Reviews (10)

the best episodes
Before Linda Thorson's Tara King, before Diana Rigg's Emma Peel, there was the original female avenger, Honor Blackman's Cathy Gale.

Honor Blackman (best known as Pussy Galore in GOLDFINGER), is superb in this box set of six episodes from the rarely-seen Cathy Gale years of THE AVENGERS.

Joining her is Patrick Macnee as John Steed, dapper and suave as ever, and these are some of the most enjoyable storylines in the series.

True, the picture and sound quality leave much to be desired, but die-hard fans will forgive the problems and just be glad to sit back and savour these classic episodes.

Top stuff!

Early adventures for Steed
For all the fans of The Avengers familiar with the Emma Peel/Tara King era of the show, these early episodes featuring Cathy Gale and Venus Smith may come as something of a disappointment. In fact, fans of the later shows may find it hard to believe that they are even part of the same TV series!

After the initial run of 26 episodes featuring Police Surgeon David Keel and his cohort John Steed had aired in the UK in 1961/62, the producers of the program opted to bring Steed to the forefront of the action and give him a number of different "assistants." Thus, for season two, 26 further episodes were made and broadcast in 1962/63 featuring Steed abetted by Martin King, Venus Smith or Cathy Gale. Mrs. Gale turned out to be the most popular and successful foil for the suave agent, and the other characters did not return after season two. Unlike the later Peel/King stories which were all made on film, these studio based TV shows are much more reliant on dialogue and plot than visual elements, and can be somewhat heavy going as a result.

A&E is releasing these stories in a somewhat confusing order, and has started with season three. The first two sets released, Avengers 64 1 & 2, feature the LAST six episodes of season three. Next comes Avengers 63 sets 1 & 2 which comprises of the first half of the season. Next up in the release order is 63 sets 3 & 4 which precede 1 & 2 in running order and in fact feature the last seven stories from season two, plus the first from season three. Confused? Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, since thankfully there's no real reason to watch the stories in chronological order anyway.

What is interesting is the development of the production standards. 63 sets 3 & 4, featuring the latter stories from season two, are far more rudimentary in terms of production quality. The sets are extremely small and sparse; The direction very slap-hazard; Camera work shoddy; Sound is extremely poor; and the acting is negligible. With no budget for editing or reshooting, all the actor's fluffs and goofs stayed in. Steed's character is far less suave and sophisticated then he became later during his familiar role alongside Mrs. Peel, and the relationship with Mrs. Gale in particular is at first downright hostile with very little warmth between the two. He seems to get along much better with Miss Venus Smith, a night club singer who he engages at various gigs to act as his eyes and ears. Venus is a very odd character, and played strangely, but enthusiastically by Julie Stevens. She looks about 12, sings like she's forty, and dresses like anything in between. She also seems extremely naïve and it's hard to imagine why Steed engages her to help him at all. The far more intelligent and elegant Mrs. Gale does eventually warm up to Steed, and in the season three stories where she is the exclusive companion to him, their relationship develops nicely and they become much warmer and closer to each other.

The production values on season three are also much better than the earlier episodes. The sets became larger and more elaborate. The direction, lighting and sound improved greatly and the acting was much less wooden. Some editing was clearly allowed on these later stories, whereas the earlier ones clearly were broadcast as if they were live. There's a terrific blunder in "Six hands across a table," where Cathy is called "Ros" in one scene, and both actors realize the mistake, but keep going. An even better goof comes in "Concerto" when Nigel Stock forgets his lines completely and a very audible prompt is given from off camera. Terrific stuff.

The quality of the DVD's is somewhat disappointing, even accounting for the age of the material and the production values mentioned above. It may not be the case, but it certainly appears that A&E have made no attempt whatsoever to re-master the original tapes, and the flaws, jumps, scratches and sound blips are too numerous to mention. Virtually every episode on 63 sets 3 & 4 are hampered by picture and sound flaws and defects. Things do improve for 63 1 & 2 and 64 1 & 2, but the quality is still disappointing. Mind you, it appears they have done nothing to clean up the Tara King episodes either!

As a big fan of the series, I wouldn't even consider not having these episodes in my collection, but if you're looking for the wacky camp humor and the tele-fantasy of the Peel/King eras, these stories may not be for you.

Disappointing; waste of $$$
Perhaps I was foolish to think I'd be seeing the same quality episodes as the black & white versions with Diana Rigg. Well, actually, I was foolish, because these Avengers episodes are nothing like the ones we "fans" know and love. The quality of the picture is poor -- dark, for one thing, and when someone moves, there is a blur until they resettle into their pose. this gets quite annoying since the actors move about a lot, though rather stiffly, as if overrehearsed. You can see the camera continually refocusing in order to focus on the actors as they travel about. Everything is done in limited sound stages, in sets that are bare and hokey. The stories are also hokey, if you can understand them -- not that they aren't simple and clear but the sound quality can be quite poor, so I've even had the volume turned to max but still cannot make out everything that is being said. The acting, too, is way overdone. Imagine a Steed so jovial that he's annoying, and an Honor Blackman/Mrs. Gale so stern that she's, well, grim and uninteresting. Stick to the Rigg series if you want entertainment!

Build a Better Mousetrap and see for yourself
'The Outside-In Man' and 'Build a Better Mousetrap' are two of the best early episodes from this series. 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy Gale portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous.

Like a Fine Wine
If you relish a series like "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE," "T.H.E. Cat" or "77 Sunset Strip" you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John is back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good. ... Read more

Description

Ermanno Olmi's masterful second feature is the tender story of a young Milanese couple whose strained relationship is tested when the man accepts a new job in Sicily. With the separation come loneliness, nostalgia, and, perhaps, some new perspectives to rejuvenate their love. Olmi's deep humanism charges this moving depiction ofordinary men and women, and the pitfalls of the human heart. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Simple Yet Gorgeous
I had never even heard of Olmi before getting this film, which is odd since I've been exposed to many other italian postwar directors. Therefore, I FIDANZATI (The Fiances, or The Engaged) came as a complete surprise to me. The storyline, sometimes slow and wonderfully hypnotic in places, centers around the life of a construction worker who takes a job in Sicily and moves away from his fiance in northern Italy. It's the classic romantic "abscence makes the heart grow fonder" storyline that is usually trite and banal. But somehow, amazingly, Olmi manages to pull it off, mainly through the great performances of the two leads and the brilliant editing towards the film's conclusion, where they read letters and thoughts to one another in a way that distorts past, present, and future. Highly recommended, as is Criterion's new editon of Olmi's IL POSTO.

