The Hour that Never Was

[Rodney]

When forum members bring up the subject of favourite episodes, my father's The Hour that Never Was nearly always features among fans' favourites. The atmosphere was unlike any other episode, its director (Gerry O'Hara) announcing that he was going to make it as a "one hour film" rather than a TV episode. I guess that a lot of us also like the fact that Steed and Emma are alone for an unprecedented period of time, against an eerie backdrop with just the sound of that milkfloat occasionally breaking the silence. My father and Brian Clemens had been out on a recce location-hunting and this fruitful day led to The Town of No Return and The Hour that Never Was. When they climbed up to the control tower which features in the episode it was filled with hundreds of birds (alive). Clemens and my father looked at each other and both thought about the Hitchcock film. It was a strange experience. It would interest both me and my father to know what it is about this particular episode which Avengers fans love so much.

[denis]

As I have written on my website, this episode is one of the best of the series and should be shown to newcomers in the world of the Avengers !

[Philippa]

well like most people have said before, this episode has everything.
Of course there's the fantastic location, the fact that Steed and Emma are alone for the best part of the episode. It's a very mysterious episode but it has got it's humourous moments too. Just the whole atmosphere of the episode is fascinating and it doesn't get boring, not even for 1 single second.
And it's definitely a good episode for introducing people to the series

[kim]

I watched this episode this evening for the first time in over 30 years. Not only does this episode do what I like best, play with ones head, but it brought back a slew of child hood memories since I spent the first six years of my life around air bases, my parents both being pilots at the time. So much of the scenery was surprisingly familiar and having consulted with my mother, I know that my memories are true. One building in particular really hit home because the structure is extremly similar to the one where my parents would file their flight plans before we would take off.

Because of this, I can't give a really objective view of this episode. It ranks as one of my favorites due to the excellent writing, camera shots, scenery, and sentimental value it holds.

[darren]

When I was rediscovering the Avengers through TV (on holiday in Florida in 1993) after having memories from childhood of 1980's channel 4 repeats, I went on about it and asked my Mum if she had any memories and she said she always associated Patrick Macnee's face with something creepy happening and then she said "like the sound of a milk float that you heard but never saw".

This really intrigued me and when going through "The Complete Avengers", a book that I pawed over continuously, i came across the synopsis. I wanted to track down what this episode was and finding the reference to the milk float and the episode title "The Hour That Never Was" - it just sounded creepy and atmospheric from just the synopsis.

Then years later I bought the Emma Peel "Best of" video boxset which contained the episode. I was so excited to see it and it didn't disappoint. I love it for the character interaction between Steed and Emma, two friends enjoying an enforced stroll across the runways etc. Just enjoying each others company whilst Steed reminisces. Then bit by bit we are given the impression that things aren't right. I love the build up, the music, the camera work (some great hand-held stuff). Then later it's all played out for Steed as if it never happened - I love the Avengers element of playing with their heads like in Stay Tuned. The Milk Float adds that wonderful element of the normal, everyday, commonplace being subverted into something creepy which the series liked to play on every so often.

I think this episode was made when the series was at it's peak of perfection. I love this episode along with The Town of No Return and Castle De'ath - made around one another. They all have the same feel, same enthused incidental score, same quality of production. They're perfection. Whenever I watched a season 4 episode they had to live up to the impression left by these episodes and few managed it.

[mousemeat]

When I was rediscovering the Avengers through TV (on holiday in Florida in 1993) after having memories from childhood of 1980's channel 4 repeats, I went on about it and asked my Mum if she had any memories and she said she always associated Patrick Macnee's face with something creepy happening and then she said "like the sound of a milk float that you heard but never saw".

This really intrigued me and when going through "The Complete Avengers", a book that I pawed over continuously, i came across the synopsis. I wanted to track down what this episode was and finding the reference to the milk float and the episode title "The Hour That Never Was" - it just sounded creepy and atmospheric from just the synopsis.

Then years later I bought the Emma Peel "Best of" video boxset which contained the episode. I was so excited to see it and it didn't disappoint. I love it for the character interaction between Steed and Emma, two friends enjoying an enforced stroll across the runways etc. Just enjoying each others company whilst Steed reminisces. Then bit by bit we are given the impression that things aren't right. I love the build up, the music, the camera work (some great hand-held stuff). Then later it's all played out for Steed as if it never happened - I love the Avengers element of playing with their heads like in Stay Tuned. The Milk Float adds that wonderful element of the normal, everyday, commonplace being subverted into something creepy which the series liked to play on every so often.

I think this episode was made when the series was at it's peak of perfection. I love this episode along with The Town of No Return and Castle De'ath - made around one another. They all have the same feel, same enthused incidental score, same quality of production. They're perfection. Whenever I watched a season 4 episode they had to live up to the impression left by these episodes and few managed it.

I would concur,greatly on the above..concerning those episodes.I couldn't hAve said it, any better...' HOUR' is such fun..and a head trip...add to the mix, the ending with the milk float....comical...and pure avengers

[DiVicenzo]

Well, everything I like about this episode has been said above except that Diana Rigg looks at her most beautiful in this episode with her hair blowing in the wind - pity the hairdresser popped in when they enter the mess. (By the way, here's another blooper - they swap sides before and after they enter the mess - the same with the milk float ending).

The whole atmosphere of THTNW is incredible - one that I clearly remember from it's first airing. We were lucky - in a way - living in Brighouse because we had lots of abandoned cotton/ wool mills; factories; railway lines where we could re-enact this episode. Guess who I played!

[Avengerholic]

Guess who I played! [/b][/color]

The Goldfish ?? This is one of the few that I remember snippets from as a child.

[DiVicenzo]

Guess who I played! [/b][/color]

The Goldfish ?? This is one of the few that I remember snippets from as a child.

Ah, but which one????

[Avengerholic]

The lively one
Barry, i've emailed asking for your address (you now me with addresses) I have the Diana tapes ready to send you.