've seen most of her episodes, and though they don't hold a candle to Mrs. Peel's, they are entertaining and interesting. And I'll even go as far to say that it definitely was not Linda Thorson's fault that Tara King was so annoying. She acted the way the directors and screenwriters wanted her to. Thorson even developed Tara's personality as the season went on, but by then the damage was done.

We never fully understand who this Tara King really is. One episode she is clueless, relying solely on John Steed to rescue her, while in the next episode she's solving the case all by herself while Steed relaxes by a pool. This inconsistency in character can do nothing to attract viewers. It becomes a guessing game where you begin to wonder if Agent 69 is going to use her intellect or if she'll be completely out to lunch during the entire episode.

Furthermore, her character is too quirky for most people. Just look at her flat and you'll see just how crazy Miss King really is. Her remarks are not so witty as they are insane or foolish. She completely lacks the dulcet yet at the same time fiery temperament of her predecessor.

The last reason Tara's character failed is because of Mr. John Steed. "Steed?" you may gasp. Truth be told, his personality is as fickle as Tara's. One episode he's behaving as a father might toward his own child, while in the next he's staring lustfully at her. I shudder to think what occurs after the lustful looks! Many have speculated that those two were in love. What a chauvinistic answer! If Steed was so in love with Tara, why was he always philandering with other women? That is not how love works! The woman is not supposed to remain faithful while the man is gallivanting with everybody else!

This probably didn't have any effect on your opinion of Tara King, but I had to write it anyway. In all honesty, I like Tara. She never will take the place that Emma Peel holds in my heart, but she isn't as stupid and dreadful as we would like to think. There are moments where Tara acts stupidly, but the same could be said of Emma. I think the reason so many dislike Miss King is because she replaced Emma Peel. I understand this. I used to be one of those people. But over the course of time, I've realised that Tara could never replace Emma because she isn't Emma.

So take comfort in this: Mrs. Emma Peel is her own being and so is Tara King. Just think how distressed we would feel if the directors had decided to make Linda Thorson the second Mrs. Peel instead of creating a new character!

29 November 2002

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Page last modified: 5 May 2017.

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