Fell Short of My Expectation
I love classics and foreign movies. So, I was looking forward to the release of this DVD with great anticipation. The movie, however, fell short of my expection. It's a good movie, but not a great one. The director seems to have a thing for pigs. That's what I remember the most after watching this movie. Enough said. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Last Enemy
This one has more humor than any of the others I think.Morse is really going for women in these one. He has a toothache and its pretty funny. So I suggest you get a sotch and enjoy this epiosde. ... Read more

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"The Ultimate Computer"
Kirk reluctantly agrees to play along with a Federation test of a new supercomputer, designed by the brilliant Dr. Daystrom (William Marshall, the booming baritone stage actor most famous for Blacula) to run a starship almost single-handedly. It does its job too well, locking the human crew out of ship operations and using deadly force during the Federation war games. Spock and McCoy continue their now-legendary banter about man versus machine while Kirk muses over the obsolescence of his own command. Marshall is excellent as a former-boy-wonder genius banking his reputation on this breakthrough, treating his creation like a son. That's not too far from the truth: designed after his brain pattern, this thinking, reasoning, learning machine carries with it the insecurities and desperation of its creator. The fears of the emerging digital revolution explored in The Ultimate Computer in 1968 remain today: what is the fate of man in the face of technological efficiency? Films from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Colossus: The Forbin Project to Demon Seed and The Matrix have echoed these themes, and this Trek episode--primitive special effects, zero-budget sets, and all--stands up to them quite nicely. --Sean Axmaker

"The Omega Glory"
What is it with Starfleet captains? So many of them become wildly grandiose. Witness "The Omega Glory," in which another starship commander, Ronald Tracey (Morgan Woodward), tramples the Prime Directive by interfering in a long-running conflict between primitive societies, in this case the Yangs and Kohms of planet Omega IV. Siding with the Kohms, Tracey creates an imbalance of power that Kirk works to adjust by arming the Yangs proportionately.The script by series creator Gene Roddenberry is one of his not-so-subtle allegories for the state of the world in the 1960s, specifically our own cold war between nuclear superpowers. So bluntly drawn is Roddenberry's parallel between Omega IV and 20th-century Earth that this is one of the few Star Trek episodes that risks becoming completely absurd after a point. William Shatner (Captain Kirk) takes the biggest risk of all with a passionate, lengthy speech of the sort pranksters like comic actor Kevin Dunn are wont to imitate today. But the fact is that Shatner pulls off such chancy material very well, and certainly does so here. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Two interesting variations on standard Star Trek plotlines
Some interesting variations on a couple of standard Star Trek plotlines are offered up on Volume 27 of the DVD series. "The Ultimate Computer" finds Kirk confronting another dangerous super computer, albeit one actually created by an Earthling rather than an alien. Dr. Richard Daystrom is not only the inventor fo the M5, but the "father" of all the computer designs on the Enterprise. Daystrom hope is that the computer can run an entire starship, saving humans from the dangers of exploring deep space. Kirk is not happy with this idea, especially when Starfleet decides the Enterprise should be the vessel for this test. Of course things go nicely at first and then M5 destroys a freighter and then wipes out four ships that were supposed to engage in a simulated battle. However, the ending is the same as with most of these episodes (e.g., "The Changeling") as Kirk uses logic to stop the crazy machine, while Spock watches from the sidelines. You would think just once Spock would be the logical one to employ such a weapon, but you should not hold your breath.

"The Omega Glory" is far and away my favorite Star Trek episode involving a parallel Earth, mainly because the similarity is saved until the thrilling conclusion of the episode (cf. "Miri," where the planet looks just like Earth in the teaser). The Enterprise discovers the USS Exeter in orbit around Omega IV with everyone dead on board. On the surface Kirk, Spock and McCoy find Captain Tracey, who explains that some biological agent on the planet killed his crew, except for those few who stayed on the surface. However, it becomes clear Tracey has violated the sacred Prime Directive, uisng his phaser to aide the Kohms against their ancient enemies, the Yangs. However, the Yangs overwhelm the Kohms in a final battle and the Starfleet officers are all stunned to learn that the Yangs worship the flag of the United States of America. I have to admit, the first time around this one had me completely fooled. Realizing that Kohms and Yangs are corruptions of Communists and Yankees, Kirk is able to recognize the garbled words of the Pledge of Allegiance. But then the Yangs bring out their most sacred Holy Words, which also sound so familiar to Kirk. But before he can supply the answer Kirk has to fight Tracey, thereby proving the ancient dictum that good will always triumph over evil. "The Omega Glory" is one of my personal favorites. I think it has something to do with all that time spent in college studying "ideographs," what Cloud William and Kirk would call "worship words." Certainly it is the most pro-American episode from the Star Trek universe.

Jim Kirk's Voice: The ORIGINAL Computer Virus!
REVIEWED ITEM: Star Trek® Original Series DVD Volume 27: The Ultimate Computer © / The Omega Glory ©

THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: The Series' Umpteenth "Man-Versus-Machine" Scenario

Historical Milestone: The first and only time the term 'Captain Dunsel' (defined as 'a component that serves no useful purpose') is brought up on the show.

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: One dead

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
If you're familiar with the episodes 'Nomad' and 'Return of the Archons', you'll probably feel a sense of déjà vu while watching 'The Ultimate Computer'. Once again, a computer goes haywire (in this case, one that's been installed & patched into the Enterprise's systems, in preparation for ship-to-ship battle simulations), and it's up to the resourcefulness of our gallant crew to save the day once again. As expected, Kirk manages to talk the computer 'to death', but not before he shares his feelings of self-doubt, fear of losing his job to a machine, and a stiff drink with the always-sympathetic Doctor McCoy. Nothin' like a nip of the hooch with your chief medical officer to get yourself back on track, I always say...

THE OMEGA GLORY © PRELIMINARY BRIEFS:

Moral, Ethical, and/or Philosophical Subject(s) Driven Into The Ground: Allegory of the Cold War; The true meaning of freedom and liberty

Expendable Enterprise Crewmember ('Red Shirt') Confirmed Casualty List: One dead

REVIEW/COMMENTARY:
This particular show features the return of Morgan Woodward, one of my all-time fave Star Trek guest stars. As the mentally-tormented Dr. Simon Van Gelder in 'Dagger of the Mind', Woodward's unbelievably overdone facial expressions of pain and anguish were really fun to watch. His mush undergoes further manipulation-- this time showing off his 'angry' faces-- in his second Star Trek go-round as he fills the role of rogue Starfleet Captain Ronald Tracey.

But if that ain't enough of a laugh, there's Jimmers' "lesson-of-the-day" that manages to milk a few more yuks outta me. His "we the people" spiel where he discusses the spirit of the United States Constitution to the planet's natives, while heartwarming to the average patriotic American Trekkie, is also quite cheesy when it's done in that unique Shatnerian delivery that has become a component of every modern two-bit standup comic's repertoire of backup gags. Throw in the unintentionally ironic fact that William Shatner is Canadian, and the guffaws don't die down 'til the closing credits roll!

'Late

Two episodes suffering from the late 2nd season doldrums
The Ultimate Computer-This war games episode, in which command of the Enterprise is handed over to a computer (with predictable results) is a solid offering. The episode has it's share of action, and touches on important issues such as human obsolescence, pratfalls (to put it mildly) of technology, and the risks inherent in putting too much into your work. But the episode ultimately suffers from being both two predictable (you'll never guess who outwits a computer!) and too talky.

It should be noted that this is one of the most prominent roles played by an African-American on Star Trek TOS. While one is initially frustrated by the character's fate, further reflection suggests a lack of prejudice in this episode. Rather than walk on eggshells, the brain trust gave him the same fate (collapse of some sort) that (almost) always befell all Federation elite. (3 stars)

The Omega Glory-This patriotic episode, in which the Yangs (American whites) are oppressed by the Colms (Communist Asians), is a real stinker, no matter what your political philosophy. The Roddenberry-written episode starts strongly enough with an intriguing and disquieting teaser, but despite plenty of action it's a downhill ride once we reach the planet's surface. I can see the appeal of the 'what-if' stories; they allow us to imagine other possible historical trajectories on earth, and they are cheap to make. But the second season really overloaded us with them. Worse, this episode is in my opinion totally biased, presenting Asians as savages and Americans as heroic. A more measured approach with some heterogeneity would have been nice; on the other hand it wouldn't have made for as viscerally-gripping an episode. I guess what I'm saying is, I don't mind simplistic, but this goes too far, and it's too offensive along the way. By the time we get to Old Glory, we feel almost embarrassed for Shatner. I give him credit though for being professional enough to play the scene seriously.

