Look (Stop Me...): love it or hate it

[Rodney]

I was looking through David K Smith's wonderful Avengers reviews again today and was reminded how extreme most people's views are on this episode. Few people seem to be lukewarm about it. What do others think? I've pasted a few lines of David's review as a starter:

"This is perhaps one of the most polarizing of all Avengers episodes—one tends to either really love it or really hate it! For me, this one was doomed from the start owing to one of my personal peculiarities—I hate clowns. But even if there were no clowns, I just can't warm up to it. The Avengers, at least the form of personal preference, is a study in subtlety, not slapstick; eccentrics, not lunatics."

[Timeless A-Peel]

Funnily enough, I'm not polarised by this one at all. Don't hate it, don't love it. It's an all right episode, but there are many other Taras I'd rate above it. If you want me to jump up and down, ask me about A Touch of Brimstone.

[Andrew Pixley]

Love it love it love it love it. About as far as you can take "The Avengers" in that direction, and I wouldn't like the show to be like that every week. But it's nice to see it go so utterly bonkers on that occasion with all its references and tributes to the entertainment industry.

All the best

Andrew

[kim]

While I started off hating the episode, after comparing it to Bizare, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't truly hate as it was a dislike Bizare I hate. Look Stop Me I can take in small doses.

[Dandy Forsdyke]

It's one of those 'silly' episodes like Epic and Who's Who. It's a goody, but I wouldn't have liked an episode like it every week.

[cyberrich]

This is definitely a unique episode, and one where my opinion has changed radically over the years. When I initially saw this on Channel 4 back in 1983, I hated it. I thought it was utterly ludicrous! When I saw it again roughly 10 years later, I got it and understood what they were trying to do. Now I LOVE it , and would place it in my top 10 Tara's. As most of you have said we wouldn't have wanted this type of episode every week, and indeed there was no other episode like this. This is definitely one you either love or hate, and I've been on both sides! It's brilliant fun, John Cleese, Bernard Cribbins, Steed, Tara, the clowns, Mr Punch, all brilliant in a comic and disturbing way! 10 out of 10!! Richard.

[darren]

I've absolutely no problem with Dennis Spooner's wonderful script. There are some lovely details and great lines (shame he was so completely occupied with all those ITC series that he rarely got a chance to work on the series until sharing the writing of the New Avengers with Clemens). The structure of the story is very much season 5 (but I won't hold that against it:)). The cast are superb boasting John Cleese, Bernard Cribbins, Jimmy Jewell, Talfryn Thomas, Julian Chagrin (son of composer Francis Chagrin) etc. But it's ultimately disappointing.

I'm very much in the middle in terms of my appreciation for the episode goes. I like it but there's something about it that makes it difficult for me to really enjoy it or really dislike it.

I think the tone just isn't right and I think the blame lies with director James Hill. He's a good director but I don't think he was the right choice for this episode (don't think he ever bettered his stunning direction of Castle De'ath). Whilst parts are very eccentric and surreal, other parts feel like they could have happened around the corner from you - too much in the real world. And consequently it feels rather awkward.

I think that there are two ways it could have worked. They could have made it far more stylised and removed it from having too much of a foot in the real world (that dire humdrum office location and car park) and played up the comedy - gone stylistically with season 5. Or they could have made it creepy, change the lighting and make the clowns truly unnerving - more like My Wildest Dream, Game or Stay Tuned.

One thing that really bugs me is Johnson's music. It's creative but it sets my teeth on edge and I just don't care for the mood that it creates. It's that new piece with he chiming and comedy kazoo or whatever it is. I like the pieces used from The Girl From Auntie (works brilliantly on the fight scene). And I'm not keen on the aesthetic of some of the sets.

I think I like what it could have been rather than what it was.

[Frankymole]

I've no strong feelings either way, though it's nice to see John Cleese and Bernard Cribbins (again) in the series.

[Rodney]

So, after all, there are lots of people who are indifferent to it! I like it, but only as a one off.

[Allard]

Well you´ve found my personal pet peeve with this one. Look Stop.... is my personal vitriol spitting target practice episode. Which is perhaps a bit unfair as I have seen it just one time. I should watch it again to give a good review and opinion, but this episodes was a insult to the Avengers.

I honestly admit I hate clowns, but it´s more then just that. The episode progressively descends in evermore in unbelievable banality. The beginning goes, with Steed and Tara starting an investigation, having a game of ping pong but it get´s too goofy after a while. The clowns just pop off anybody even old friends just because a Punch and Judy stand tell them too. The motivation for the ´real´ DM is non existent and the end fight is too goofy even for a bad Tara King episode.

But love, hate or indifference? Since the opposite of love is not hate but indifference, I must have some feelings for this episode because it´s the only one I actually hate. (Well a bit I don´t really hate a lot of things.)