Escapade - Avengers USA (1978)

[Cariheart]

The full episode again for those of you who missed it.

http://sevenload.com/videos/COZkGQf-Escapade

Thanks you Bramford! Oz's voice sounds very familiar. Where have I heard it before?

[Mona]

They probably would have gently phased Steed out, gradually letting Gareth and Joanna take on more and more of the load, with Patrick doing a few scenes here and there. Maybe they could do one of those vacation episodes once in awhile, and he could play a bigger role in one of those? But I don't think Patrick would want to keep doing it full-time. Ultimately, I would have liked TNA to end with Steed formally handing the reins over to Purdey and Gambit, with the implication that they would be the first line of defense from now on.

I think if there had been a Season 3, it's fairly obvious Gambit would have been phased out, leaving Steed and Purdey. The show was inching towards that and Steed with a female partner was always the best way to go.

Mona

[Mona]

The full episode again for those of you who missed it.

http://sevenload.com/videos/COZkGQf-Escapade

Oh, Bramford, you are off my holiday list for putting a link to this terrible show back up for viewing! It was awful--a real failure for Clemens. I had actually not heard of Escapade until mentioned in this thread; for that I was indeed thankful!

I think it the show was much more along the lines of the two stars being Steed and Purdey clones--Joshua doesn't carry a gun, is all into fashion (although he wears casual clothes), avoids fights and then wins when forced into it, and doesn't want to have sex with Suzie although she is all over him, as they work together.

HOWEVER, this was a dismal failure in entertainment. The "banter" was so terrible, it was painful--Suzie literally in every scene was just throwing herself on Joshua, I mean, every scene. That was embarrassing. We also have that idiotic computer, and no clear name to the organization they work for.

Paula is a terribly incompetent spy--she cannot even notice a CAR tailing her when she JOGS. I mean, it must have been creeping along the street with her for her whole route! My grandmother would notice that! Let alone she jogged without any bra on, as we saw in the gratuitously brief shower moment.

What are the two leads doing in their bathrobes in Joshua's apartment not having had sex, and with Joshua definitely not wanting sex? That was really pathetic as there is no "did they?" question about the whole relationship--it's obvious they didn't and obvious Rand is getting annoyed with Suzie's continual sexual pestering.

This was a sad premise from the get go. The actor portraying the Steed like guy wasn't that handsome and didn't have the masterful portrayal of emotions through his eyes that Patrick Macnee does. He is a very superficially drawn character, which is the opposite of Macnee's Steed. Morgan did okay but it must have brought her to tears to have to say all those desperate yearnings for Joshua; anyway it brought me to tears of despair which was only relieved when the darn show finally ended.

But, what this does is once again show how masterfully brilliant OUR Avengers was, and how perfectly unique OUR actors and their characters were--even Clemens himself couldn't replicate it. As I said, I hope they never try to emulate the TV show or make another movie; it simply cannot be done.

Mona

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Well, Bramford is on many other Christmas lists for making the pilot available for us to see.

As I've said before Joshua Rand and Suzy are the opposite of Gambit and Purdey. In The New Avengers it's Gambit that's chasing Purdey - who is the button up, well scrubbed type - until we get to Obsession where we learn a little more about Purdey's past life.

Suzy is like a cougar-in-training. She really needs a good ... distraction. Either that or Rand is the only man who turned her down and therefore a great challenge. I used to think the same of Gambit towards Purdey, but my mind changed are the series went on.

Rand is either not interested in Suzy or has an Obsession-like past. I think we would have found out in a later episode that Josua's previous lady-partner had been killed in action. Or perhaps he prefers more masculine company at the local gym.

Yes, a dreadful pilot - the 70's version of The Avengers 98 movie - but very worth watching from a historic point of view.

Thanks again, Bramford.

I think if there had been a Season 3, it's fairly obvious Gambit would have been phased out, leaving Steed and Purdey. The show was inching towards that and Steed with a female partner was always the best way to go.

Mona

I have to disagree. I think Patrick was missing the California sun and may have had a lower profile in a possible third series.

Gareth Hunt, like Joanna, was considered a new discovery so would have been very much involved were there to be more episodes.

But it's a moot point because there was never a '78 season.

[Mona]

Well, I personally don't believe Gareth had the charisma or screen presence to have a whole Avengers show with him as star. I believe he was big in other shows in Britain which were not shown in the US much, so I've never seen him acting other than Gambit, but as Gambit I don't see him able to hold audience interest as a whole. At least, he wouldn't hold mine, nor many other women Avenger fans I know. (I know Timeless would probably disagree!) Joanna did/does have that screen charisma, and of course, so did Patrick Macnee.

I think it was obvious that in TNA writers/creators were putting Steed and Purdey together more in the second season, and making her definitely just friends (which I think she always was, anyway) with Gambit. One wonders what was in their heads about how the show would progress, if the ratings were higher.

But, as you said, it's all a moot discussion. What I think everyone can agree on is how horrible Escapade was. Pairing Rhonda together with Dr. King would be better than more of Joshua Rand and Suzie!

Mona

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Ouch.

