Death at Bargain Prices

When a colleague is found murdered, the only clue is a sales receipt from a nearby department store. Mrs Peel goes undercover and finds things aren't as they should be. It seems that none of the staff has the slightest clue on how to run a retail establishment. What are they up to?

Death at Bargain Prices is another fun episode that gives Steed and Mrs Peel plenty of opportunity to do what they do best - investigate an unusual case and engage in (often innuendo-filled) banter. As for the investigation, the case here is relatively interesting. On the first time through the episode, I honestly had no idea what the baddies were up to with lots of mysterious goings on in the middle of the night. The end is a bit contrived, but aren't most episodes of The Avengers. And the department store provides for a number of unusual situations and settings. I loved the scene where the bad guys hold a secret rendezvous amongst the bamboo in the camping section.

As for the banter, Death at Bargain Prices includes one of my favorite bits of dialogue from any episode. Steed: "I asked the chief predator where to find you and he said, 'Our Mrs Peel is in ladies underwear.' I rattled up the stairs three at a time." Good stuff.

The episode also benefits from having a strong supporting cast, including: Andre Morell, Allen Cuthbertson, and John Carter.

7/10