"The Avengers" Propellant 23 (1962)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Jonathan Alwyn

Writer:

Jon Manchip White (writer)

TV Series:

"The Avengers" (1961)

Original Air Date:

6 October 1962 (Season 2, Episode 2)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Steed and Cathy travel to Marseilles to pick up a flask of a secret new rocket fuel. When they arrive at the airport, they find the bottle gone and their contact dead. The pair battle foreign agents to regain the propellant. |

Plot Keywords:

Flask | Rocket Fuel | Foreign Agent | Secret Formula | French Riviera

Cast

Patrick Macnee	...	John Steed
Honor Blackman	...	Catherine Gale
Justine Lord	...	Jeanette
Katherine Woodville	...	Laurie (as Catherine Woodville)
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Paul Manning
Ralph Nossek	...	Roland
Barry Wilsher	...	Pierre
John Crocker	...	Lt. 'Curly' Leclerc
Trader Faulkner	...	Jacques Tissot
John Dearth	...	Siebel
Frederick Schiller	...	Jules Meyer
Nicholas Courtney	...	Capt. Legros
Michael Beint	...	Co-Pilot
John Gill	...	Baker
Graham Ashley	...	Gendarme

Quotes:

[while waiting for an airport to empty so he can break-in to a storeroom]
John Wickham Gascone Berresford Steed: Come on, come on. Haven't you got homes to go to?

Steed and Mrs. Gale go on the Hunt for Juice

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Propellant 23" is the second episode of the second season of "The Avengers." Government agent John Steed (Patrick MacNee) is accompanied on this mission by anthropologist and Judo master Mrs. Cathy Gale. Steed and Cathy are to pick up a package of some kind from an agent in Marsailes. Unfortunately, the agent dies in the airport and his package is gone. This leads Steed and Mrs. Gale on a hunt for the mysterious delivery, battling foreign agents to retrieve it.

"Propellant 23" is first-class suspense. The story is strong, as is characteristic of the series (it uses the interesting plot device of rocket fuel, without giving too much away)and the cast is generally on the strong side, including Geoffrey Palmer as one of two cunning and detestable enemy agents. Palmer is known well in the UK, and like most of the cast here, does not disappoint.

In general, action is sparser in these earlier episodes of the classic TV series than in the Emma Peel and Tara King episodes. But there is nonetheless a fun scene in which Cathy takes down an odious enemy agent, and there is an exciting final confrontation when both pairs of agents finally catch up to the ersatz bottle. It's a great conclusion considering the low budgets these early programs were made on.

Another plus is a scene in a French Women's Landgerie Department; the dialogue echoes later scenes between Steed and Mrs. Peel (Diana Rigg.) Unfortunately, as crops up occasionally with earlier "Avengers" episodes, the supporting cast varies. The villains are played well, and there are some pleasant comic roles, but some of the smaller roles are not done as well. This does not, however, detract from the overall experience.

Overall, it cannot be emphasized enough that, in spite of variant supporting players, low budgets, and not particularly flattering camera work, this is a strong story with interesting characters, and strong overall direction which uses all the available elements to keep the suspense and excitement going every moment of the show's duration.

As with any episode of this series, recommend. 8/10 B&W, 1962.