U-Turn

darren · Post by **darren** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 8:16 pm

No this is not about Mrs. Peel's driving skills in a high speed car chase.

What are those episodes where you found your opinions do a complete U-turn.

You either found that after initially loving something, you started to dislike it? Or you started out really put off by an episode and slowly came to love it?

My selections - Came to Love

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Station - This was just one of a load of videos that I bought on my birthday back in summer of 1995. I'd had an English exam earlier in the day and couldn't wait to go into town buy some videos and spend the rest of the day plonked in front of the TV.

I'd see a few by the time I came to see this one but I've always loved train so expected to enjoy it. But it just fell flat. I couldn't engage with it at all. It just seemed to dirge on and on.

Then came the late summer of 1999, I'd just come out from seeing The Avengers Movie feeling totally dispirited and wondering if the series that it sought to mimic was any good. Of course it was and the first episode I came to put on was A Funny Thing... I can't remember why I chose it but I'm so glad I did as I suddenly became aware of all the things that I'd previously missed that are a delight. In comparison to the film it suddenly seemed so much fun, so witty, so colourful, so interesting, so-Avengerish. It's consequently become one of the few episodes of season 5 that I truly love.

Trap - Yes, I'm serious. I original saw this on a repeat run of The New Avengers in 1996 on BBC2. By that time, I was getting rather tired of the series as it seemed to have been dragging on (and I was running out of tapes to record it on

). It seemed like a load of rummaging around in a forest with a really ropey bad guy.

Well it still does have a ropey villain but when I watched it after getting the New Avengers boxset, I set up a viewing that was far more conducive to enjoying the episode. It was raining at the time which really put me in the mood for the weather in the episode. I just got into the relationship between the leads, they're so comfortable with each other by this time and they just carried the episode. Though geographically the episode is still rather obscure and unbelievable, Steed, Gambit and Purdey was such a joy to watch that I didn't care. Oh and I love Johnson's groovy score.

My Selection - came to dislike

Bizarre - Here was an episode that reintroduced me to the series. Repeated whilst on holiday in Florida in 1993, here was an episode of a series that I remembered from the 80's on Channel 4. It was so exciting to see. A underground base at a cemetary, this seemed so exciting.

Then on a UK repeat run in the late 90's, an episode I was so looking forward to seeing, suddenly took on a new shape when seen in context after viewing loads of episodes. It suddenly felt so tired. Tara barely in the episode and badly used. It showed a series that had run out of puff and ideas.

The Gravediggers - Another one viewed in Florida. I was really gripped by this one. It felt exactly as I felt the show should always feel. It seemed so exciting with some great action scenes.

But then I got it on video and showed it to a friend, who was very unimpressed. Aside from the fun scene with the train lunch, it suddenly felt really flat and just dull. So slow with a mostly bland group of guest characters. Even Steed and Emma felt lacking.

Post by **Allard** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:14 pm

THE LIVING DEAD of which I had fond memories felt like a real dud when I re watched it last time. It just felt as it had nothing special to offer.

And a year or so ago I re watched two Tara King's which surprised me as being better the remembered, but oddly I can't remember which episodes.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:28 pm

I guess the Venus Smith episodes. But usually I stick to my first impressions. My love for a favourite episode tends to increase over time.

Mrs. Peel · Post by **Mrs. Peel** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:30 am

I have been an absolutely emma peel fan and I really disliked all the other girls. But I wanted to know what's going on with Steed so I was watching the Tara King episodes and I really like them - and also TNA and of course cathy gale- but in the beginning I had alot of prejudices and I was really angry that there wasn't a Mrs. peel anymore.

Dandy Forsdyke · Post by **Dandy Forsdyke** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:07 am

I think once you realise that the show was ever changing, from season to season, you learn to accept cast members also come and go. It can be tricky as, apart from Doctor Who, this was the only show to do so.

I think Steed, Purdey and Gambit fans are the luckiest as they were never replaced.

Mrs. Peel · Post by **Mrs. Peel** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:12 am

yes you're rigth. I think every character has different things which are great. If you give them a chance you will love all episodes. but most of the time you are adicted to the things you have seen at first

Timeless A-Peel · Post by **Timeless A-Peel** » Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:33 pm

Dandy Forsdyke wrote:I think once you realise that the show was ever changing, from season to season, you learn to accept cast members also come and go. It can be tricky as, apart from Doctor Who, this was the only show to do so.

I think Steed, Purdey and Gambit fans are the luckiest as they were never replaced.

Definitely. It was hard enough to find someone to spark off Patrick each time, let alone trying to find someone to replace one-third of a team and mesh with both. I don't think TNA could have survived cast changes the way its predecessor did.

oneknightsteed · Post by **oneknightsteed** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:33 am

My u-turn was for 'The Fear Merchants'. I had watched it when it appeared in the States in 1967. Through an 8yr olds eyes - the scene where Steed is in great peril, trapped in the pit, getting dirt dumped on him, then fighting for his life caused me great anxiety for the fate of my hero! ( I had such a crush on him! Still do!)
When I rediscovered my beloved Avengers as an adult, this was the scene that I remembered and looked forward to seeing. Of course, through adult eyes, the stunt double is soooo obvious. Spoiled the whole scene for me. Oh, to have the innocence of youth again!

cyberrich · Post by **cyberrich** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 1:34 pm

When I first saw The Avengers, it was on Channel 4 in the mid 80s. I remember being very impressed with Epic. I didn't see the Avengers again until Bravo repeated them in the early 90s. Epic was the one I was anticipating the most. It turned out to be a big disappointment. Thin on plot, and rather silly. I guess it's just one of those episodes that doesn't stand up to too many viewings. Fog on the other hand I was quite unimpressed by first time around. It didn't even feel like an Avengers episode. Now I love it. One of Tara's best. Terrific plot, terrific sets and a wonderful atmosphere. Rich.

Frankymole · Post by **Frankymole** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:39 pm

Mark me down for "Fog" too. It took me a while to recognise its genius, the studio-bound claustrophobia of it was a big minus for me inititally, but now I recognise it is one of the very best episodes. Of anything.