2.22 - Man in the Mirror

[Rhonda]

Venus Smith episode, UK 23 February 1963

The first Venus episode I saw, so I particularly like it; 8/10.

[Frankymole]

My review:

http://www.theavengers.tv/forever/gale1-22vr.htm#5

The Avenged?: An anonymous man in the intro. Brown the funfair owner is shot, but optimistic that he'll get better. The stabbing of villain Strong is fairly... er, strong, though—quite disturbingly realistic. The biggest crime is against our ears, with Venus' singing taking syncopation into seldom-heard realms of bizarre tempo and mistiming.

Diabolical Masterminds?: I don't understand why viewers are confused about the intro sequence corpse and Trevelyan's faked suicide. It's made clear that another body is required, to be identified as Trevelyan. Presumably this is the poor chap whose body is shown being bundled away at the start. The body on the railway line, thought to be Trevelyan, wears Trevelyan's clothes—from which the villains foolishly forgot to remove the funfair ticket.

The Avengers?: Steed's exchanges with One-Six are the high point: "It'll do you good to get in some paperwork, Steed. There are no lone wolves on my team." Steed (to himself, smirking) "Just old foxes." One-Six briefs a whole cadre of agents in what outwardly seems to be a Soho strip joint, complete with "tart with a heart" scaring customers away at the door. Is there no end to Venus Smith's stupidity? She blunders through this like someone trying to earn a Darwin award. She was sensible enough to get Steed's film developed, but only so she could waste another on photos of his dog!

Umbrella, Charm and a Bowler Hat?: The sixties are starting to swing—apart from Venus' dire gear, sharp suits and some echorette guitar enliven the fairground. Venus (and the TV viewer, but not a slightly disappointed-looking Steed) are treated to a what the butler saw-style can-can sequence—how very racy.

Bizarre?: Venus lives in Manchester apparently. So, how come she's always helping Steed in London? they're a long way apart.

On Target? (Score): Tedious. One bowler (2/10).

[darren]

I shouldn't really like this episode but it's one I watched quite a few times over the years.

It's directed by Kim Mills which is normally a killer to any episode until he got better in late season 3. His work here is as shabby as normal. He really didn't have the right style for the show after the defining work of Don Leaver and Peter Hammond.

I love Venus Smith simply as Julie Stevens makes her so likeable. I love the bizarre story pauses for another 5 minute song to camera LOL. She can be dumb but I love her energy and charm and her cute haircut.

A tatty fairground with a hall of mirrors is a wonderful Avengers setting (I'd love to be able to see season 1's Tunnel of Fear) that it's a shame we didn't get more of them - I think it's only Hostage that uses such a location and that's New Avengers.

I can't really explain why but I just really like this episode.

8/10

[Rhonda]

I like Venus's song which starts "I know where I'm going..", which is either an old Scottish or Irish one; it's a lovely song and it's all done very well by her, the band and the director, Kim Mills', good use of two camera locations with differing volumes. song
The songs make these Venus episodes more entertaining for me than if they didn't have them!

[Frankymole]

It's directed by Kim Mills which is normally a killer to any episode until he got better in late season 3. His work here is as shabby as normal. He really didn't have the right style for the show after the defining work of Don Leaver and Peter Hammond.

A tatty fairground with a hall of mirrors is a wonderful Avengers setting (I'd love to be able to see season 1's Tunnel of Fear)

Well now you have! I hope. Tunnel of Fear was so good, I wonder if they reused the fairground setting simply to get more mileage out of that idea?

This is much inferior though, in both script and directing terms. We don't have the huge charisma of Ian Hendry and Anthony Bate to carry it off either, nor bit-part actors of the calibre of Morris Perry. Ray Barrett is a guest villain and he's okay, does well with that he's got, but an actor of his quality deserved much more.

The very least you can say of ABC television of any era is that it has good sets.

"This has good sets."

My opinion has not improved after an 8 year gap BUT the next episode is written by Roger Marshall and directed by Peter Hammond - I expect great things. Their work only gets better with time - and it was superb to begin with.

[mousemeat]

ah yes, Venus Smith episode , per say..Always like her in those episodes..as she had interesting relationship with steed..

Myself, I would have liked to a a tad more of her...before Mrs. Gale came aboard

[Frankymole]

Venus was okay in this. I don't get the hate for her hat (that I've read in some reviews), it seems a standard John Lennon type of thing, and the recording studio is surely where she's meant to sing rather than some cheesy nightclub. So she was fine. And though I always say the character doesn't suit the Avengers (Steed puts her life in great danger, she's nearly kidnapped, and he says she's only "about 20" years of age!!) Julie Stevens acts very well and is really endearing, plus she looks smashing with her new short hairstyle. Contrasts well with all the blowsy would-be femme-fatale types cluttering up the episode.

If we'd had the missing 13 episodes of series 1 that the Equity strike put the mockers on, perhaps we'd have had more Venus, including the expected three-hander with her, Steed and Cathy. A female-lead only episode with just Venus and Cathy would've been amazing, someone should write it!

This one's a bit dire though. The stabbing of Ray Barrett still seems unusual and brutal. It didn't feel like any Avengers before or since.

[mousemeat]

Venus was okay in this. I don't get the hate for her hat (that I've read in some reviews), it seems a standard John Lennon type of thing, and the recording studio is surely where she's meant to sing rather than some cheesy nightclub. So she was fine. And though I always say the character doesn't suit the Avengers (Steed puts her life in great danger, she's nearly kidnapped, and he says she's only "about 20" years of age!!) Julie Stevens acts very well and is really endearing, plus she looks smashing with her new short hairstyle. Contrasts well with all the blowsy would-be femme-fatale types cluttering up the episode.

If we'd had the missing 13 episodes of series 1 that the Equity strike put the mockers on, perhaps we'd have had more Venus, including the expected three-hander with her, Steed and Cathy. A female-lead only episode with just Venus and Cathy would've been amazing, someone should write it!

This one's a bit dire though. The stabbing of Ray Barrett still seems unusual and brutal. It didn't feel like any Avengers before or since.

YES, a possible episode between Gale and Venus, might have been interesting..possibly evolved the series further...perhaps in an alternative Universe...or perhaps those missing '13' episodes did focus on Venus...further evolving the character....

[Frankymole]

It probably depended on John Bryce who made Venus more cool and hip, basing her more on Mod and Mersey Beat trends.... but if she'd been stuck in the late 1961/early 1962 "torch singer" vibe with the big hair I wonder what would've happened? Was she originally meant to be older than a 19 or 20 year old? Unanswerable questions perhaps. It might've been good if she'd been less gullible and naive, but not as cynical about Steed as Cathy became.

[mousemeat]

It probably depended on John Bryce who made Venus more cool and hip, basing her more on Mod and Mersey Beat trends.... but if she'd been stuck in the late 1961/early 1962 "torch singer" vibe with the big hair I wonder what would've happened? Was she originally meant to be older than a 19 or 20 year old? Unanswerable questions perhaps. It might've been good if she'd been less gullible and naive, but not as cynical about Steed as Cathy became.

good points...then again, I always considered her to be the counter point, or balance to Gale. of course, not everyone can be as... wise, harden, and cynical as Gale, (and on a lesser note, Mrs.Peel) and yeah, Venus was young and naive..one of the benefits(?) of being youretcg