Tidbit: Morgan Woodward, who plays Tracey here, was also Dr. Van Gelder in Dagger of the Mind. (2 stars)

Another parallel-development world & another killer computer
Not the very best episodes among the original series offerings; they're weighed down a bit by, respectively, too much heavy allegory ("The Omega Glory") and excess preachiness ("The Ultimate Computer"). Both episodes, however, showcase some good character moments and humor. And, like all the original series Treks on DVD, the picture is sharp and clean. One could do worse.

WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE!!!
Volume 27 of The Star Trek DVD series contains two of the second season's typical plots. Both episodes are watchable and entertaining However neither of these episodes are not the most successful variations of these blueprint plots.

THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER is one of those man v.s. machine episodes of Star Trek. Only this time Kirk must sit and watch the Enterprise be contolled by a computer called the M-5 rather than his crew. At first the M-5 seems as flawless as it's creator Daystrom says. Of course the computer goes haywire and begins destroying Starfleet ships. Sure this episode is written ok and all but we've seen this a thousand times before and it's been done better. Still this episode's story is entertaining and worth at least one watch but it is at best a standard Star Trek episode.

THE OMEGA GLORY follows a similar pattern as THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER. This is a typical second season Star Trek episode but it is by far one of the worst varaitions of the whole "journey to an unknown planet run by a cruel race or empire" plots. In a somewhat patriotic episode where the planet is run by Comms (chinese communists) led by a insane Starfleet Captain (Morgan Woodward from DAGGER OF THE MIND). When the Comms are excuting violent slaves called Yanks (as in Yankee) this episode gets a little far fetched. A few suprises here and there, but other than that THE OMEGA GLORY is a below average episode of Star Trek in my opinion. Partly because it's story is pretty far fetched and disappointing in the end. Also because this plot has been done to death in Star Trek and far better other times.

Overall a decent collection of standard Star Trek shows. There is really nothing super special here but if you love classic Trek then you probably will want to get this DVD. Mildly recommended. ... Read more

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This second volume of episodes on DVD from the original Star Trekincludes the popular and sexy "Mudd's Women," which introduces the characterof interstellar huckster and fugitive Harry Mudd (Roger C. Carmel, later to return in another classic episode, "I, Mudd"). The Enterprise beamsaboard Harry andthree beautiful and scantily clad women whom the con man is carrying as cargo.The transport damages the starship, forcing Captain Kirk (William Shatner) to take a detour to a mining world for a supply of dilithium crystals. Harryuses the women as bait to get the miners to help him flee from theauthorities--but a revelation about his liberal use of anattraction-enhancement drug adds a twist to things. This clever and novelinstallment in the series grafted the unlikely element of a petty, colorful crook onto a science fiction show, an obvious forerunner of Deep SpaceNine's inclusion of Quark among its own major characters.

Also in this volume is another outstanding episode, "The Enemy Within."Written by renowned novelist-screenwriter Richard Matheson (The IncredibleShrinking Man), the story proposes a transporter malfunction that resultsin Captain Kirk being divided into two versions of himself, one aggressiveand brutal, the other sensitive and good. Essentially, the personality mixthat makes Kirk an effective leader and balanced man is scattered like somany marbles, and the result is one captain running around mauling women andwreaking havoc while the other is frightened and indecisive. The production is very effectively done, and Shatner's performance is among his mostinteresting. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Get this one for Shatner
Those who claim Shatner can't act should be shown "The Enemy Within," an episode that shows that, yes, Shatner can act. The premise is simple enough--Kirk is split into two halves, one that is the "good" side of humanity and the other the "evil" half of humanity. Over the course of the hour, Kirk learns he needs both halves not only to command but to be human. It's a powerful and moving episode and it certainly features Shatner at his finest as he brings both half of Kirk to life. This is one of the finest explorations of Kirk's character in the entire original series and this episode proves again and again why the original series is so loved and has endured for so long.

As for "Mudd's Women," this was one of the three scripts for the second pilot that Roddenberry wanted to do. Thankfully, he went with "Where No Man Has Gone Before," and the rest is history. Not that "Mudd's Women" is bad, mind you. It's a standard Trek story that features some nice moments with Kirk. It also deals with how far humans will go to find acceptance and love and certainly has some rather interesting, thought provoking themes. But, overall, it's not one of the stronger early entries the series had.

One Harry Mudd, Two Captain Kirks and Three Beautiful Women
Star Trek starts to find its footing in this pair of early first season episodes collected on Volume 2 of the DVD series. Of course I like the beautiful women in "Mudd's Women," it is Harcourt Fenton Mudd I could never stand. Certainly, the episode is one of those thinly veiled allegories where Star Trek spoke to contemporary concerns, in this case the reliance of women on artificial aids, such as the "Venus Drug," to enhance their beauty. I really think that the entire plotlines would not only function okay but even better without the abrasive Harry Mudd. I also like the brief glimpse at what it is like for people trying to make a life on some barren rock out in the middle of nowhere. "Mudd's Women" is one of the rare Star Trek episodes that gives us a glimpse at life on the final frontier. On balance, this is an average episode. Get rid of Mudd and it would be above average.

"The Enemy Within" proved early on that William Shatner could certainly act when the spirit moved him; maybe the key factor was not playing Captain Kirk, per se. When Kirk beams back from Alpha 177 a transporter malfunction splits him into two halves: one good, the other evil. When Spock and the others catch on that there are two Kirks they are forced to leave Sulu and the rest of the landing party stranded on the freezing planet. Meanwhile, Yeoman Rand finally has a close encounter with the Captain, which turns out to be not all that enjoyable. Yes, it makes absolutely no sense for the transporter to split Kirk's personality in half like this, but that is why they call it science fiction (besides, the transporter was just a cheaper way of showing the crew getting to planets than doing special effects with shuttle crafts). Plus we get the philosophical discourse on how Kirk needs his "evil" side to be a good starship captain. "The Enemy Within" is an above average episode.

