Bizarre 

Found wandering in a snowy field Helen Pritchard claims to have seen a man who was supposed to have been a corpse but was very much alive. This leads Steed to investigate the Happy Meadows ... See full summary »

Director:

Leslie Norman

Writer:

Brian Clemens (teleplay by)

Stars:

Patrick Macnee, Linda Thorson, Roy Kinnear

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Patrick Macnee	...	John Steed
Linda Thorson	...	Tara King
Roy Kinnear	...	Happychap
Fulton Mackay	...	Master
Patrick Newell	...	Mother
Sally Nesbitt	...	Helen
James Kerry	...	Cordell
George Innes	...	Shaw
John Sharp	...	Jupp
Sheila Burrell	...	Mrs. Jupp
Michael Balfour	...	Tom
Patrick Connor	...	Bob
Ron Pember	...	Charley

Storyline

Found wandering in a snowy field Helen Pritchard claims to have seen a man who was supposed to have been a corpse but was very much alive. This leads Steed to investigate the Happy Meadows funeral parlour and the cheery Mr. Bagpipes Happychap. Unfortunately the undertakers seem unable to keep their 'stiffs' from walking and Steed has to arrange his own funeral in order to find out more, though ultimately he and Miss King do get a send-off that is out of this world!

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Cordell wears the same Guards tie as Colonel Stonehouse wears in "Take Me to Your Leader" and Wainwright in "The Rotters".

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Goofs

Helen Pritchard was thrown from a fast moving train by Jupp. Yet in the opening scene, her white nightdress is perfectly clean and she hasn't got a single scratch or bruise.

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Quotes

Bagpipes Happychap: This is awful! Simply awful! There's no body left!"
John Steed: The great grave robbery.

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Connections

Featured in Al Murray's Great British Spy Movies (2014)

User Reviews

And the series peters out...before blasting off...

"Bizarre" is one episode that just seems flat to me, as in the writing, cast and the production department sensed that the show was ending and it shows on the screen with a somewhat interesting story that arrives at an obvious conclusion. Actors that look a little depressed knowing it's all coming to an end and sets that look like sets instead of even attempting a realistic look.

Still, it does have a few moments of spark, if only the final scene where Tara gets her wish to blast off alone with Steed. One curious development is how Rhonda, Mother's loyal, towering and silent assistant, disappears halfway through the episode for no obvious reason except that she must have gotten her pink slip early.

"Bizarre" is not the way "The Avengers" should have ended, but I get the sense that everyone knew this remarkable show was ending and sadly it shows a little too much.

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 April 1969 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Weekend Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

52 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1