Mother

[Allard]

Well I don't dislike mother, but it just doesn't fit the program.
The Avengers unlike (other spy shows) where just there and did they're thing. A one time only superior livened up the show, like the odd chap in Who's Who and Mother in Forget Me Knot. I think it was a mistake to keep him on, even though Newell did a good job with his strange character.
But that's not who it went and it's now part of what is the Tara King era and that's fine with me.

[frank]

I agree that Newell did a fine job with it and his presence took the show in a different direction in terms of humor. Sometimes for good soemtimes for bad. Personally I find it interesting that Mother started out less over the top when Clemens first wrote him. His foibles got more extreme. Again sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't

Case in point his character was a bit extreme in Noon-Doomsday but the episode has a heavy tone and needed the counterbalance

Personally I don't think Mother was needed or not needed nearly as much. Maybe 8 or 9 episodes would have been fine. However I recall Clemens had said he created Mother because he did not feel Thorson could deliver on the humor. Personally I think she could have if they took the time to make the effort. Also the network liked Mother. The funny thing is Mother in the Forget Me Knot is not that funny. Neither is he that cantankerous

[Dandy Forsdyke]

However I recall Clemens had said he created Mother because he did not feel Thorson could deliver on the humor. Personally I think she could have if they took the time to make the effort.

I agree. All that was required was a stronger director. Linda used irony and dry humour with ease in her Emmerdale role.

[darren]

Case in point his character was a bit extreme in Noon-Doomsday but the episode has a heavy tone and needed the counterbalance.

I like Mother's mood in that episode. It does allow for the amusing phone conversation between Mother and Tara.

Mother - (picking up the phone) WHAT?
Tara - Steed..?
Mother - Do I sound like Steed?
Tara - No. You sound tetchy and irritable.. MOTHER!
Mother - Yes, Mother, Miss King.

Clemens said that he wrote Mother to add the right kind of Avengers humour, labelled "Chelsea wit/humour" that he felt that Blackman and Rigg had but Thorson didn't. He didn't think that she couldn't be funny, just that she couldn't do Avengers funny. Or something like that.

[Timeless A-Peel]

As for his bluster, well, the character's in chronic pain. And Charles wasn't exactly a cheery sort.

And Quilpie (Ronald Radd) was positively morose!

McKay from Hostage didn't crack many smiles either. But he was in pain as well. And probably had lots of paperwork what with all those traitors popping up in his department. You'd be grouchy too!

Let's see...cantankerous, in pain...by my calculations, the next Avengers boss should be Gregory House, MD.

[Artanis]

However I recall Clemens had said he created Mother because he did not feel Thorson could deliver on the humor. Personally I think she could have if they took the time to make the effort.

I agree. All that was required was a stronger director. Linda used irony and dry humour with ease in her Emmerdale role.

Yes, they sould have made a better effort with Tara's character but I think Linda did a great job with the humor anyway.

Let's see...cantankerous, in pain...by my calculations, the next Avengers boss should be Gregory House, MD.

And he's grumpy most of the time too.

[waldotyson]

Mother is part and parcel of the whole TK era. It wouldn't be the same without him.

The Steed/Emma period was the only time without a boss and that's the way I like it.

I agree. Steed and Emma were fine without a boss.

[Frankymole]

[Clemens said that he wrote Mother to add the right kind of Avengers humour, labelled "Chelsea wit/humour" that he felt that Blackman and Rigg had but Thorson didn't. He didn't think that she couldn't be funny, just that she couldn't do Avengers funny. Or something like that.

Well that's a load of nonsense, why on earth did he say that?

Cathy was great at bitchy/sarcastic, but rarely lightheartedly "Chelsea" witty - she was usually too annoyed at being manipulated by Steed!

[Timeless A-Peel]

[Clemens said that he wrote Mother to add the right kind of Avengers humour, labelled "Chelsea wit/humour" that he felt that Blackman and Rigg had but Thorson didn't. He didn't think that she couldn't be funny, just that she couldn't do Avengers funny. Or something like that.

Well that's a load of nonsense, why on earth did he say that?

Cathy was great at bitchy/sarcastic, but rarely lightheartedly "Chelsea" witty - she was usually too annoyed at being manipulated by Steed!

I've got to agree with you there. Cathy's very humourless. I think that's the reason I find it so hard to warm to her. She's an ice queen (something Purdey would pick up on years later, although despite what Joanna says, Purdey did have a sense of humour. Granted, it was mostly at Gambit's expense, but you get the point...)

Brian Clemens has said on more than one occasion that Linda had no sense of humour, and extrapolated that this was because she was Canadian, and "Canadians have no sense of humour." Right. This is why all the comedians in Hollywood are Canadian, most homegrown Canadian shows are comedies (often quite "acid"), and we have about a zillion comedy festivals. This makes me think that perhaps a stressed 20-year-old whom you've made it clear you don't want on your show isn't the best reflection of an entire nation.

Rant off.

[Timeless A-Peel]

Let's see...cantankerous, in pain...by my calculations, the next Avengers boss should be Gregory House, MD.

And he's grumpy most of the time too.

And he has a penchant for the bizarre. Think we can lure him back from the States?