In the opening scene we see what appears to be a pair of detectives examining a crime scene. They comment on a button, lost in a scuffle; a muddy footprint; and one or two other items before turning their attention to the outline of a body on the floor. Then another man arrives
he is to be the victim of their murder! It turns out this duo are murdering people and planting clues that implicate wealthy men who they wish to blackmail; if they pay up an alibi is provided, if not crucial evidence is passed on to the police. The case is given to Sir Arthur Doyle, a not too subtle Sherlock Holmes lookalike. As the case is rather sensitive he asks Steed to have a word with the suspect to establish where they were at the time of the offence. While Steed to doing that Tara is confined to her flat with a badly sprained ankle. When there is another similar case Steed is once again asked to have a word. His presence on both cases leads the blackmailers to make him their next victim
they plan to frame him for the murder of Tara King!
I rather enjoyed this episode; the opening set up was great; I loved how the two villains were introduced in a way that makes the viewer think they are the police. Their crime wasn't the usual grand plot to bring down the state; just an elaborate way for a couple of unpleasant men to force rich men to hand over valuable artworks. Anthony Bate and Kenneth Cope do a fine job as these two unlikeable characters. Having Tara confined to her room, only able to move with difficulty, makes the final scene tenser than it would have been otherwise. Some of the action is more gritty than usual for The Avengers; most notably the scene where Steed extracts information from an associate of the villains it looked like he might kill the man! Peter Jones brings some lightness to the episode with his portrayal of Sir Arthur Doyle; he may look like Holmes but isn't the great detective. Overall a rather good episode that eschews the more surreal aspects of the series.
I rather enjoyed this episode; the opening set up was great; I loved how the two villains were introduced in a way that makes the viewer think they are the police. Their crime wasn't the usual grand plot to bring down the state; just an elaborate way for a couple of unpleasant men to force rich men to hand over valuable artworks. Anthony Bate and Kenneth Cope do a fine job as these two unlikeable characters. Having Tara confined to her room, only able to move with difficulty, makes the final scene tenser than it would have been otherwise. Some of the action is more gritty than usual for The Avengers; most notably the scene where Steed extracts information from an associate of the villains it looked like he might kill the man! Peter Jones brings some lightness to the episode with his portrayal of Sir Arthur Doyle; he may look like Holmes but isn't the great detective. Overall a rather good episode that eschews the more surreal aspects of the series.