The Winged Avenger

I know this episode is popular among some fans, but I've always found it to be another one of the somewhat tamer stories from the early part of the Rigg color season. It starts off well - with a bizarre attack by a clawed assassin who has literally scaled a tower-block to murder his chosen victim, with a well-paced climbing scene (where we only really see the attacker's clawed hands) emphasizing the point.

Steed and Emma are called in - but the killings continue, and soon a link to the 'Winged Avenger' comic-book character is established and, from there, they gradually close in on the culprit.

This is a suitably daft story - much in the mold of 'The See-Through Man', and is played more for the comedy factor than any real tension or suspense. Having said that, it's high on ingenious gimmicks - what with an upside-down room, comic-book stills, and gravity-defying shoes. But, despite the fun, it seems to run out of steam - and ultimately feels more like an affectionate send-up than a serious story.

Definitely an oddity, and a bit low on location filming - but a nice way of getting the word 'avenger' into an episode of The Avengers and trying to do something just a little bit different with the usual format.

Steed and Mrs Peel fly into action when a mysterious avenger - apparently with the ability to fly - murders evil, ruthless businessmen. A deliciously hilarious episode, especially one scene where a scientist is out in the field flapping his artificial wings, trying to become airborne. The Avengers has always been out there, off the wall, and this colour episode lives up to that. It also has a who-done-it feel with some good number suspects which all ends with an upside feeling.

"The Winged Avenger" is the best yet this color season, one of the most elaborate episodes of them all, depicting scenes as they happen in comic book form, with a finale echoing America's popular BATMAN series. Ruthless businessmen are being murdered in locked rooms atop high rise buildings, apparently by a large bird of prey. Steed and Emma are a particular delight as usual, the two stars at the peak of their form, playing with warmth and affection, and an ad lib or two ("EEE URP!" indeed!). Nigel Green, later seen in "Fog," heads a fine cast, with Jack MacGowran as a highly eccentric scientist who has devised a pair of gravity defying boots that allow the wearer to walk up walls and stand on the ceiling (for those who like to hang around). The main suspects are played by Neil Hallett ("Dead of Winter" and "Get-A-Way!") and Colin Jeavons ("A Touch of Brimstone"), with smaller roles essayed by John Garrie ("Fog"), Donald Pickering ("Homicide and Old Lace"), A. J. Brown ("Small Game for Big Hunters"), Hilary Wontner ("Silent Dust"), and John Crocker ("Propellant 23" and "The Medicine Men").

Several ruthless businessmen are killed, the one thing they all have in common, is that they all appear to have been killed by a large bird of prey.

For me, this is the first time that an episode has felt entirely like a cartoon strip, there have been snippets, bit this began, and ended in that fashion. Indeed we were even treated to a Batman homage.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's bags of fun, and once again under all of the smoke and mirrors, is a really good storyline, sure the boots are a futuristic idea, but they played their part in the episode.

That's one of the show's best ever opening sequences, it really worked well, I loved the horror vibe.

Jack MacGowran is an absolute joy as Professor Poole, he has to be one of my favourite characters from the show so far, wonderfully zany, outrageously bonkers.

I liked this, a lot, 8/10.

"ANYTHING" with the remarkable Nigel Green is worth watching!