Visitor Reviews
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Visitor Reviews |
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The Girl from Auntie I noticed all the bloopers and continuity errors listed for this episode when I watched the DVD, but there is one very glaring omission: When Steed investigates the death of the four Jacques brothers, the director's shadow is prominently visible in the foreground by the four bodies. Plus, you can hear the click of some device near the camera lens (and see the director's arm touching it), and then the camera pans up. A rather sloppy scene. The episode is filled with scenes like this: the mod girl at the beginning who gawks into the camera, and Georgie does it too when she removes her wig for Steed. I thought the first rule for actors is not to acknowledge the camera lens. And I am surprised there is no outcry as to why Steed is being driven around town for the whole episode by a cab driver! It serves no purpose whatsoever (except maybe to boost a lame script by adding "comic" relief, except I wasn't laughing). I mean, doesn't Steed own his own car? Couldn't he have retrieved it at some point? The other continuity problem, or rather poor script problem, is the "old lady" doing the killings. "She" has seen Steed on a couple of occasions (including when she walked around the Russian to avoid being spotted by Steed), yet she goes to his apartment to see if he is an art connoisseur? Isn't she more worried that Steed has seen her leave the scenes of two murders? Finally, the art scam. This fellow is capable of stealing the Mona Lisa and even the Eiffel Tower; he has arranged to kill the Russian diplomat in his cell, and he seems to know everything about everyone. He has so many connections worldwide, yet even though he knows that Steed has returned early from his vacation and is snooping around, he doesn't know what he looks like?? That's ridiculous. The moment he walks in their door, claiming to be a Mr. ffitch, they should have known exactly who he really was. And isn't anyone bothered by how easily Emma was captured in the beginning of the episode? It took too much time for the needle to be produced and used; Emma should have easily escaped, unless he used some kind of gas. The needle and injection are just too awkwardly filmed to be believable. But the main problem with this episode, beside the sloppiness and poor writing, is the fact the Emma is hardly in it, although her costume definitely makes up for that—for us gents, that is. The Girl from Auntie This is the episode that made me ponder if Roger Marshall may have been "hepped up on goofballs" during the story development procedure. Some have pointed out the many plot holes... I say that the episode proudly flaunts the holes on its sleeve. The whole thing seems to be a parody of a typical Avengers episode. Let's go through it now... In most episodes, there is a (1) Long Trail of Bodies. This episode, in the most tongue-in-cheek way possible, extends it to new heights, with the ten bodies found in about five minutes. Nobody bats an eye (except that wonderful cab driver). The next cliché to go is the (2) Amazing Fighting Ability of Mrs. Peel. Georgie, simply by reading Ray Austin's self-defense book, can defeat a professional killer that has already claimed ten lives. (3) Steed's Obligatory Disguise is next, with his most outrageously camp one, that of Wayne Pennyfeather ffitch. Let's see... the (4) Diabolical Mastermind gets the treatment next. Gregorio Auntie (well done by Alfred Burke) is so diabolical—he has captured Mrs. Peel, stolen the Mona Lisa (and the first folio of Hamlet), and has obtained the Eiffel Tower. The mastermind's usual (5) Femme Fatale is also parodied—this one is Yolande Turner, who seems to seriously enjoy being a villainess, and (for some strange reason) to relish poking Mrs. Peel in the cage. Also, (6) The Goon is played by frequent goon, Romo Gorrara. Hmm...and finally, (7) The Fight Scene is taken to outrageous new heights by having Steed smash the Mona Lisa, Mrs. Peel bending bars, and Steed punching an old lady in the face. That about covers this episode. The bouncy musical score reminds me of Casino Royale's (which featured Bernard Cribbins as a suffering cab driver—hmm...); Bernard Cribbins is magnificent as knitting nut Arkwright; and the only other piece of useless trivia left is that it seems strange that Yolande Turner gets beaten up by Mrs. Peel in both her appearances. While Miss Pegram is her better role, this one is strangely fascinating, especially that nasty expression she gives when she gets her head stuck in the bars (right up there with Judy Parfitt's in Escape in Time). The Girl from Auntie "What are they knitting?" "A bungalow." "The Girl from Auntie" is like an Ealing comedy Bond film. The production values are high, the plot intriguing, and the pace is frantic as the oh-so-witty script piles on the absurdities. At times it's almost a little bit too much as the surreal charms of the killer knitters get terribly complex. There are so many strong ideas in the script that not all of them are satisfactorily resolved (for example the running joke with the taxi driver, the knitting circle, and even the splendid Georgie), and occasionally the sheer wittiness itself irritates as the plot frequently plays second fiddle to some new absurdity. But the overall quality of the episode cannot be faulted. This is triumphantly Avengerland in a rolling series of bizarre set-ups and characters, each given enough depth to make them fascinating and different. The quality and confidence of the show is obvious in the relaxed way it not only removes its heroine, but cheerfully jokes about the quality of Emma's replacement (especially the scene where Georgie finds out just how accomplished the real Emma is, and