N. B. Watch for the scene where Athene Sayler, as
'Dr. Sheldon', makes an exclamatory gesture with her hands, one of which lands squarely on Diana Riggs' 'Mrs. Peel', rather emphatically. This had to be unanticipated.
Director Sydney Hayers could easily allowed one congratulatory moment for Doctor Sheldon, given that she, alone, saved the world in this episode.
It may well be due to a lack of sufficient movie exposure, but I have the impression that British film and television set the standard which exalted the elderly women actresses, not assigning them to the "dotty" bunch. Athene Seyler's Doctor Sheldon, is, after all, THE expert called in to save the day - and she does.
With over 50 years of rewatching the Avengers, I hope it is not due to current "consciousness" that I find 'John Steed', unbearably arrogant in the Avengers' season up to 1966, is it? In this episode, not only is Steed unbearably arrogant, everything seems to be beneath him. 'Mrs. Peel', fortunately, does just fine.
Athene Seyler. Margaret Rutherford. Brilliant actresses. And, they did it within the systems of their era.
Director Sydney Hayers could easily allowed one congratulatory moment for Doctor Sheldon, given that she, alone, saved the world in this episode.
It may well be due to a lack of sufficient movie exposure, but I have the impression that British film and television set the standard which exalted the elderly women actresses, not assigning them to the "dotty" bunch. Athene Seyler's Doctor Sheldon, is, after all, THE expert called in to save the day - and she does.
With over 50 years of rewatching the Avengers, I hope it is not due to current "consciousness" that I find 'John Steed', unbearably arrogant in the Avengers' season up to 1966, is it? In this episode, not only is Steed unbearably arrogant, everything seems to be beneath him. 'Mrs. Peel', fortunately, does just fine.
Athene Seyler. Margaret Rutherford. Brilliant actresses. And, they did it within the systems of their era.