This is all very reminiscent of that flack Linda Thorson used to get. I hope one day you might comes to terms with Gareth's contribution towards the show and see the huge charm and considerable talent he had.

It doesn't take anything away from Patrick Macnee whatsoever.

[Timeless A-Peel]

Ouch.

This is all very reminiscent of that flack Linda Thorson used to get. I hope one day you might comes to terms with Gareth's contribution towards the show and see the huge charm and considerable talent he had.

It doesn't take anything away from Patrick Macnee whatsoever.

Well said, Dandy. Why some people think that liking Steed and Gambit somehow takes away from either is beyond me. One was not written to be a specific replacement for the other, and they don't take away from one another, either. I think the Steed/Gambit relationship was one of the highlights of TNA, and it's wonderful that in recent years Gambit, like Tara, has received a long overdue reevaluation. But then I have affection for the entire Avengers cast--wouldn't want to miss any of them. Which is why I'm starting to really bemoan the lack of Dr. Keel stories.

(There's no question Patrick would have walked eventually, and left things to Gambit and Purdey. He wouldn't have stuck around forever).

Moving back to Escapade, I managed to watch it, too, and I'm really glad I've had the chance after reading about it all those years ago. It's a pretty obvious example of the Brian Clemens recycling machine--throw in enough ingredients off the Avengers checklist and hope for the best. Didn't happen, though. The acting let it down the most--forced to say the least. There's no real sense of comraderie between the leads, an Avengers must, and yes, I could have done without the computer. (For a decent talking computer, see the 1981 Hitchhiker's Guide TV series). And I agree Suzy's come-ons were annoying. The plot was serviceable. With a better rapport it might have evolved into something mildly diverting (pilots are rarely up to par with the eventual series). Not an Avengers competitor, but a lightweight fantasy good for switching your brain off. For me the funnest part was looking for said blantant Avengers/TNA, er, borrowings. Aside from the reverse Purdey/Gambit pursuit and the "I never carry a gun" line, did you spot Suzy's convenient lack of a last name, and her tendency to wander off on tangents (with Rand cutting in to bring her back on track)? Some of their conversations are pretty obvious attempts at reestablishing the Purdey/Gambit dynamic, but you can't beat the originals. Treat yourself to Remington Steele instead.

[Mona]

Ouch.

This is all very reminiscent of that flack Linda Thorson used to get. I hope one day you might comes to terms with Gareth's contribution towards the show and see the huge charm and considerable talent he had.

It doesn't take anything away from Patrick Macnee whatsoever.

Hey, Dandy,

I don't think a fan of the show has to be in love with every aspect or every character. If that's the case, then we should all say "Ouch" about having a whole thread called "The worst Avenger episodes"! I don't consider Gambit a "threat" to Pat or Steed, but I personally would not watch a show where he was the main star; it would hold no interest for me. Considering I've been a fan of the show for 40 years, it's unlikely I will ever see the charm of Gambit!

I'm sorry that my opinion was considered "flack"; I'm not sure that is a fair judgment. The fact that Gambit does nothing for me isn't being out of line; it's just that different aspects of the show attract different people. I like Purdey more than Emma. I didn't like Venus, or Dr. Keel either, really and were glad when they both left. Those shouldn't be Ouches, either. Some people love the music, the clothes, the cars, are interested in guest stars, and get into all the trivia of making the show, when they were broadcast, the books and other sales items of the shows, and etc; and some folks don't care about all those aspects or all characters. There is enough complexity and depth to the Avengers to allow everyone to choose to love and appreciate their own angles. I really appreciate how the show strikes so many people so differently; it fascinates me, really.

De gustibus non est disputandum, Sir!

Mona

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Well, we can't all like all aspects of the show and I know I'm in a happy position where I enjoy most Avengers eras. Some more than others obviously.

I think it was credit to Gareth Hunt that from the word go he was able to embellish the character with enough charm and humour that elevated him from just being 'Steed's legs' or a spear carrier as my friend once called him.

I think he worked brilliantly well with Joanna Lumley and achieved the same amount of on screen chemistry that Patrick and Diana enjoyed.

[Mona]

I think he worked brilliantly well with Joanna Lumley and achieved the same amount of on screen chemistry that Patrick and Diana enjoyed.

Wow, you really believe Gambit's and Purdey's screen chemistry equaled Steed's and Emma's? That's a position I can Voltaire-ishly respect but cannot possibly ever agree with. Steed and Emma's chemistry was unique, special, amazing, endlessly enjoyable, classy, touched with danger, sentimentality and lust, and is still famous and fondly recalled 45 years later. It was pretty much the epitome of how good a man/woman connection can be. Certainly, at least, how good things can be between man/woman partnered agents.

Purdey and Gambit--unfortunately and sadly infrequently recalled by anyone outside of The Avengers fan world--were to me friends who joked around a bit. I really can't see them on the same level at all with Steed/Emma, and I don't believe they were ever designed to be as the characters were portrayed. I also don't think Steed/Tara or Steed/Cathy were at the same level. That's why when the vast majority of people think "The Avengers" they think Steed and Mrs. Peel, nearly half a century later.

Mona