User reviews

"Mr Teddy Bear" was actually the fourth episode shot with Honor Blackman, but the one chosen (out of ten completed) as the second season debut for British audiences in September 1962, beginning with a live television broadcast where the principal subject suddenly drops dead of an apparent heart attack. Douglas Muir enjoys his largest role as One Ten, Steed's superior, who informs Steed that the man was poisoned by a professional assassin known only as Mr. Teddy Bear (Bernard Goldman), an ingenious mastermind who works alone and charges high prices for his services. Catherine Gale engages him to kill a certain John Steed, their first meeting conducted in a dilapidated building where terms are discussed through a stuffed bear, with the actual assassination a simple phone call away. Certainly an eye opening change from preceding shows, the origins of the filmed series are all here, including the well conceived, larger-than-life villain, and a riveting climactic encounter which proved to be tough to follow. Cathy wears leather for the first time, ditching the garter gun from "Propellant 23," and in our first ever view of Steed's flat, he has a Dalmatian appropriately named Freckles (Cathy warns him to keep Freckles off her furniture). At one point, while practicing judo together, Steed makes a pass at Cathy, only to be silently shoved right back down to the floor! Michael Robbins also appeared in "Square Root of Evil," "Dragonsfield," and "Take Me to Your Leader," Michael Collins previously did "Brought to Book," Kenneth Keeling later did "The Grandeur That Was Rome," and John Horsley later did "Thingumajig." Honor Blackman was an instant sensation, with only nine episodes interrupting the flow of her two seasons doing the series, six with Julie Stevens, three with Jon Rollason.

John Steed teams up with Cathy Gale, to hunt down Mr Teddy Bear, an assassin, who is believed to have killed a man who died live on a television show.

I've watched this show in totally the wrong order, I began with Mrs Peel, then Tara, then watched the early years. What's definitely clear, was the progression from series one, pretty much straight up crime mysteries, to this style, very much more fantasy crime drama.

It's a fine start to the Cathy Gale years, Blackman is wonderful as Cathy, I really did enjoy the dynamic between her and Steed. It's a quirky case, with a very quirky villain, well paced, it definitely held my interest.

A few well known faces to spot here, Michael Robbins and John Horsley to name just two.

7/10.

The lead of The Avengers was Ian Hendry, who left the series during a production strike. Producers replaced him by bumping John Steed into the lead with rotating partners, by the time leather-clad, gun-wielding, motorcycle riding anthropologist widow Mrs. Cathy Gale arrived (in scripts written for Hendry), it was clear who Steed's new partner was. Don't recall any Hitchcock blonde knowing judo, nor being as tough as Mrs. Gale - she had to be, to fend off both Steed & villains!

'Mr. Teddy Bear' is the first episode of the second season of The Avengers and is the episode debut of Cathy Gale played by Honor Blackman. Interestingly this episode, despite being the first broadcasted, happens to be the fourth episode Honor Blackman shot- which was typical as many tv shows broadcasted their episodes out of production order at the time.

The episode starts off with a camera crew getting ready and setting up for an interview in a studio with an author advertising his latest book, played by Tim Brinton- who was the genuine ITV newsreader of the day. As they start recording, the interview begins- however, just before the author can answer a question, he falls to the floor and dies immediately. It turns out the author had been poisoned. One Ten, played by Douglas Muir believes this man was yet another victim of the infamous assassin 'Mr. Teddy Bear'. Gale investigates about this hitman by disguising herself and organising a meeting with this assassin; ordering him to assassinate Steed.

I really enjoyed this episode, many great moments. Bernard Goldman was excellent as the mysterious and eerie-looking Mr. Teddy Bear. Honor Blackman is absolutely FANTASTIC as Cathy Gale;

"You have a surprising faith in gentlemen's agreements, Mr. Teddy Bear. But perhaps you've noticed, I'm not a gentleman."

Bad-Ass! Also, the "Why aren't you dead" quote was hilarious. Looking forward to seeing more of her throughout the series. Pat and Honor have amazing chemistry between them!

Elements of this episode signpost the future direction of this series. Moving from action adventure to fantasy adventure.

Colonel Wayne-Gilley dies during a live television broadcast. He swallowed a cyanide capsule that was precisely timed to go off.

Steed is asked to investigate. Suspicion falls on a hit man for hire. Cathy Gale contacts him to take out a hit on Steed.

She finds herself talking to a Teddy Bear rigged up with CCTV and a microphone.

Mr Teddy Bear has never failed on a hit and Steed finds himself in danger.

A slightly off beat adventure, we see Cathy practising judo on Steed.

And spy movies existed long before Hitch used them, check out Leslie Howard's 1934 British Agent, Garbo & Myrna Loy both played spies based on real-life WWI characters.