Escapade - Avengers USA (1978)

[Dandy Forsdyke]

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).

I think Brian Clemens was just thinking of a way to give the show some 'colour' and perhaps thought an English-voiced computer was more interesting than a man in a suit giving instructions. I suppose he was meant to sound like C-3PO from Star Wars.

Silly really, and another example of following the trend rather than plowing your own furrow. This has certainly dated far more than The Avengers.

[Timeless A-Peel]

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).

I think Brian Clemens was just thinking of a way to give the show some 'colour' and perhaps thought an English-voiced computer was more interesting than a man in a suit giving instructions. I suppose he was meant to sound like C-3PO from Star Wars.

Silly really, and another example of following the trend rather than plowing your own furrow. This has certainly dated far more than The Avengers.

It felt really knockoffy. You can almost see the little mental checklist he was going through, right down to all the running. Lots of running, though not quite up to the Gareth and Joanna standard of running. You'll notice he made Morgan run in heels at least once, though.

[oneknightsteed]

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

I totally agree with you, Mona. A chemistry such as Steed and Mrs. Peel shared is special and rare. The dynamic of Gambit and Purdeys relation was more like a brother to a sister. I always found the interaction between Purdey and Steed far more charismatic in TNA.

[Mona]

I totally agree with you, Mona. A chemistry such as Steed and Mrs. Peel shared is special and rare. The dynamic of Gambit and Purdeys relation was more like a brother to a sister. I always found the interaction between Purdey and Steed far more charismatic in TNA.

Hello, OneKnightSteed,

Thanks for piping in. That's my point of view exactly, as well.

Mona

[Dandy Forsdyke]

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).

I think Brian Clemens was just thinking of a way to give the show some 'colour' and perhaps thought an English-voiced computer was more interesting than a man in a suit giving instructions. I suppose he was meant to sound like C-3PO from Star Wars.

Silly really, and another example of following the trend rather than plowing your own furrow. This has certainly dated far more than The Avengers.

It felt really knockoffy. You can almost see the little mental checklist he was going through, right down to all the running. Lots of running, though not quite up to the Gareth and Joanna standard of running. You'll notice he made Morgan run in heels at least once, though.

Oh, the speeded up running! I can't remember if they did this in Escapade, but it was one of the unintentionally hilarious parts of TNA. Joanna was already a fast runner - they didn't need to speed the film up like that, it was like the Keystone Kops!

[Timeless A-Peel]

I think Brian Clemens was just thinking of a way to give the show some 'colour' and perhaps thought an English-voiced computer was more interesting than a man in a suit giving instructions. I suppose he was meant to sound like C-3PO from Star Wars.

Silly really, and another example of following the trend rather than plowing your own furrow. This has certainly dated far more than The Avengers.

It felt really knockoffy. You can almost see the little mental checklist he was going through, right down to all the running. Lots of running, though not quite up to the Gareth and Joanna standard of running. You'll notice he made Morgan run in heels at least once, though.

Oh, the speeded up running! I can't remember if they did this in Escapade, but it was one of the unintentionally hilarious parts of TNA. Joanna was already a fast runner - they didn't need to speed the film up like that, it was like the Keystone Kops!

Only in Midas Touch, if I recall correctly (and that was pretty comedic ). They didn't need the help, as you say--they could both really run by that point. I always think of that sequence in Midas as Clemens testing out the merchandise as it were--see where all that fitness training was going. By the end you can actually hear them panting over the soundtrack. Morgan and her magical self-fixing hair look rather lightweight in comparison.

[Mona]

The running in the cemetery in Escapade was very stupid--let's run to where we saw her, and stop. Then run again, and stop. Run again, and stop. That was the worst running sequence I think I've ever watched. No surprise the woman got away! At least in TNA our characters could run further than 100 feet without stopping, even Purdey in heels!

Mona

[Timeless A-Peel]

The running in the cemetery in Escapade was very stupid--let's run to where we saw her, and stop. Then run again, and stop. Run again, and stop. That was the worst running sequence I think I've ever watched. No surprise the woman got away! At least in TNA our characters could run further than 100 feet without stopping, even Purdey in heels!

Mona

That annoyed me, too. I had an urge to scream "Why are you just looking at her? Run, damn it!"

[Dandy Forsdyke]

Has anyone located a copy of Escapade yet?

I’d love to see more than the first 12 minutes, as seen on YouTube.

Nope. However you're not missing a lot, as I say. On par with the 'Avengers' movie of 1998.

[MikeR]

Saw it twice in the eighties when it was transmitted twice in the uK on BBC2.

Would love to see it again, as I can hardly remember anything about it.

Obviously it did not leave a lasting impression.