2.16 - Intercrime

[darren]

Written by Terrance Dicks & Malcolm Hulke
Directed by Jonathan Alwyn
Production completed: 29 December 1962

Starring Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman

[Frankymole]

My review:

http://www.theavengers.tv/forever/gale1-15vr.htm#2

The Avenged?: Robbers who kill each other. Taking self-regulation a little too far?

Diabolical Masterminds?: A crime syndicate with a labour relations problem — running out of men as they keep shooting their employees for acting on their own behalf. No wonder they have to draft in more from the overseas branches! They also don't know what any of the other branches' staff look like (recognizing them only by the rings they wear). Anyone see an exploitable flaw there?

The Avengers?: Cathy is asked to shoot a man in cold blood to prove she's the assassin Hilda Stern. (She might as well have tried firing a shot straight past the man to see if the gun was loaded, even if she intended to turn it on her accusers.)

Umbrella, Charm and a Bowler Hat?: "Now, that's what I call a very attractive young lady." Steed describes himself to Pamela Johnson as her "guardian angel." Angela Browne in her first (but luckily not her last) Avengers role, probably one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her back-combed hair is tragic, though.

Bizarre?: A glorious lingering mid-shot of an ABC video camera and its operator swinging past the open door to Felder's office. Cathy's escape from prison is effected by a uniform smuggled in the pillowcase, and keys in the cocoa. Later, Hilda Stern also escapes, merely by strangling a wardress in her cell. What, did she just stroll out?

The Avengers Dossier (Cornell, Day and Topping) inexplicably states that this episode ends with Steed in jail for being a suspected member of Intercrime. In fact, it ends in Steed's flat with him and Mrs Gale wondering what to do with the large batch of rifles he's purchased "in an expansive moment" from Intercrime's front company. Cornell & Co also proclaim "uniformed policeman alert! uniformed policeman alert!" when there are none, only prison wardresses and Lobb in a fake motorcycle guard uniform.

Nice idea to have an "anti-Interpol", and Cathy being confronted by the assassin she impersonates. It's a rather straightforward idea, but really only worthy of a 30-minute police series episode. The most elaborate set is the prison corridor, seen for about five seconds!

On Target? (Score): Two bowlers out of four. 5/10.

[Rhonda]

5 from me as the guest character actors bring out the best in Steed and Cathy's characters.

[johnnybear]

I liked this one although I haven't seen it in years! Kenneth J.Warren in his second role for the series and Intercrime was mentioned again in the Tara episodes! I was impressed with Julia Arnall as Hilda Stern I remember but I couldn't understand how she never returned to the series or appeared in much else outside of Danger Man and Carry On Regardless!
JB

[darren]

3/10

I've just finished my watch though of season 2 last night.

This episode remained rather impenetrable. I'm saddened that despite it being by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke that I just can't engage with it. Jonathan Alwyn's direction isn't that interesting either. It's rather soapy in a negative sense.

I quite like the prison stuff but other than that it's all rather unappealing. It's very brightly lit with some horrid set design.

[Frankymole]

Charlie and Jamie cover... Intercrime...