Three babes and a psychological study.
Star Trek: The Original Series Volume 2 presents two episodes aired in 1966:

"Mudd's Women:" In this segment we are introduced to the galaxy's most likeable adversary, Harry Mudd. Mudd brings aboard the Enterprise his "cargo" -- three beautiful women. There's a surprising drug angle to the story regarding the illegal Venus drug which supposedly enhances the beauty of Mudd's gals (uh, I don't think the need any help -- especially Ruth and Magda). It's interesting to note that this story was one of the three candidates for the (second) pilot; the two others being "The Omega Glory" and the accepted "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Good choice because otherwise Star Trek wouldn't exist. Anyway, the episode starts to drag a bit in the third act, but other than that it's a fun, enjoyable outing. GRADE: B

"The Enemy Within:" Kirk gets split into two separate versions of himself a la "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Watch out for the dark Kirk's bestial expression at the end of the teaser -- it's great! Note the top two items on the dark Kirk's 'things-to-do' list: 1.) Get some booze off of Dr. McCoy and 2.) Go after sexy Yeoman Janice Rand in her red miniskirt. It is revealed that Kirk's command abilities and decisiveness stem from his carnal side, not his spiritual side. Spock theorizes that the 'evil' side of the human psyche, properly controlled and disciplined, is vital to our strength. Thus with Kirk's negative side removed from him, the power of command starts to elude him. (Though McCoy rightly points out later that a human being's essential courage stems from his/her 'good' side). Bottom Line: A brilliant and captivating psychological exploration; fails to achieve "A+" status only because it starts to plod a bit in the second half. GRADE: A

Still fine-tuning the show
Mudd's Women-This episode, in which we meet Mudd and his three sirens, has never really worked for me. For one thing, it moves like molasses. The 'inquest' scene, for example, in which the women seduce the crew, in addition to being ineffective is at least twice as long as it need have been. Other evidence of low production values at this point in the show include the cheesy music and use of the (grossly) soft lens in the scenes with Mudd's Women. Other problems include the hopeless moralizing and cornball twist at the close of the episode. While it's true that later shows could be too cold, it's also true that first season episodes were often smarmily warm and cloyingly sincere.

The episode is not without it's pluses. It does explore some of the contradictions surrounding perceptions of beauty and the objectification of women, and I suppose makes a statement about drug use. They also did a nice job making the women look ugly (although in my opinion--probably by design--they weren't too eautiful to begin with). (2 stars)

The Enemy Within-With this episode, in which a transporter malfunction creates two wildly different Kirk's, the show begins to hit its stride. Like many first season shows, this one is sharply focused on dynamics of human personality and interaction. We are shown subtle aspects of both the two Kirks, and the thought process of the rest of the crew as the relate to the new Kirk's. Such attention to internal details, for better or worse, really fell off in the 2nd and 3rd seasons as the show become more extroverted. As others have noted, Shatner turns in a nice performance here, although that absurd make-up they put on the male crew members for the early shows is kind of distracting in the close-ups. One other nice thing about this episode is that its central theme, concerning our dual nature, is not presented in an overly simplisitic way; by this I mean that even each of the two sides of Kirk are somewhat nuanced, and the description of how the two parts need to be together not overly cliché. Nevertheless, the show like many early ones, is way too talky. While the show was beginning to hit it's stride, it wasn't there yet; this episode does drag, and feels somewhat clunky despite a fair amount of action (3 stars)

2 great Kirk episodes
Mudd's Women...Kirk beams up Harry Mudd & 3 ultra-sexy women who no man can seem to resist. But are they really that beautiful? Watch & find out.

The Enemy Within...Kirk is duplicated in a transporter accident. See Shatner portray Kirk's "evil side" with absolute brilliance. ... Read more

Description

That Which Survives, Ep. 69 - Kirk and company are stranded on a hostile planet where they are greeted by Losira, a beautiful woman whose touch means instant death. Meanwhile, a power surge has hurtled the U.S.S. Enterprise 1,000 light-years from the planet.
Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, Ep. 70 - Kirk beams aboard two warring half-black, half-white beings, named Lokai and Bele. When Kirk tries to intervene, Bele gains control of the U.S.S. Enterprise and threatens to destroy it. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

My Collection of The original Series
"That Which Survives" is the reason I am adding Vol.35 to my collection. There are a lot of episodes I could not stand and will not purchase. I will purchase one or two more as they become available. Video quality of these episodes is incredible. They must have produced the original series in 35mm film.

HOLY GUEST STARS!
Volume 35 of the Star Trek DVD series features two good episodes from the third season with guest appearances from stars of the recently cancelled Batman TV series.

Lee Meriwether plays Losira in THAT WHICH SURVIVES, the last of a long extinct alien race on a deserted planet. When the Enterprise arrives at the planet, crew men are being fatally assaulted by Losira, who keeps appearing and disappearing from the Enterprise to the planet's surface. To make matters worse The Enterprise runs into technical problems leaving Scotty to try and sort them out. In the end it turns out that Losira is nothing more than the planet's defence system which is still runnning long after she and her entire race died out. This ending is somewhat strange and leaves the viewer scratching their head. None the less THAT WHICH SURVIVES is still a good episode. The story is pretty good despite the confusing ending and ee Meriwether has always been top notch eye candy. Strangely Mr.Spock is rude to almost everyone in this episode which makes the viewer wonder......

Frank Gorshin plays Bele in LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD a Charonian Police Officer tracking down an outlaw named Lokei (played by Lou Antonio). His search brings him to The Enterprise. Bele insists that Lokei has committed some terrible crimes nad must pay the price. However Lokei pleads that his kind on Charon are treated like this by authority regardless of what they have done. Essentially this episode tackles the racism issue head on. Bele and Lokei are both Charonians but Bele has black skin on the right side and white on the left while Lokei is the reverse. The entire conflict seems to be a big joke but thats what the producers wanted to get across. That racism was ridiculous and pointless. The problem with this episode is it is way too preachy. The story is basically Bele and Lokei screaming at eachother about morals throughout. Thus the message is crammed down viewers throats. Still this is a great Star Trek episode despite the lack o developed plot. Good casting and a stragnely effective episode that deals with this issue that plagued the 60's.

Overall this is one of the better third season DVD's. There are flaws but it's not terrible. These are two goods episodes with great guest stars. Highly recommended!

Trekking with Catwoman and the Riddler
Actors from the then recently cancelled Batman TV series turn up in Volume 35 of Paramount's complete reissue of Classic Trek.

Lee Meriwether (one of three actresses to portray Catwoman) appears, and disappears, in a severely underwritten guest role in That Which Survives. Poor pacing, weak dialogue, and out of character behavior by the crew all but ruin an interesting premise. Spock, in particular, acts rather snippishly throughout the episode, being downright rude to Scott, McCoy, and Chekov. Leonard Nimoy was so distressed by some of his dialogue he sent third season producer Fred Frieberger a lengthy memo in protest. It was of no use, as Frieberger had little grasp of what made the first two seasons' best stories so noteworthy.

Let that Be Your Last Battlefield is a very obvious allegory on America's black/white conflict. Too obvious, really. As with Patterns of Force, the parallels are so upfront that the story loses its effectiveness. Star Trek's social conscience worked best when The Message was integrated into an entertaining story (as in The Undiscovered Country) rather than being shoved down the viewers' throats. The ridiculous overacting by guest stars Lou Antonio and Frank (The Riddler) Gorshin makes William Shatner's performances look like paragons of subtlety.

As with most of the rest of this series, picture and sound are fine.

Holy Pork Fat, Batman!
These two episodes are so bad that fans are looking for something to say and find the "Batman" connection with the guest stars (Meriwether & Groshin). Yechh!!! Holy Pork Fat, Batman!

But on a postive note, "That Which Survives" could have been so much more if they only bothered to do a few more rewrites. The stark cheap sets on that episode didn't even stick out! Well, maybe when Kirk told Spock to fire at the 'computer' and the unnamed Lt. fired at the 'cube' hanging from the ceiling, which made no sense at all! And that's with the full-length original episode. It looks like they edited something important out of the story, or more probably just ran out of time.

On a negative note, Let That Be Your Last Battlefield was a poor excuse of a 'moral story' about prejudice. The plot had some stupid points (left side, right side skin color) while it clobbered you over the head with the lesson, the home planet destroyed itself! Long gone are the 'morals' being nested in a good story.

p.s. Will Amazon ever allow us to give out a zero rating?

