The Avengers: Man-Eater of Surrey Green (1965)
Season 4, Episode 11
8/10
An enjoyably sci-fi/horror episode
20 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Something strange is happening to horticulturists; we see one; one minute she is ecstatic about a new plant discovery the next she just drops it and walks off trampling the plant beds on her way. She isn't the only one; several have disappeared in an area of Surrey and Steed and Mrs Peel are on the case. An early lead takes Steed to the home of Sir Lyle Petersen where he finds the missing woman as well as the others; Sir Lyle says they are working on a new plant but something seems a bit off. Soon there is another discovery in the area; a space capsule which had crashed… apparently after hitting a 'space-plant'! Further research shows that it isn't like other plants; it has a brain, may have telepathic powers and most frightening of all it is carnivorous… in fact it needs to eat people to survive!.

This episode is rather enjoyable… and sometimes laughable. We never see the plant in its entirety; while this was probably for budgetary reasons it did make it more frightening; certainly better than a 'man in rubber suit' monster. When we learn why certain people are susceptible are vulnerably to the plants telepathic powers and others aren't is amusing and provides a method were people can be rendered immune but in a way that isn't fool proof… this leads to an entertaining fight between Steed and a possessed Mrs Peel! Overall this may be a bit silly, it wouldn't be 'The Avengers' if it weren't, but it is fun and is more frightening than one might expect.
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