A physicist who vanished 7 years earlier turns up at his wife's home, his memory gone, and psychological study suggests he's been held prisoner in Manchuria. He keeps repeating "621", before he's kidnapped again by some Chinese laundry men. A colleague of his, who believes he's a traitor, is scheduled to check into the same hotel the first man did, so Steed hangs out there, begins posing as a famous food critic, and fixes it so a very-reluctant Mrs. Peel gets a job there as a receptionist. But her investigations lead to HER disappearing, and winding up in what looks like a Chinese POW camp. How is that possible?
Something I love about many of the best AVENGERS episodes is how they present a baffling mystery and only reveal the truth slowly, a bit at a time, and it's usually 3/4ths of the way through before you learn what's really going on. Along they way, they often feature eccentric characters, ideas and situations. This episodes has both of those! It's also got one of the best casts I've ever seen in one of these.
Peter Jeffrey is "Varnals", a by-the-book Ministry type who almost reluctantly helps Steed, while chafing at Steed's unorthodox methods, and his "unofficial" assistant, Mrs. Peel. Apart from 4 different AVENGERS eps, I'll always remember him as "Count Grendel" in the Tom Baker-Mary Tamm DOCTOR WHO story, "The Androids Of Tara"-- not to mention both DR. PHIBES movies.
Peter Madden is "Dr. Wadkin", the physicist who was kidnapped twice and terribly brainwashed. Apart from THE PRISONER, he was also "Inspector Lestrade" in the Douglas Wilmer SHERLOCK HOLMES series.
Jeanne Roland is "Anna Wadkin", the baffled wife. I've seen her in a number of things, including THE SAINT with Roger Moore.
Peter Arne is "Pasold", a chemical company rep who signed a deal with another scientist just before the man disappeared-- and suspects Steed of being responsible! When he refuses to give up, he becomes another victim of the baddies' scheme. Apart from several AVENGERS episodes, I most remember him as the crooked accountant in THE OBLONG BOX.
Philip Latham is "Carter", the excessively-fastidious hotel manager. Genre fans will recognize him from DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS and FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE.
Paul Whitsun-Jones is "Chessman", owner of a growing chain of high-class hotels, who turns out to have a horribly-nefarious side. He once played Steed's boss in an earlier episode, and also had a notable cameo in Corman's THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.
Vernon Dobtcheff is "Pushkin", a Russian agent sent to bargain for whatever it is Chessman is selling. I've seen him in countless things, including THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and an outstanding role in THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU.
Anthony Chinn is the "Interrogator". He's been in countless things, including 13 episodes of THE PROTECTORS with Robert Vaughn.
Two things stand out for me re-watching this today. One is, this was the first time the stunt doubles were painfully-obvious in the climactic fight scene. I was reminded that when the show was shot on videotape, Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman had to do ALL their own fights! The other is... watching these in production order, I'd swear that somehow, Diana Rigg looked prettier in this one than in any of the previous stories.
I continue to be blown away by the picture quality of the 2015 Studio Canal Region 2 Blu-Rays. I wish they would put EVERY SEASON of this show out on Blu-Rays. I've come to love seasons 2 & 3 so much (not to mention THE NEW AVENGERS), I'd upgrade my copies in a flash. (And Blu-Rays play at the CORRECT speed in every country.)
Something I love about many of the best AVENGERS episodes is how they present a baffling mystery and only reveal the truth slowly, a bit at a time, and it's usually 3/4ths of the way through before you learn what's really going on. Along they way, they often feature eccentric characters, ideas and situations. This episodes has both of those! It's also got one of the best casts I've ever seen in one of these.
Peter Jeffrey is "Varnals", a by-the-book Ministry type who almost reluctantly helps Steed, while chafing at Steed's unorthodox methods, and his "unofficial" assistant, Mrs. Peel. Apart from 4 different AVENGERS eps, I'll always remember him as "Count Grendel" in the Tom Baker-Mary Tamm DOCTOR WHO story, "The Androids Of Tara"-- not to mention both DR. PHIBES movies.
Peter Madden is "Dr. Wadkin", the physicist who was kidnapped twice and terribly brainwashed. Apart from THE PRISONER, he was also "Inspector Lestrade" in the Douglas Wilmer SHERLOCK HOLMES series.
Jeanne Roland is "Anna Wadkin", the baffled wife. I've seen her in a number of things, including THE SAINT with Roger Moore.
Peter Arne is "Pasold", a chemical company rep who signed a deal with another scientist just before the man disappeared-- and suspects Steed of being responsible! When he refuses to give up, he becomes another victim of the baddies' scheme. Apart from several AVENGERS episodes, I most remember him as the crooked accountant in THE OBLONG BOX.
Philip Latham is "Carter", the excessively-fastidious hotel manager. Genre fans will recognize him from DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS and FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE.
Paul Whitsun-Jones is "Chessman", owner of a growing chain of high-class hotels, who turns out to have a horribly-nefarious side. He once played Steed's boss in an earlier episode, and also had a notable cameo in Corman's THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.
Vernon Dobtcheff is "Pushkin", a Russian agent sent to bargain for whatever it is Chessman is selling. I've seen him in countless things, including THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and an outstanding role in THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU.
Anthony Chinn is the "Interrogator". He's been in countless things, including 13 episodes of THE PROTECTORS with Robert Vaughn.
Two things stand out for me re-watching this today. One is, this was the first time the stunt doubles were painfully-obvious in the climactic fight scene. I was reminded that when the show was shot on videotape, Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman had to do ALL their own fights! The other is... watching these in production order, I'd swear that somehow, Diana Rigg looked prettier in this one than in any of the previous stories.
I continue to be blown away by the picture quality of the 2015 Studio Canal Region 2 Blu-Rays. I wish they would put EVERY SEASON of this show out on Blu-Rays. I've come to love seasons 2 & 3 so much (not to mention THE NEW AVENGERS), I'd upgrade my copies in a flash. (And Blu-Rays play at the CORRECT speed in every country.)