One true lemon, one thought-provoking show
That Which Survives-Only the Sulu fan club (he features prominently here) could disagree that the best thing about this episode is Lee Merriweather-and she plays an automaton! A lot of the old tricks are here, like Kirk outsmarting a computer (come to think of it, even the computer console looks familiar!).
Basically, this should have been a half-hour show (actually it shouldn't even have been a show). Senseless dialogue is contrived, both on the planet and on the Enterprise, just to pass the time until the next commercial. Hard to find a worse episode, in my opinion.
Tidbit: For the remainder of the show, the final credits would
feature the 2nd season theme music. While this is a very minor detail in itself, it seems symbolic of other changes. The episodes become more formulaic as the parties concerned begin to see the writing on the wall for the show. The absence of new music, as budgets draw tight, also contributes an increasingly stale and defeatist feel to the late episodes. (1 star)

Let that be your Last Battlefield-This episode, employing actors done up in half-black, half-white face makeup, is a none-too subtle statement about race relations. While Star Trek is to be commended for not ignoring controversial issues, the show's forays could be grossly oversimplistic; this episode is a case in point. Most viewers will have gleaned the difference between Lokai and Bele long before the crew becomes aware. This is also another talky episode, and while the actors do a good job expressing their choler through some truly acrimonious exchanges, the viewer gets the idea pretty fast.
The second half of the episode is not without its plusses though. The auto-destruct sequence was a nice touch, as were the montages of burning cities (which must have struck a cord in early 1969, as today). The conclusion leaves the viewer with much to ponder, both specifically about Bele and Lokai's fate, and more generally about hatred's powerful momentum. One other welcome aspect was the fact that the Enterprise and her crew were basically powerless here. This thankfully (in my opinion) spares us the need for a pat conclusion to such a complex problem. On the other hand, it is interesting to ask whether a first season episode would have been so pessimistic. The answer is almost certainly no. But a lot had changed in two years, and not just in the Star Trek universe. (3 stars) ... Read more

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"The Lights of Zetar"
A planetoid called Alpha Memory is chosen to become the Federation's official library, and Lieutenant Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan), charged with transferring records to the site's computers, is en route to that destination aboard the Enterprise. Along the way, she acquires a new beau in the adoring Scotty (James Doohan), and big trouble when the collective consciousness of the Zetars, a lost and disembodied race, attack the Alpha Memory project and take possession of her and her voice.Not surprisingly, the story was written by someone who knew a lot about projecting personalities and voices into hapless third parties: puppeteer Shari Lewis and her husband Jeremy Torcher, both big fans of Star Trek. Typical of the original series' troubles with ever-shrinking budgets, the Zetar entities are represented as mere colored lights, an adequate effect improved immensely by the scary-dramatic context in which they appear and by a good vocal performance by Barbara Babcock (lately of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) as the merged creatures. Shutan is just fine as the comely librarian, and Doohan is great in his impassioned-Scotty mode.

"The Cloud Minders"
All the signs that Star Trek was creatively strained late in its third season (following the departures of key creative personnel and the absence of Gene Roddenberry's full attention) can be seen in "The Cloud Minders." David Gerrold, author of the hugely popular "The Trouble with Tribbles," conceived an almost Dickensian story about the exploitation of miners, called Troglytes, on the planet Ardana, and the way Troglyte labor enriches the lives of an aristocracy that literally lives in the sky, above the fray. Third-season producer Fred Freiberger wanted fewer ideas and more action, and he had another writer deeply revise Gerrold's notion that Captain Kirk (William Shatner) should broker positive change on behalf of the have-nots. The finished production finds Kirk more irritated than anything that a domestic problem is slowing his mission to retrieve zienite, a medicinal mineral. Meanwhile, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) uncharacteristically sniffs around an Ardanian cutie who flirts with him, and a ridiculous torture-the-space-babe scene belongs in a midnight movie from the 1950s. "The Cloud Minders" is like a junk-food snack: chunky in its organization and cheesy in its production values. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A real lowlight, followed by a reprieve
The Lights of Zetar-Yet another dull and pointless episode, this one sees Scott's love (Mira Romaine) possessed by an alien life form represented by flashing lights. Scotty's romance plays only slightly better than McCoy's earlier in the season; whereas McCoy's romance seemed flat, Scotty is over the top, acting
completely irrational and out of character. At least Jan Shutan's stiff performance provides some counterpoint to Doohan's overacting! The episode has few highlights, and no ultimate message. It also lacks the quirky style of many 3rd season shows; there is no original music (although revisiting the Where no Man has gone Before soundtrack was an interesting decision, and they were running out of money after all), and the close up shots of the eye were kind of interesting. When such
minutiae are the best thing going for an episode, you've got problems. (1.5 stars)

The Cloud Minders-This episode, concerning a socially and
vertically stratified society of mine and cloud dwellers, temporarily staunched the haemorraging occurring at this point in the 3rd season. While not exactly action-packed (not many 3rd season shows were) this episode has an ebb and flow lacking from many of its contemporaries. The premise is also interesting enough, with obvious implications for our own society. The decision to take on the nature vs. nurture question was all admirable. While they were of course correct to pick nurture, the zenite quick fix was a copout. Obviously those deprived of knowledge for generations will require some time to get up to speed (the same could be said of Uhura's experience in the Changeling).
While the Spock romance was out of character, I didn't find it totally implausible or regrettable. They did seem to have a rapport, at least. The episode is hurt by weak performances from the other two guests though.

Tidbits: Production was getting really sloppy by this point. For example, after the crew have been corralled on the planet's barren surface, Kirk is heard to utter through totally unmoving lips, "Who are you? What is the meaning of this attack?" (3.5 stars)

2 EPISODES THAT POINT OUT THE LOW POINTS OF SEASON 3!
Volume 37 of The Star Trek DVD series contains two of the lesser episodes from the show's third and final season. This collection points out the low points of the third season because both episodes are quite weak.

THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR is the better of the two here. However that's not saying much. An evil alien entity invades the body of Lt. Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan) Scotty's new love interest. The alien is from Zetar and threatens the crew that Mira will die. Essentially this episode is a blue print for the famous horror film 'The Exorcist' however this episode lacks any distinct depth. The episode isn't the worst in the series and Jan Shutan makes a nice acting appearance here. However the story is weak, Scotty's love interest is completely unconvincing (like all the others he had), and the ending of this episode is completely lame. I don't think evil possessive aliens can be defeated so easily by a pressure chamber!

It's gets worse though. THE CLOUD MINDERS has to be one of the weakest Star Trek scripts ever to make it into production. The episode try to tackles the discrimiantion issue between upper and lower class people, but ends up flopping over and the message is not only vague but incomplete. The budget (which was really low at this point) was spent entirely on set and costume design. Therefore we have a really weak script and some pretty mediocre and shoddy acting. Although this episode may have been good had the budget been spent better and the plot developed more. Even a double serving of eye candy with Diana Ewing (who plays Droxine, a rich Stratos girl who becomes a totally unbelieveable love interest for Spock) and Charlotte Polite, cannot save this episode from the depths of humilation. It's bad but there has been worse so this is still watchable.

Overall not the best thing to come out of the Star Trek production crew but this is still classic Trek and worth picking up. Recommended to fans of the Original series.

