4.05 - Too Many Christmas Trees

[dissolute]

Agreed, I watched it just the other day and it truly is a dark masterpiece.

[mousemeat]

I would concur...it is ' dark ' and a masterpiece....and yrs later, Steed's 'bed' really spooks me out....whoa !

[mousemeat]

to this day, one of my favorite scenes, was when Steed was with Emma, looking over christmas cards, and he asked out loud, wonder what Mrs. Gale is doing at Ft.Knox..(wink wink) I crack up..everytime...a great nod to Honor getting the part as Pussy Galore, in Goldfinger....

[rob2bob]

Just watched it after many, many years… should have watched this 2 months ago to tie in with Christmas! Great episode (albeit I scored it 7/10… do not shoot me, I have a super critical and personal scale!)

How cool with the ‘hall of mirrors’ and shooting the villain there… beat Bond by almost 10 years! (The Man With The Golden Gun)

The Pussy Galore reference and Fort Knox (Goldfinger) an added bonus.

So almost 2 Bond film tenuous links. (Let us not forget Diana in OHMSS so make that 3 tenuous links for this episode lol.)

STOP PRESS
Patrick in From A View To A Kill. That’s 4! Do I stop now?

[Andrew Pixley]

Just watched it after many, many years… should have watched this 2 months ago to tie in with Christmas! Great episode (albeit I scored it 7/10… do not shoot me, I have a super critical and personal scale!)

How cool with the ‘hall of mirrors’ and shooting the villain there… beat Bond by almost 10 years! (The Man With The Golden Gun)

Rather enjoyed this when I watched it again in 2022. It's in that rather interesting period where the show's just gone to film... but the scripts are still written at times as if for tape. As such, you get a rather tight, studio-heavy script, but one that's now able to take full advantage of the technicalities and trickery of shooting on film. This is one that's grown in my affections over the years since I first saw it. :)

All the best

Andrew

[rob2bob]

It's in that rather interesting period where the show's just gone to film... but the scripts are still written at times as if for tape. As such, you get a rather tight, studio-heavy script…

Well observed

[mousemeat]

myself, prefer the film era, over the video tape, not only in visual depth, but the overall feel, visual, if that makes any sense..and film no doubt offers more freedom in fill-in, set ups, locations, etc...

[Andrew Pixley]

It's in that rather interesting period where the show's just gone to film... but the scripts are still written at times as if for tape. As such, you get a rather tight, studio-heavy script…

Well observed

Bless you Rob. I find the points of transition fascinating. One of my regrets - I suppose - is that I wasn't there to see "The Avengers" on its first run as it started as one thing, became another thing, then a third, then a fourth... and more and more and more with its style and technology evolving throughout the decade and then being reborn and rebooted a few years beyond that. I've come close - in 2003/4 I watched all the available shows and read all the available scripts in producion order and all of a sudden I was seeing the show in a totally new way. Things I'd never noticed before; Steed's change of character as the filmed editions got underway, his ageing, the change in type and approach of his female colleague. And it was the points of transition where nobody was quite sure and feeling their way that intrigued me. Like this point. Like when we ditch Doctors Keel and King and bring aboard Cathy and Venus. Like when we don't quite know how to approach Tara. Like when we don't know "The New Avengers" will fit in the schedule, so villains casually lob around direct sexual threats at Purdey for a couple of weeks until there's a vibe that this *will* be pre-watershed after all. Watching it all through and getting why each style and approach gave a different sense of enjoyment was a real blast! :)

All the best

Andrew

[rob2bob]

It's in that rather interesting period where the show's just gone to film... but the scripts are still written at times as if for tape. As such, you get a rather tight, studio-heavy script…

Well observed

I find the points of transition fascinating…

As do I. Although my watching history of the series over 40 years does not go prior to season 4… I still love to see how the characters, film style, sets and wardrobe evolve… especially when viewed in production order. I love that season 4 is so different to season 5 and likewise season 6, after its troubled start.

The New Avengers in the mid 70s is ‘of its time’ and arguably has not aged so well. For me the magic and the charm just was not there. It is a different beast and if viewed in that way then there is still much to enjoy.

I always find it odd that the 60s seasons have not dated (for me) in the same way too… is it because they are cocooned in an England that does not really exist (and so does not date), whereas The New Avengers almost was too much trying to be in an England that did exist?

[Andrew Pixley]

As do I. Although my watching history of the series over 40 years does not go prior to season 4… I still love to see how the characters, film style, sets and wardrobe evolve… especially when viewed in production order. I love that season 4 is so different to season 5 and likewise season 6, after its troubled start.

That's an aspect that I relish too! :)

The New Avengers in the mid 70s is ‘of its time’ and arguably has not aged so well. For me the magic and the charm just was not there. It is a different beast and if viewed in that way then there is still much to enjoy.

I always find it odd that the 60s seasons have not dated (for me) in the same way too… is it because they are cocooned in an England that does not really exist (and so does not date), whereas The New Avengers almost was too much trying to be in an England that did exist?

I dunno. I still adore "The New Avengers" for what it sets out to do and how it takes the series out of the studio and onto location and uses the three-lead dynamic to make the more "realistic" relationships between Steed and his colleagues more part of the mix. I care more about older Steed and Purdey and Gambit because they more frequently espouse to each other (and the audience) about how they care about each other - certainly not an element in the taped shows where Steed effectively "uses" people to achieve his objective no matter what. Both give enjoyable and engaging - but very different - feels.

But you're right in that "The New Avengers" is more rooted (particularly the 1977 episodes). It's certainly keeping more of an eye of what else is being done in the marketplace... but when compared to the other filmed British TV product of the mid-1970s where the drive is more towards "heavy" realism, it's still giving that lovely off-beat edge to it (something that's not so evident when they launch into "The Professionals"). So, I think it still works for me - but for different reasons. And - yes - certainly, one of the drawbacks of tapping into the current trends rather than ignoring them is that it is unable to deliver that 'timeless' vibe that the 1960s shows have.

Great points! Many thanks! :)

All the best

Andrew