The Avengers Forever: Rodney's Reviews

	Rodney's Reviews Page 13 of 42

Two's a Crowd
By Rodney Marshall

I re-watched "Two's a Crowd" recently, straight after "Who's Who???" There are obvious areas of common ground and, as in the colour episode, Macnee excels in his dual role: his mannerisms, facial movements and voice are genuinely different in his Gordon Webster role. Philip Levene, who wrote both scripts, provides a few humorous touches, possibly the best being Steed's reaction of incredulity when Mrs. Peel suggests the Major relaxes by taking his raincoat off: "He can't do that." Warren Mitchell even manages not to over-act, unlike his miserable OTT performance in the best-forgotten "The See-Through Man."

Nevertheless, there is something lacking here: a certain sparkle. This may be partly because the deadly mastermind does not actually exist; also that none of the villains is even vaguely memorable; Brodny is coerced into helping the baddies so does not really count. The main problem is a more generalised one. The fact that Steed—it turns out—was always one step ahead takes away some of the dramatic tension (with hindsight) and it means that Mrs. Peel was, to a large extent, merely a pawn in his game, a throwback to the Gale era. I am sure that I am not alone in feeling that she is worth far more than that. The Avengers, at its best, needs its protagonists working together and in a less controlled or contrived environment.