Scotty's Fey Lassie; Kirk's Gotten Brassy
'The Lights Of Zetar' is an episode that plays by it's own rules and the result is one of the poorest efforts of the original series. The story was written by Shari Lewis, of "Lamb Chop" fame, and her husband Jeremy Tarcher, with the thought that she would be the female lead. Thank goodness clearer heads prevailed! The idea of a conscious body of interstellar beings traveling the galaxy looking for an escape from their incorporeal state isn't really a bad concept at all. It's the way that they are defeated that's the problem here.

In the beginning we are introduced to Lt. Mira Romaine who the Enterprise is taking to Memory Alpha, an immense library sanctioned by the Federation and open to all. The starship encounters an unusual phenomenon just before reaching their destination. It appears onscreen as a multi-colored cloud that gives no discernible readings when scanned. It soon penetrates the hull and disables the crew in various ways; the cloud assaults Lt. Romaine momentarily and later she has what she believes is a disturbing premonition concerning the Memory Alpha facility. Within time the true identity of the mysterious cloud is discovered - and the crew also learns that Lt. Romaine has been chosen by them to fulfill a sinister and costly purpose.

What really hurts this episode is that Kirk, Spock and McCoy devise a way to defeat the Zetars that isn't quite plausible. How will this method defeat the beings? While you are watching this keep in mind they penetrated the ship's hull with no problems in the beginning of the show and also they have existed in zero gravity for millennia. I'm going to guess that the episode may have had an earlier solution that wasn't practical in view of budget concerns; this ending was written as a substitute and was certainly easy for the special effects crew to pull off. The result: It Stinks! Any reasonably educated person isn't going to buy this explanation as presented. The romance between Scotty and Lt. Romaine is a limp-legged plot element as well and it only gets in the way of the story, bogging it down with sappy and unlikely dialogue from the normally levelheaded engineer.

'The Cloud Minders' fares much better and introduces the city of Stratos that floats on a cloud, one of the most memorable fantasy elements created by Star Trek. Upon arrival Spock meets an attractive and intelligent woman whose beauty so impresses him that he gives brief consideration to a romance. But as you might have guessed something "sours" the milk for the first officer.

The Enterprise goes to the planet of Ardana to pick up a shipment of zenite, the antidote to an epidemic that has struck a Federation planet's vegetation and may destroy it all. On the surface of Ardana Kirk and Spock are attacked by terrorists known as Disrupters; they are rescued within seconds by the ruler of Stratos, Plasus, who has come to the surface with two guards. Returning to Stratos with Plasus, Kirk and Spock receive the explanation that the miners who live on the surface of Ardana are rebelling against their superior counterparts who live in the city of Stratos. Kirk and Spock see the clear distinction between the classes of citizens and attempt to negotiate an understanding of their differences, running afoul of both of the warring parties, leading to several complications.

The mutual attraction between Droxine and Spock develops nicely; their conversations are believable and revealing, adding necessary insight to the two cultures depicted here. Kirk takes the dire matters into his hands breaking all rules of diplomacy and shooting from the hip. It's hard to believe that the Federation would tolerate Kirk's actions in this case despite the severity of the situation. Apparently the creators of Trek realized this as you'll note by the final line of dialogue between Plasus and Kirk. Another unintentional comical moment happens when the elegant and refined Droxine tells Spock that she will go to the surface to work in the mines. Yeah, right! She wouldn't last 30 seconds in the completely foreign and harsh environment of the underground caverns. Obviously she wishes to continue to further impress the intrepid Mr. Spock.

Where All Plots Have Gone Before...
Star Trek had grown remarkably flaccid during its third season, the result of the production crew realizing that their diminished budget and weak new time slot had already all but spelled out the series' end. The season had moments of rallying, putting forth some of the best scripts the show ever had - but the majority were pretty weak. These two are of the latter category.

"The Cloud Minders" is a pretty piece of fluff with nice sets, costumes and matte shots, a reasonably good cast, and a terribly trite "socially progressive" script that is just a cheap retread of the classic silent sci-fi film, Metropolis: the title characters are effete socialites, whose wealth is derived entirely from the exploitation of a permanent mining underclass. Can Captain Kirk demonstrate to them the ethical folly of their ways, before the end of the hour? (What do you think?) The episode does have Jeff Corey, who is never less than stellar, and a generous helping of eye-candy in the form of Diana Ewing and Charlotte Polite, one of whom has an entirely unconvincing romantic subplot with Mr. Spock.

"The Lights of Zetar" fares little better, but is at least a serviceable semi-horror story, rather like a sci-fi version of The Exorcist. Scotty's new love, Lieutenant Mira Romaine (Jan Shutan), becomes the target of a number of celestial space-lights that have already destroyed a planetary outpost. The lights are the surviving personalities of the long-dead planet Zetar, seeking a host body in which to live. Can the Enterprise find a way to exorcize the evil invading lights from poor Lieutenant Romaine, before the end of the hour? (What do you think?) Jan Shutan is pretty and genuinely likeable, but you have to pity poor James Doohan being saddled with yet another of Star Trek's third season absurd love-interest roles.

You could do worse than these two, but they're pretty unimpressive overall.

Lights of Zetar/Cloudminders - The Mindless Trek
With the possible exceptions of Spock's Brain and Way to Eden, The Lights of Zetar is arguably THE worst Star Trek episode ever made. Even though Spock's Brain and Way to Eden are rediculous, they are often humorous, sometimes unintentionally, but somehow entertaining, none the less. Zetar just bores me to tears and James Doohan's character is simply wasted on another fruitless love interest. Cloudminders is melodramatic Trek at it most mediocre but exceeds Zetar, marginally. However, if you are a Trek fan, you simply have to possess every episode in the collection and watch them over and over like myself! Paramount's DVD quality, in my humble opinion, is excellent regarding the Trek series and I hope they continue. It would behoove them to add some commentary tracks or deleted footage/bloopers for extra interest. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

terrible sound, decent performance
Terrible sound quality is obvious - you'd better have book with you while watching. Despite great names, there are no great performances - except, probably, Natasha. Decent rendering of the great Chekhov's play, but I definitely prefer taped Broadway 1965 (?) performance. BTW revolutionary "International" at the very end is, mildly put, not a good idea.

A very significant record of a great production
The other two reviews of this DVD seeem to me to have missed the point somewhat. Yes, on a purely technical level The Three Sisters print is certainly inferior. What must be remembered is that it is an archival print of a low-budget film that succeeds through its wonderful performances and vibrant authenticity. The film captures some wonderful performances by some wonderful actors, and was very obviously devised primarily as a means of preserving the original theatrical production whilst intelligently incorporating elements of cinema. Where else are you going to see Alan Bates, Derek Jacobi, Joan Plowright AND Laurence Olivier in the one cast?! Fascinating and magnificent.

The Sound and the Furious
I agree with the review on poor sound. It echos and is quite difficult to understand; my students would agree. The viewing experience turned out to be frustrating for them, but at times they were able to establish the events for more popular scenes. Recommended if you desire a visual or are a Chekov purist.

Inaudible -- The Worst Sounding DVD Ever
This might be a good film. I found it impossible to tell, due to the incredibly bad soundtrack. At first I thought it was something the matter with my sound system, but no, it was the DVD. It sounds as if several layers of cotton and a few sweaters were put around the microphones during the making of the film. There is absolutely no excuse for the DVD being released with a soundtrack as muddy as this one has.

