Comics UK

Channel 61 showed (Last night) one of best `Avengers` eps! "Stay Tuned" Ispyshhhguy (Rab Smith) favourite I believe! Hopefully, my favourite "Thingumajig" Shown Next Monday. Sadly, 61 still NOT completing the season as final three "Requiem, Take-Over & Bizarre" not being shown!!

Since Patrick Macnee passed on, my and my boozing buddy watch a front-projected AVENGERS episode each Saturday night on my 9-ft wide screen


Great stuff, last week we had


LOOK---STOP ME IF YOU HAVE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE, BUT THERE WERE THESE TWO FELLERS......


a 1969 Linda Thorson job---very good it still is too.

I watched Thingumajig last week and it was as good as I remembered with a totally ott Iain Cuthbertson. And the disgustingly sneezy Willoughby Goddard. Excellent.

"Thingumajig" very much styled itself on `Hammer Horror` and was possibly, the most dramatic Avengers episode in years! Only the Willoughby Goddard character detracted from this! It is also, the only episode where Steed loses a fight to a `human` opponent! It is my favourite of that season, just pipping "Stay tuned"

Tonight's "Pandora" would never work with "Mrs Peel" or "Cathy Gale" Both far too strong willed to be `coerced` in the way Lind's `Tara` was! For this episode, Lind's character was perfect!

Last night's "Fog" sadly, always a poor one for me. Since when did London revert back to gas lamps in November 1968? I can see what they were trying for; but just pushed credibility right out the window!

A pity "Bizarre" won't be screened as that was utterly `Bats` Must have totally bemused the -fast dwindling- U.S T.V audience in 69!

The Prisoner (with Patrick McGoohan) is strange but entertaining and entirely watchable. Bought the box set for hubby as he hadn't seen it since it was on telly when he was a kid. He wondered if it would make more sense as an adult! (only slightly!) Also a fan of Wire in the Blood but can't find it on DVD so have to make do with the occasional late night "filler" re-run

'the Girl who was Death' was one of the very best PRISONER episodes I reckon, JW.....

My favourite Prisoner episode was "Living in Harmony" Was only shown in full in 1976! The reason for the `trip` was just great! My favourite Avengers episode screened (I hope!) tonight!

I can't understand why they cut the Thorson Avengers episodes with 3 to go, as the last one would have fell on Friday.

And Requiem and Bizarre were 2 of the better ones.

However I do feel that Thingumijig and Pandora were 2 of the worst episodes.

Thing... is a clunker which doesn't scare much like this Hammer parody was susposed to; only plus side is some good eccentric guest characters - I think the female sounds like another auditionee to replace Tara if the show had got another series.
And there's nothing scary about a plain electric box chasing you - might've been better if it sprouted lets or had tenticles like a Reutan in Doctor Who's Fang Rock. But I guess budgets were limited.

As for Pandora - on the plus side the support actors and characters carry it well (ie Julian Glover - very slimy future Bond villain- and James Cossins and John Laurie) and visually it looks good - helped a lot by Dr Phibes director Robert Fuest. I can guesss in some ways they were trying to do like with "Fog" - Victorian recreation a la Sgt Pepper and those Canraby Street boutiques' psychadelia.

But Tara is just so irritating made worse by her being so weak and girly - agree could never be a Cathy or Emma one as they'd fight like rottweilers. And it also underlines the increased violence in the show which takes a lot of the fun away.Linda T calls this her fave - no taste! I think sexist writer Brian Clemens who penned this too liked this one a lot - and one of his faves is Epic, the worst Emma Peel episode.

Not retro tv but just thought I'd remind members thet the superb film Hue and Cry is on bbc2 tomorrow morning at about 6am. Set on the bombsites of London's Docklands just like my own childhood. And its based around a boy's story paper called The Trump. Great stuff. Heres what wiki says:

It is generally considered to be the first of the "Ealing comedies", although it is better characterised as a thriller for children. Shot almost entirely on location, it is now a notable historic document due to its vivid portrait of a London still showing the damage of World War II. London forms the backdrop of a crime-gangster plot which revolves around a working-class children's street culture and children's secret clubs.

Great film and Jack Warner and Sim are excellent. The Trump features the adventures of private detective Selwyn Pike.
I have the film on dvd and we've watched it many times

Yeah, saw the film as I was up at 6 this Satuday morning gone.

Have got DVD too - but always a joy to watch.

Great to see Tower Bridge in full view from the bombsites - brige in full glory unlike today surrounded by all manner on monstrous carbuncles.

Harry Fowler is also great in lead role as Joe too; he also went on to become a good adult actor, most notably in later episodes of The Army Game starring alongside his good mate Dick Emery.

I have always wondered if they got a copy of The Triumph and edited the title?

I notice that The Avengers didn't make the top 5 all-time favourite ITV programmes

Channel 70 is now showing "The Invaders" late 1960s alien invasion series starring Roy Thinnes. Hopefully they will show the full compliment as ITV in the 1960s never screened the final 13 episodes.

Network's latest sale starts today (29 September) for 6 days. There's 60% off a selection of ITV-related titles. The site was very slow when I was on there, possibly due to a lot of browsing and orders being placed.