4.04 - Death at Bargain Prices

[peabody]

Discuss, review and rate Death at Bargain Prices, produced c. Monday 25th January 1965 to Wednesday 17th February 1965.

Teleplay by Brian Clemens
Directed by Charles Crichton

[stevec]

has one of the best lines in the series,

I asked the chief predator where to find you and he said, "Our Mrs. Peel is in ladies' underwear." I rattled up the stairs three at a time.

[mousemeat]

has one of the best lines in the series,

I asked the chief predator where to find you and he said, "Our Mrs. Peel is in ladies' underwear." I rattled up the stairs three at a time.

classic line....and was delivered with gusto...and a little black humour.

always got a kick when Peel finds that toy spider..and lets out an EEK

[Rhonda]

I gave 7

[cyberrich]

Death at bargain prices is the latest episode under review. I'd love to read your reviews here once you've found time to watch this classic. Rich.

[Rodders]

I love the claustrophobic atmosphere, the sending up of a snobby department store, the gloriously Avengerish idea of the Department of Discontinued Lines and Emma's belief that Steed belongs there! There is something wonderfully creepy about the store when it is closed. Clemens at his best, or almost. (I enjoyed Margo's Freudian interpretation of it as well.)

[Mona]

I really enjoyed Death at Bargain Prices. Steed is young and super gorgeous. He has that red-blooded dynamo that all Steed fans already knew about.

When this episode was played at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, during The Avengers weekend, the entire audience burst into laughter when Emma hunched over and snapped her fingers in her fight-dance with her opponent. It did set the form for her stylized fighting.

The most important thing for me during this episode was seeing the first time in the Emma series that Steed was super strong, especially when focused. We saw his fighting abilities against the attackers in "Town of No Return". Now we see his strength. Ripping open the locked elevator door saved the city and the day.

[dissolute]

Trying to catch up after real life kept me away...

Death at Bargain Prices is a worthy recipient of fan favourite status with great guest actors and some really fine sets. The direction and pacing are all meticulous although I find myself alone in thinking the West Side Story inspired fight near the end is a bit too much.

[mrs_emma_peel]

has one of the best lines in the series,

I asked the chief predator where to find you and he said, "Our Mrs. Peel is in ladies' underwear." I rattled up the stairs three at a time.

'Merry quips department on the fifth floor, Sir. Horatio ‘King’ Kane is at the top of the building in the Department of Discontinued Lines… You should fit in rather well.'

I love this brilliant Avengers dialogue sequence - arguably the finest in Avengers history.

Steed: 'Straight drive to mid-on, its all in the grip you know...'
Peel: 'Really!'

This is a real corker of an episode - one of my favourites. A very witty script, a terrifying mystery with a clever and devastating reveal - King Kane is a revenge obsessed, multi-layered psycho villain who has assembled a group of vicious henchmen to carry out his ingenious, explosive doomsday plan.

This episode is superbly investigated and analysed by Margo in her inspired chapter uncovering the Freudian elements of Kane's complex character.

The climax has a ferocious pace in which we see simultaneous, stylish, beautifully choreographed Peel and Steed fights - and a desperate race to defuse the bomb. This is the Avengers at its very best - a witty thriller of riveting intensity.

'We did save them from the biggest closing down sale of all time.'






Steed to Emma: 'What have you got to lose?'

[dissolute]

Oh yes, James, the script is absolutely scintillating. Superb one liners and repartee throughout. The chemsistry between Macnee and Rigg is truly something to behold.