Don't buy this DVD. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the inspiring story of America's first native-born saint, Mother Seton. Kate Mulgrew gives a moving performance as St. Elizabeth Seton, a convert to Catholicism who overcame the great tragedy of the deaths of her young husband and two children, and went on to found the American Sisters of Charity and the first American Catholic schools. A film of unusual strength and beauty. Also starring Lorne Greene, John Forsythe, and Rossano Brazzi. 100 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Time For A Change
In this day and age when the majority of movies consist of explosions, profanity, and lame plots, it's nice to go back a few years and enjoy a film like "A Time for Miracles." Based on the life of Elizabeth Seton, this movie encompasses the difficult aspects of doing God's Work and accepting the consequences from it. A very young Kate Mulgrew gives a believable performance as Elizabeth, although her old-age make-up lacks considerably. John Forsythe and Lorne Greene also star rounding out a rather high caliber cast for a work of this nature.

Read "Butler's Lives of the Saints" Instead
This is a remarkably uncatholic movie that is supposedly about a famous Catholic. St. Bonaventure said that those who do not have a devotion to Our Lady will die in their sins and be damned for all of eternity. Nevertheless, Elizabeth Seton is never portrayed as having a devotion to Our Lady and indeed, never even says one hail mary that I could see. Other Catholic teachings are notably absent. The acting and production values are lamentably poor. Read "Butler's Lives of the Saints" or "The Baltimore Catechism" instead.

Kate Mulgrew before Voyager
"A Time for Miracles" is an underrated gem. Showing a bit of American history that is often neglected, and showing Kate Mulgrew as a determined woman who was strong willed, clever, not afraid of anyone, and was fond of coffee. No wonder she was cast as Katherine Janeway. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Early outing for Steed
For all the fans of The Avengers familiar with the Emma Peel/Tara King era of the show, these early episodes featuring Cathy Gale and Venus Smith may come as something of a disappointment. In fact, fans of the later shows may find it hard to believe that they are even part of the same TV series!

After the initial run of 26 episodes featuring Police Surgeon David Keel and his cohort John Steed had aired in the UK in 1961/62, the producers of the program opted to bring Steed to the forefront of the action and give him a number of different "assistants." Thus, for season two, 26 further episodes were made and broadcast in 1962/63 featuring Steed abetted by Martin King, Venus Smith or Cathy Gale. Mrs. Gale turned out to be the most popular and successful foil for the suave agent, and the other characters did not return after season two. Unlike the later Peel/King stories which were all made on film, these studio based TV shows are much more reliant on dialogue and plot than visual elements, and can be somewhat heavy going as a result.

A&E is releasing these stories in a somewhat confusing order, and has started with season three. The first two sets released, Avengers 64 1 & 2, feature the LAST six episodes of season three. Next comes Avengers 63 sets 1 & 2 which comprises of the first half of the season. Next up in the release order is 63 sets 3 & 4 which precede 1 & 2 in running order and in fact feature the last seven stories from season two, plus the first from season three. Confused? Ultimately, it doesn't really matter, since thankfully there's no real reason to watch the stories in chronological order anyway.

What is interesting is the development of the production standards. 63 sets 3 & 4, featuring the latter stories from season two, are far more rudimentary in terms of production quality. The sets are extremely small and sparse; The direction very slap-hazard; Camera work shoddy; Sound is extremely poor; and the acting is negligible. With no budget for editing or reshooting, all the actor's fluffs and goofs stayed in. Steed's character is far less suave and sophisticated then he became later during his familiar role alongside Mrs. Peel, and the relationship with Mrs. Gale in particular is at first downright hostile with very little warmth between the two. He seems to get along much better with Miss Venus Smith, a night club singer who he engages at various gigs to act as his eyes and ears. Venus is a very odd character, and played strangely, but enthusiastically by Julie Stevens. She looks about 12, sings like she's forty, and dresses like anything in between. She also seems extremely naïve and it's hard to imagine why Steed engages her to help him at all. The far more intelligent and elegant Mrs. Gale does eventually warm up to Steed, and in the season three stories where she is the exclusive companion to him, their relationship develops nicely and they become much warmer and closer to each other.

The production values on season three are also much better than the earlier episodes. The sets became larger and more elaborate. The direction, lighting and sound improved greatly and the acting was much less wooden. Some editing was clearly allowed on these later stories, whereas the earlier ones clearly were broadcast as if they were live. There's a terrific blunder in "Six hands across a table," where Cathy is called "Ros" in one scene, and both actors realize the mistake, but keep going. An even better goof comes in "Concerto" when Nigel Stock forgets his lines completely and a very audible prompt is given from off camera. Terrific stuff.

The quality of the DVD's is somewhat disappointing, even accounting for the age of the material and the production values mentioned above. It may not be the case, but it certainly appears that A&E have made no attempt whatsoever to re-master the original tapes, and the flaws, jumps, scratches and sound blips are too numerous to mention. Virtually every episode on 63 sets 3 & 4 are hampered by picture and sound flaws and defects. Things do improve for 63 1 & 2 and 64 1 & 2, but the quality is still disappointing. Mind you, it appears they have done nothing to clean up the Tara King episodes either!

As a big fan of the series, I wouldn't even consider not having these episodes in my collection, but if you're looking for the wacky camp humor and the tele-fantasy of the Peel/King eras, these stories may not be for you.

Steed gets into trouble - Cathy keeps him in line
Join the elegantly ruthless John Steed and the brilliant and beautiful Mrs. Cathy Gale, as they battle villians nefariously nasty and dispicably dangerous. They are THE AVENGERS! Television's first fully formidable male/female companionship. These episodes are from 1964, Honor Blackman's 2nd and last season. These episodes, while technically inferior to the Diana Rigg episodes, are every bit as stylish and admirable.

In volume one, we have "The White Elephant" and fan favorite "The Little Wonders". In "The White Elephant", Steed and Cathy investigate the dissapearance of a rare albino elephant, and cage a group of ivory smugglers. This episode did have potential, but unfortunately its a bit average. It does however, feature an assortment of exotic animals including a monkey, leopard, but no elephant. In "The Little Wonders", Steed goes undercover as a vicar in order to infiltrate a gang of religous racketeers, while Cathy plays with dolls. A nice plot and writing make up for the average direction. Featuring the only kiss between Steed and Cathy, and Lois Maxwell (a.k.a. Miss Moneypenny) as a macinegun-toting nun. It's just a great deal of fun.

In volume two, we have two of the best episodes. The effectively harrowing "The Wringer", and the delighfully enjoyable "Mandrake". In "The Wringer", six of seven agents using a certain pipeline have been killed, so Steed sets out to find the seventh. When he does, he is accused of killing the six agents and is subject to interrogation at the hands of "The Wringer". Extremly harrowing episode features a very different feel, outstanding performances, and masterful direction. Also, Cathy's surprising feelings for Steed are touching. In "Mandrake", mysterious grave undertakings at Cornwall cemetary lead Steed and Cathy to a sinister inheritance plot. This episode features all the best AVENGERS elements: a shifty-eyed (literally) diabolical mastermind, a mad doctor, merry widows, and tons of corpses. It could have been an Emma Peel episode. Also features one of the best fights of the series between Cathy and a thug in a graveyard.