then manages her way through a fight scene by reading a self-help manual). This is Steed's show, and we get to see the gentleman adventurer at work, adopting different persona with ease, swapping genial tips on umbrella posture with sworn enemies, and doing everything he can to rescue his beloved Emma. Diana Rigg's obviously reduced role is still remarkable as she sits in the most extraordinary feather bikini, waiting patiently to be rescued with trademark unflappability. We're left in no doubt that this is a show at the height of its powers — it's not only dizzyingly clever, it's able to deliver a huge number of belly laughs without descending into ridiculous pastiche. This is what The Avengers should always, always be like. The Girl from Auntie It's amazing that, being a huge Emma fan, I find a sans-Emma episode so apPEELing. First, there's that very odd scene at the beginning wherein Emma returns from a party and is knocked out. Then Steed discovering the fake Emma, and that great scene about the lobster. I am shocked to realize that, even though she replaces the irreplaceable, Georgie isn't a bad one-time partner. (Where was she when Mr. Peel came back? I'd prefer her to Tara.) The auction is great ("Think of the national treasury, old boy. You'd have to cut down on the vodka.") I also love the scene where Georgie discovers what Mrs. Peel is like (with help from "Basic Nuclear Physics") which ends with her, after using the self-defense book to defend herself against Auntie, banging the book over the "old lady's" head. All in all, the best non-Emma episode. (There are only two that I can think of now, and this one is better than "The Superlative Seven.") The Girl from Auntie What a fun episode... The first thing you should know is that Diana Rigg is in this episode very little. The second thing you should know is that that's okay. Liz Frazer as Georgie Price Jones is a total joy to watch. No, she's not Mrs. Peel, but that's what makes her so great. Georgie is my favorite thing in an episode filled with great things. There is her, the image of an old lady attacking people, Steed punching the old lady in the face, Mrs. Peel in a feathered costume being held hostage in a giant bird cage, people being killed with knitting needles, and the list goes on and on. This episode is filled to the top with humor and sight gags. "The Girl from AUNTIE" is, in the most basic terminology, a total treat to watch. Best Scene: Georgie is using one of Mrs. Peel's self defense books to defend herself against the rabid AUNTIE. 5 out of 5 bowlers. The Girl from Auntie This is one of those episodes where you just check your brain at the door and have a blast. Absurdities abound, but to good effect. It's a fun romp with fun characters. Georgie makes a cool sub for the largely absent Mrs. Peel. She sort of reminds me of the Doctor Who companion Jo Grant: green, but learns quickly (either that or Ray Austin's book on self-defense is written extraordinarily well). Gregorie Auntie has a very silly name, and he runs a very improbable organization (how to ship the Eiffel tower out of Paris, indeed!). But his mannerisms make it work. Notice how matter-of-fact he is about everything, from stealing priceless classics to dispatching the near dozen victims killed during the hour. It almost seems to bore him to death. I love the way he scratches his nose during the bidding over Lot 17. Yolande Turner makes a great appearance as the Auntie's receptionist. Not quite as nasty as in her turn in "The £50,000 Breakfast," but still nasty enough. Arkwright's ho-down knitting school is the bomb, even if the poor thing couldn't quite clap in time with the two-step music. And the cabbie seems to just take it all in stride, as the absurdities continue to pile up. Story highlights include Georgie fighting off the enemy; Steed as ffitch (tingling and all!); the aforementioned knitting circle; John, Paul, George, and Fred (poor Ringo! — if they really wanted to be cute, they could have called the fourth brother Rich after Ringo's real name); Steed as "Ol' Loverboy" and his subsequent review of Georgie's performance as Mrs. Peel: "No!"; and of course, Mrs. Peel herself doing her best Josephine Baker (a la Zouzou) in a white cage on a swing with feathers. I wonder if Diana Rigg can sing... The only character to get on my nerves was Sylvia Colleridge's Aunt Hetty. I think she got just a bit too much screen time, and it started to grate after a while. But I cannot say that the story is too cute or irritating overall, though. It is well paced and overall well cast and acted. I'm happy to have an uncut version which included another ho-down knitting scene and other treats. Definitely my favorite story with Emma missing. 4 bowlers. The Girl from Auntie Plot: Good. Auctioning someone off because of the secrets in their head makes sense. Obtaining the unattainable works for me. The Eiffel tower bit was a little too over the top, even for a joke. Humour: Good. The dead bodies turning up around every corner was very funny dark humour. My favourite part of this episode is when Steed has entered Art Incorporated and the receptionist asks for his name. Steed pulls some business cards out and begins going through them until he finally finds the right one. Direction: Good. Acting: Very Good. Nice performances from Liz Fraser, Bernard Cribbins, and Sylvia Colleridge. Music: OK. Tag: Good. Miscellaneous: About thirteen minutes into the episode, there is some very bad dubbing when Aunt Hetty is talking but her mouth is not moving. I find the old woman falling off the bicycle hilarious, but there is a wonderful contrast in the horrifying image of her injecting Emma. If Emma could bend the bars so easily, why didn't she escape earlier? Overall Rating: 7/10 |
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