The Champions (TV Series) The Mission (1969) User Reviews

It's a classic episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 15 June 2023]

The trip are sent to Surrey, to the surgery of Doctor Pederson, who on the surface is a philanthropist, who takes great care of the local homeless, but it's a clever cover for a more sinister operation.

One of the show's most memorable episodes, The Mission is a sharp, well paced and imaginative, lots of memorable visuals. It's another that exposes the trio to medical scrutiny, that always adds a little extra tension, will they be exposed this time?

This one plays out more like a straight up thriller than some of the more Avengers/Bond style episodes, it's a well imagined plot.

There is a definite humour in this episode, for a change Sharron gets to deliver some amusing lines, but Hogan is a total hoot, that scene where he's locked up with Richard is a scream, Dermot Kelly's timing was spot on.

Quality acting here, the regulars are great, especially Stuart Damon, who puts on that wonderful accent. Anthony Bate was prolific, he always did the role of villain brilliantly, he's great here as Pederson. Harry Towb would have been very well known to viewers in 1969, a relatively small role for him.

A classic.

8/10.

Down and out in Surrey

[ShadeGrenade · 7/10 · 20 July 2012]

Donald James' 'The Mission' opens at Winthrop Lodge, Surrey, which is being used as a refuge for vagrants. One of them, 'George' ( Harry Towb ), waits in line for a bath. Fancying a drink, he ventures into a room marked 'Private No Entry', and helps himself to wine. A man shoots him. Just before he dies, he sees two men whose faces are covered in bandages.

Tremayne tells the Champions that a number of criminals have mysteriously disappeared recently, and that an escape route could be in operation. Posing as U.S. gangster 'Bruno Carnelli' - who allegedly stole $200,000 from the Syndicate - Craig arrives in London to much press fanfare. He is approached by someone from the mission. It is run by one 'Dr.Pedersen' ( Anthony Bate ) who is using plastic surgery to give new faces to criminals for huge sums of money. Craig recognises him as 'Dreuchman', a wanted ex-Nazi who conducted horrific experiments at Dachau. Pedersen is baffled by Craig's unusual blood group - it is like nothing he has come across before. Sharron - who is posing as Carnelli's moll 'Anne Collins' - has it too. Pedersen cannot carry out the operation, and orders the pair's deaths. Richard masquerades as a vagrant in order to match their blood groups...

'The Mission', along with 'The Iron Man', is the show's most overtly humorous episode. The humour mainly comes from Craig's gangster act ( he sports a Dick Dastardly-type moustache ) with Sharron chewing gum and swinging her hips as his moll ( note she never speaks as 'Anne Collins'. Presumably Alexandra Bastedo could not successfully do the required nasal Bronx accent ). It manages to be watchable without being particularly outstanding. Dermot Kelly ( from 'The Arthur Haynes Show' ) provides some chuckles as 'Hogan', a drunken Irish tramp. The role of Pedersen is more than adequately filled by the recently deceased Anthony Bate, who graced other similar shows such as 'The Saint' and 'The Avengers'. He also played 'Kim Philby' in I.T.V.'s memorable 'Philby, Burgess & Maclean'. His nurse -'Sophia' - is played by Patricia Haines, who was Michael Caine's first wife. She died of cancer in 1976. There is an unusual twist with one of Pedersen's clients removing his dressings and finding out the wily surgeon has turned him into a perfect copy of himself!

Directed by Robert Asher, best remembered for Norman Wisdom comedies such as 'The Early Bird' and 'Press For Time' ( both 1966 ). He also worked on 'The Avengers' and 'The Prisoner'.

The Champions go in for plastic surgery

[bensonmum2 · 8/10 · 13 March 2017]

After a number of high-profile criminals have seemingly disappeared after arriving in London, the authorities are convinced that someone must be helping them. Nemesis is put on the case. Posing as a big- time New York gangster with a load of stolen money, Craig arrives in London with a big splash and girlfriend, Sharon, in tow. They are quickly approached by an associate of a Dr. Pederson who says that, for the right price, he can give them new faces so they can move about undetected. The Champions must find a way to put a stop to Pederson and locate the gang of criminals he's helped escape.

The Mission is very strong episode with some nice comedy, drama, and a good twist at the end. The comedy comes from watching Craig play the New York gangster. It looks to me that Stuart Damon is having a great time playing the role. He's quite funny in the role. I also got a laugh or two out of Demont Kelly as the homeless, but humorous drunk, Hogan. The drama comes near the end as Richard and Craig race to save Sharon. She's under an anesthetic awaiting plastic surgery. They've got to get to her in time. And the twist at the end, well . . . I'm not going to go into it and ruin the finale. I'll just say it's a nice way to wrap-up the episode.

I really enjoy episodes where all three of The Champions get a chance to shine. While most of the heroics (and dialogue) are left up to Craig and Richard, the title sequence featuring Sharon is one of the better I've seen so far. She teaches a lecherous hitchhiker a thing or two. Good stuff.

Not bad

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 13 December 2021]

Not a bad episode; not great, but fun enough. I liked the idea of the sinister clinic which has got good mileage in British shows and films over the years, and of course Nazis always make dependable villains.