In volume three, there's "The Secrets Broker", and "The Trojan Horse". In "The Secrets Broker", it becomes apparent that a wily wine merchant and a devious medium are involved in a plot to sell ministry secrets. This episode is really very dull, as it focuses on an illicit love affair rather than on Steed and Cathy's investigations. In "The Trojan Horse", Steed gallops to the stables as he investigates a prominent stable that's become a haven for hoods in training, while Cathy becomes a syndicate bookie for a gambling orginization as it starts closing the book on prominant politicians. Cathy's bookie numbers delivery is alone worth the price of admission, and the script is also good. But nothing else really stands out here.

Well, die-hard fans will be pleased with this delightful package, but be warned, the quality leaves abit to be desired. But if you're in the mood for intelligent storylines, kinky fashions, and brutal action THE AVENGERS '64 is what you're looking for!

John Steed and Kathy Gale
'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy Gale portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman (of "Goldfinger" fame) departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous.

Steel Leather and an Umbrella Cathy?
If you really relish a series like "Honey West," "Peter Gunn" or "77 Sunset Strip" you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. How it looks and sounds? Like John Steed (Patrick Macnee) might say to Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please. Be a good girl and turn on the TV." John and Cathy Gale are back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask again, how do they look? They look good, very good indeed Steed.

Bug in this release
I would enjoy this Avengers '64 set a lot more if it didn't have the insect walking around on the screen throughout major portions of the transfer to DVD.

Try as hard as I like to swat the insect away, it won't go.

No, I'm not kidding.

There's a bug walking around on the screen in this one.

Quite distracting! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Morse is actually quite funny throughout this film
Extremely well written, this mystery has Morse and Lewis on the trail of a murderer when all the evidence points to death by natural causes. In the course of the story Morse must deal with all sorts of wealthy American tourists, and one wonders whether this film had any impact on the screenwriters of GOSFORD PARK. Whether it did or not, and whether the actors are really Yanks or not, the cultural clashes are more overtly funny than this series usually gets, Morse is very nearly Basil Fawlty in several scenes.
By this time in the series, Whatley and Thaw were really hitting their stride and their natural ease with each other made these films entirely believeable. Dexter set out to write these stories because he thought he could do a better job than what he had read in the genre, and he did just that. Morse and Lewis are every bit the match for Holmes and Watson.
Anyway, this is a great story, brilliantly written for the screen, and one in which Morse's caustic humour is let run rampant over each and every person with whom he collides. Oh yeah, a jewel is stolen and a woman is dead. Who done it..... that would be telling.

Content good, DVD quality poor
The Inspector Morse series is one of the great British TV mystery programs of all time. "The Wolvercote Tongue" is a decent adaptation of Colin Dexter's "The Jewel That Was Ours," although the book is better. The stereotypical American characters are grating, but this episode is still worth watching for the wonderful performances of --and chemistry between-- actors John Thaw and Kevin Whately. My real complaint about this DVD, however, is with the overall presentation. While I'm grateful to BFS Video (an apparently low-budget operation in Canada) for finally bringing the Morse series to DVD in the US, they've done an incredibly poor job on the DVD transfer and with the packaging of the handful of Morse DVDs that they've released to date. Among other things, the video quality is poor. It looks something you'd get when you put your VCR to the lowest recording grade possible. Second, the unbelievably cheesy BFS Video logo and theme song that assaults the eyes and ears at the start of each DVD is an embarrassment. BFS can't seem to even get the cover photo of their products right. On some of their other Morse DVDs, they use photos that have nothing to do with the particular episode and/or are printed backwards. For this early Morse program, however, they go one further and use a photo that was not only taken many years later, it's from a DIFFERENT SHOW ENTIRELY, namely John Thaw's barrister series from the 1990s, Kavanagh QC. BFS- if you're reading this, kindly fire your products marketing people, as they clearly don't know anything about Morse. There are dozens --if not hundreds or thousands-- of fans out there like me who will gladly help you do things properly, and for no charge! There's no excuse for such shoddy work. Morse fans deserve better.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.....
The WOLVERCOTE TONGUE is a pin that fits into a buckle-an elaborate and beautiful Anglo-Saxon buckle of the sort excavated at Sutton Hoo. The bejeweled tongue is the most beautiful part of the buckle that once clasped the waist of a mighty lord. The matching buckle is on exhibit in the fabled Oxford University Ashmolean--the oldest museum in England.

The tongue, long ago separated from the buckle, is owned by a rich American woman who has traveled with a group of tourists to Oxford, where she plans to present the pin to the Ashmolean. The afternoon of the presentation, after too much touring about the city has tired her, the woman goes to her hotel room to take a nap from which she will never awake. Her husband discovers her body and that the Wolvercote tongue has gone missing. Never fear, Endeavor Morse, Detective Chief Inspector of the Thames Valley Police and his trusty sidekick Sgt. Lewis are soon on the case.

This is a lovely film, and a vicarious thrill for Anglophiles who have spent hours and hours in Oxford or wish they had. The colleges, the shops, walking along behind Merton, the Botanical garden, punters on the Thames, the Ashmolean-it wouldn't matter to me if the plot made sense or not (it does), or whether the characters were fully developed or not (they are). Oxford's gleaming spires in the dying light of the afternoon sun and John Thaw-who could ask for anything more. ... Read more

Description

"The Changeling," Ep. 37 - Nomad, a deadly robotic space probe, is on target for Earth. Can Captain Kirk outsmart the killer computer? "The Apple," Ep. 38 - Vaal, protector of Gamma Trianguli VI, tries everything is its power to destroy Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise during an ill-fated visit to the strange planet. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Not the best Original Series episodes but stil enjoyable.
At this point, in the TOS run, the number of truly great episodes is starting to dwindle a bit and being replaced more and more by episodes that have good intentions but they aren't always realized on screen. Case in point is "The Apple" (or as I call it--"Spock's Really Bad Day") which is once again an examination of the theme that humanity wasn't intended for a paradise we don't work to achieve and the classic Trek theme of Kirk vs. Computers. Yes, this one has some great moments--Kirk firing Scotty, Spock getting repeatedly abused by plant spores/darts and lightning and Kirk using the Enterprise's phasers to destroy Baal. It's campy at times, but it's still always entertaining (a claim that certain modern Treks can't always claims--namely Voyager).

The other episode on this disc is The Changeling which is an interesting storyline. It's one of about three or four episodes that influenced the storyline of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. It's got nice performances and it works fairly well as a ship in the bottle type of story (done to save money as Trek was an expensive show). However, compared to other ship in the bottle classics such as the Doomsday Machine it falls a bit short.

Classic Trek
These two episodes are great summaries of the original series. "The Changeling" is an inexpensive ship-bound script, with a standard defeating-computers-through-logic riff. It still stands better in its own way than the first motion picture, which used the same theme. Ironically, it stands as an example of what happens when one lets personal criteria determine whether or not an encountered culture should survive -- something Star Fleet's Prime Directive is supposed to prevent, and which is no more clearly violated than in the other episode, "The Apple," where Kirk decides that having a computer make you contented nature children is somehow "unnatural" and therefore has to be ended. This episode is noteworthy both for the number of "red shirts" killed (they have to beam down in two groups there will be so many), and for having a female crewman actually do some hand-to-hand fighting. Good entertainment to be had by all.

These two don't quite measure up to their neighbors
The Changeling-This episode, which features a confused and destructive floating robot, is an unspectacular offering. Like several episodes, it ably enough explores the unfortunate fact that technology is fallible, and that even with the best intentions, things can and do go wrong. This ship-based episode is less exciting than some of its neighbors, although there are a few dramatic scenes.