Series 4 — Episode 19
Quick-Quick Slow Death

Regional broadcasts

TV Times listing

International broadcasts

This episode turns up in a run of Italian Saturday afternoon repeats in 1979 but is not listed in the original run ten years earlier, it’s likely that it was used as a stand-by programme during the Apollo 11 live coverage and may have been shown on 20^th or 21^{st July 1969.}

Episode Rating

I like this episode a lot, but would be hard pressed to say why - is the utter improbability of the plot? the hilarious performances by all involved? the unitentional humour of Diana Rigg’s dancing? sexy Carole Grey? the garlic sausage? Perhaps it’s the last two.

The Fashions

The Cars

Who’s Killing Whom?

Click a name to see the face

Continuity and trivia

1. 2:10–2:30 — The street shots don’t quite match whenever there’s a camera change - cars in the street are different, the side shots are on a different part of the hill, etc.
2. 2:30 — Peever is young and has a full head of hair, but Fintry describes him later (6:08) as “...a funny little chap. Thinning hair, glasses. Middle-aged. Nervous”. Which is an accurate description of the false Arthur Peever (20:02), and Steed also notes that the fake Peever matches the dead man.
3. 5:24–5:34 & 6:05 — Fintry makes a couple of suggestions for tattoos Emma might like; a garter on the left leg, and “two little pink rose buds, one on each”. She quickly changes the subject.
4. 10:33 — Steed amuses himself at the suit hire company by trying on a number of different hats.
5. 
   ©1961–9 CANAL+IMAGE UK Ltd All Rights Reserved
   14:27/14:40 — Recognise that sign?
   The same sign is used in Quick-Quick Slow Death and How to Succeed... At Murder, most of the business names remaining the same (notably Gordon Jacksons Ltd.), just the key name changing.

   Note also that this building is in Mackiedockie Street, surely just around the corner from the shenanigans of Escape in Time, which took place in Mackiedockie Court.

6. 16:40–17:40/17:00–18:00 Piedi calls the dance academy “The Terpsichorean Training Techniques” but the sign outside reads “Terpsichorean Techniques” and the writing on the mirror inside reads “Terpsichorean Training Techniques Inc.”
7. 22:01 — There’s a thread stuck to the camera lens at top left in the MS of Emma and Nicki teaching Mr. Wattakins and the stout man.
8. 22:45–23:22/23:20–23:50 — Lucille tells Mrs. Peel to teach Mr. Marsh the foxtrot, rumba and the flat-bottom, so why does she teach him the cha cha?
9. 26:30 — The CU of the sausage looks lightly different to the longshot. It looks like they redid the longshot after going over the writing more thickly.
10. 30:19/31:08 — an allusion to Mission Impossible? Steed tells Mrs. Peel to destroy the sausage after reading it. She then hides the sausage (hem, hem) behind some flowers in the foyer of the school where anyone could find it!
11. 35:26 — The plaster on Bernhard’s face is clearly broken before Mrs. Peel taps it with the hammer.
12. 45:00 — Realising that Steed is the intended victim, Emma tells him as they pass on the dance floor, “You’re number nine!” He replies, “And you’re dancing with garlic sausage.”
13. 45:05/46:35 — If you thought Peever’s tattoo (2:35) or the exotic dancer’s snake tattoo looked fake (6:12–6:20), you should see Ivor’s rose! You can also see it at 25:21, where it looks a little better.
14. Maurice Kaufmann (Ivor Bracewell) was Honor Blackman’s husband at the time of filming.
15. The very lovely Carole Gray went on to star in a handful of shilling shocker films, a definite waste of talent.
16. Running time: 49′28″