lostntime wrote:Within the Emma era (which are the only episodes I own), Mission Highly Improbable reminds me of a 1950's science fiction B-movie. The most entertaining moment is "Tell me Steed, is everything to size?" (as best I recall). I assume Mission is a poke at the Mission Impossible series.
I agree this episode has to be the worst in the Peel series. THe characters are lifeless, boring, utterly unlikable. Diana's got little to do and both she and Patrick have lackluster lines and atypical performances. Mission: Highly Improbable is the scraping of the barrel.
" I appreciate your ... appreciation."- Mrs. Emma Peel - Escape in Time
Cariheart wrote:
I agree this episode has to be the worst in the Peel series. THe characters are lifeless, boring, utterly unlikable. Diana's got little to do and both she and Patrick have lackluster lines and atypical performances. Mission: Highly Improbable is the scraping of the barrel.
Don't hold back on our account. Tell us how you really feel!
I say, Cariheart, this one really struck a nerve with you. I'd hate to know what's in that barrel!
I sat down and watched this again with a discerning eye. What I observed is Pat and Diana both came across as sad. Thsi makes sense considering this was her last episode, aside from 'The Forget-Me-Knot. I still find it to be a very clever and fun episode, though. And Ronald Radd was quite amusing as Shaffer. Sorry you didn't enjoy it!
Sue
believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if i have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
-buddha
Agree with the last two posts. Mission: Highly Improbable has a very "it's the end of a marvelous party" atmosphere throughout. Plus I hate the fact that the items shrunk were 'real'. It pushed the show into complete comic-book land.
It was only a few episodes back we saw the reveal of The See-Through Man was a set up, but yet we are expected to believe this shrinking machine.
There is a melancholic air in the episode and I'm glad others feel it too.
However I have to say I dislike Ronald Radd. In this and other things I've seen him in. Just one of those people who irritates me.
Darren wrote:Patrick and Diana both just look tired in Mission Highly Improbable.
The miniature sets are very impressive, the desk and the bottom of the door etc.
I think Ronald Radd is superb in Bullseye. He's playing a jokey character in this but is rather annoying.
I've never been keen on Robert Day's direction in the series and this is no different - the aesthetic of his work just doesn't appeal.
Wasn't it this episode in particular that went down badly with the ABC executes and made them sack Clemens and Fennell..?
If it was this episode that displeased the ABC exec's then I'm surprised, as this episode out of all Avenger episodes has struck me as the most 'Americanised'. By that I mean it doesn't have as much of a British feel as the other episodes. Having said that I quite enjoy it. Yes, Pat and Diana don't look as fresh faced as they did in The Murder Market(their first to be filmed), but I don't suppose I would either after working a 16 hour day for nearly 3 years. Even though they must have been exhausted, they never appeared bored in The Avengers. They still gave their all to even the weaker episodes. Not that there were that many in the Mrs Peel era. I can only think of a handful that don't quite hit the mark; The see through man, the £50,000 breakfast, Who's who and the very worst-Two's a crowd. However, even in the weaker episodes, there is something I can find to enjoy. Rich.
Dandy Forsdyke wrote:Agree with the last two posts. Mission: Highly Improbable has a very "it's the end of a marvelous party" atmosphere throughout. Plus I hate the fact that the items shrunk were 'real'. It pushed the show into complete comic-book land.
It was only a few episodes back we saw the reveal of The See-Through Man was a set up, but yet we are expected to believe this shrinking machine.
There is a melancholic air in the episode and I'm glad others feel it too.
However I have to say I dislike Ronald Radd. In this and other things I've seen him in. Just one of those people who irritates me.
a strange episode....but wasn't the show at times, geared towards comic book land attitudes ?
Well, I watched "Mission Highly Impossible" again based on "Worst" comments on this thread. As Kim wrote earlier, seeing disparate opinions does induce a certain thoughtfulness in fans and I did want to analyze "MHI" based on previous comments.
