A frequently overused plot line in television adventure shows down the years has been that of the hero being assigned to act as bodyguard to a V.I.P. Said V.I.P. is a right pain in the neck, refusing stubbornly to acknowledge a threat on his/her life exists until one is actually made. After the adventure is over, the hero and his charge are friends for life. Written by Philip Broadley, 'The Iron Man' is just such an episode. It opens in the South American pocket state of La Revada, where a gang of men pull up outside a guarded villa, overpower the sentry, and gain access to the house, whereupon they proceed to shoot the sleeping occupant of a bed. The whole thing turns out to be a rehearsal for the main operation itself. The fascist regime run by 'General Tornes' ( Michael Mellinger, who was 'Kitsch' in the 007 classic 'Goldfinger' ) ) has heard that the country's previous ruler - 'El Gaudillo' ( George Murcell ) is plotting to regain control, and to this end, authorises his assassination. El Gaudillo is currently in exile in sunny Spain. The Champions are assigned to thwart any death attempts whilst posing as domestic staff - Craig as 'bodyguard', Richard as 'Cook', and Sharron as 'secretary'. It is not an easy job; El Caudillo is both vain and lecherous ( as Sharron soon discovers ). He is known as 'the iron man' though one suspects he gave himself the nickname. When danger strikes, he is the first to panic.
This is more overtly humorous than your usual 'Champions' caper. most of the laughs come from our heroes trying to be things they are not, such as Richard's gourmet attempts. As played by Murcell, El Gaudillo comes across as a harmless buffoon. When he is not skeet shooting, he is to be found either dictating his memoirs or chasing the maid. Killing him should be a walk in the park; but Tornes has not banked on the Champions being around. Craig is able to stop the Iron Man from being shot when his super-hearing picks up the sound of a rifle being cocked a long way away, as well as the secret mechanism inside a Cuban cigar which poisons whosoever smokes it. The Champs choose to let the killers - one of whom is played by a young Steven Berkoff - to invade the villa so as to take them out. 'The Iron Man' illustrates perfectly a fundamental flaw in the show's format; when you have super-humans as the heroes, it is hardly surprising when they save the day. The best episodes - such as 'The Experiment' and 'Autokill' - had them battling people with powers equal to their own. The El Revada killers are a push-over for the Champs.
Despite the flaw, it is still an entertaining episode. Directed by John Moxey, who later moved to America where in 1972 he directed the top-rated T.V. movie 'The Night Stalker'.
This is more overtly humorous than your usual 'Champions' caper. most of the laughs come from our heroes trying to be things they are not, such as Richard's gourmet attempts. As played by Murcell, El Gaudillo comes across as a harmless buffoon. When he is not skeet shooting, he is to be found either dictating his memoirs or chasing the maid. Killing him should be a walk in the park; but Tornes has not banked on the Champions being around. Craig is able to stop the Iron Man from being shot when his super-hearing picks up the sound of a rifle being cocked a long way away, as well as the secret mechanism inside a Cuban cigar which poisons whosoever smokes it. The Champs choose to let the killers - one of whom is played by a young Steven Berkoff - to invade the villa so as to take them out. 'The Iron Man' illustrates perfectly a fundamental flaw in the show's format; when you have super-humans as the heroes, it is hardly surprising when they save the day. The best episodes - such as 'The Experiment' and 'Autokill' - had them battling people with powers equal to their own. The El Revada killers are a push-over for the Champs.
Despite the flaw, it is still an entertaining episode. Directed by John Moxey, who later moved to America where in 1972 he directed the top-rated T.V. movie 'The Night Stalker'.