This is an episode that really works well. Al's mission is to rescue a young girl being held in Bulgaria. This plot means there's a lot at stake, and we feel it; it gives the story an extra edge. The episode benefits from an unusually large guest cast, and the secondary supporting players get their moments, which is also somewhat unusual. The script is particularly good for this outing.
Another point I like about this episode, is that we are not always confined to some office, shop, etc. The story puts the characters in some exterior scenes. One occasional weakness of this series is that it can feel claustrophobic, with almost no exteriors. Maybe that was to stay on budget, but the viewer notices after a while. That's not a problem here. We get a nice balance of interiors and exteriors. There's a good spy-story feel to this episode, and I found it quite exciting. I would rate this one of the best episodes of the series.
Another point I like about this episode, is that we are not always confined to some office, shop, etc. The story puts the characters in some exterior scenes. One occasional weakness of this series is that it can feel claustrophobic, with almost no exteriors. Maybe that was to stay on budget, but the viewer notices after a while. That's not a problem here. We get a nice balance of interiors and exteriors. There's a good spy-story feel to this episode, and I found it quite exciting. I would rate this one of the best episodes of the series.