Considering there were numerous bizarre Sci-Fi episodes, such as Cybernauts--who can trace people based on their heartbeats miles and miles away--as well as radio power, a laser which kills from afar, Replicates, mind controlling aliens, and such, it is very easy for me to believe that a reducing machine was also made in Avengerland. That is not a premise too hard for me to comprehend or accept, given other fantastic scientific creations we also see in the Peel Series. Avengerland is not quite reality as we know, and so a reducing machine entirely works for me in the series.
I think a couple of people thought that Macnee and Rigg didn't put their heart into this episode, but I think that is an unfair judgment. I think the real problem is more the quick scene changes and how, for most of the episode, the scenes of Steed and Peel together were very short and cut abruptly, and all mostly about narrative. When Steed was investigating on his own, he seemed the same old character, and very worthwhile watching, and when Steed and Emma were together they seemed normal, too. The problem is more in the script, than in their acting--we did not really see them together in the investigation, and that separation is harder on us, I think, because as fans, we so much enjoy their time together as partners in longer scenes. Overall, we saw much more of the other characters than of our heroes. That this episode severely lacked that aspect of the show is a little frustrating, true.
But, I thought the plot was good, developed well and the clues came together in a smooth manner. The teaser scene Bentley disappearance was a nifty mysterious leaving the audience really wondering what happened. And, I really felt the miniature scenes were quite well done. I thought the scenery of the desk and such was excellent, and one could easily believe Steed was tiny and getting suffocated by cigar smoke. His catching the key and then slinking down the hallway carrying the pen were also very terrifically filmed.
The two deaths we see were particularly gruesome. The poor General is stuck in a claustrophobic box only to be thrown out in the trash. The security guard is drained down the sewer. Very nasty and really shows Chivers as not just greedy, unscrupulous and a traitor, but also somewhat emotionally depraved to be able to do that to other humans.
So, I thought all in all this was a good plot but not well written to highlight our heroes and let us end the series with them at their ultimate best, playing off of each other, and having a lot of screen time together. Probably overall a poor choice towards the end of the series. While it is not one of my all-time favorites (but I have so MANY of those!) it was also not a "Worst" to me; there were indeed redeeming aspects of the episode.
Mona wrote:
I think a couple of people thought that Macnee and Rigg didn't put their heart into this episode, but I think that is an unfair judgment. I think the real problem is more the quick scene changes and how, for most of the episode, the scenes of Steed and Peel together were very short and cut abruptly, and all mostly about narrative. When Steed was investigating on his own, he seemed the same old character, and very worthwhile watching, and when Steed and Emma were together they seemed normal, too. The problem is more in the script, than in their acting--we did not really see them together in the investigation, and that separation is harder on us, I think, because as fans, we so much enjoy their time together as partners in longer scenes. Overall, we saw much more of the other characters than of our heroes. That this episode severely lacked that aspect of the show is a little frustrating, true.
Mona
Mona,
Your dead on about the scenes with Steed and Emma being oddly quick cut and lacking the intimacy we all enjoy. Even the scenes where one of them was miniaturised gave a sense of detachment because we never saw them on screen together. Had they mastered that bit of film wizardry we'd probably be counting this as one of the best episodes ever. It certainly would have been an opportunity for some very amusing moments!
While I would never believe that Pat and Diana didn't give their all to their roles, they both visibly looked sad. Diana in particular had a look to her eyes that reminded me of the farewell in 'The Forget-Me-Knot'. And poor Pat was not only losing Diana, but his mess of a marriage to Kate was a no doubt plaguing him. Someone had said ( I don't remember who), "When Pat is sad in his personal life, he is a sad actor." I take this to mean he had trouble hiding his pain, not that he turned in to a sorry sort of actor.
Overall, this is a quite imaginative episode, not bad. Could have been improved in some ways, but far from boring.
Sue
believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if i have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
-buddha
In Avengers & Me Patrick recalls a time when Sidney Hayers took him and Diana to one side and ticked them off for not putting more into a scene. He actually said it was "bad". He pulled them up and impressed on them to make it better.
